moonlight Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 For those of you that celebrate christmas in a warm climate, what special traditions do you have...anything special you do to make it feel "cold/wintery?" We live in Abu Dhabi and it is pretty warm here year round and it just doesn't feel the same...we lived in Oregon before this! Seema Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 My extended family lives in the SW states and we celebrated a lot of Christmases there. It being close to Mexico, chiles were used as decoration a lot! Lots of evergreen and juniper and lights. We always did luminarias. That tradition has spread but when I was young it was purely a SW thing so felt very desert-y to me. Don't try to make it a cold Christmas-embrace the warm Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 When we lived in Hawaii we just went with the warm thing. :) We went to the beach on Thanksgiving and Christmas almost every year we were there. I did decorate inside the house with evergreen and pinecones, but it was still hot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Yes, we decorate with the tree and holly, but I just enjoy the warm if I am in a warm climate. We have done picnics/grill outs for Christmas dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Three Christmases in Guam and all the pictures have the drapes in the living room drawn so that you can't see the sun and coconut trees outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I grew up in Houston. It was WEIRD when it was cold at christmas. The year we got bikes for Christmas? we went right outside and enjoyed them right away! PS I have no need for Christmas to "feel" cold. The weather will go as it does. If it is nice enough to go outside, we'll be out there playing. If not, we stay inside with the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Well I happen to think cold/wintery Christmas is weird :tongue_smilie: When I lived in Canada for a few years Christmas just felt wrong with all that snow :lol: Enjoy the warm - go to the park or to the beach. Eat a cold lunch instead of a hot one "ok that might be pushing it" :D Christmas is just as fun when it's warm -honest -the kids in Australia never complain :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I have a NEED for it to be cold for Christmas. We've been in Arizona for 10 years and I'm still not adjusted to warm winter. It makes it hard for me to think about gifts and prepping the house when it's 85F. Thankfully we've had a "cold" snap with daytime highs in the low 60s, so my transition to November has been nice. It's going back up later this week though. I'm so tired of the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I've lived in FL for my entire life, so warm Christmases are the norm for us. I love watching movies and seeing toasty fires, people dressed in winter coats, and snow on Christmas morning. One day I'd *love* to visit somewhere that's going to have a white Christmas. We just do Christmas like everyone else....minus the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 For those of you that celebrate christmas in a warm climate, what special traditions do you have...anything special you do to make it feel "cold/wintery?" We don't try. Who decided Christmas is *supposed* to be cold and wintery? Here's what December/Christmas/winter looks like for us: --Kids are outside on Christmas morning riding their brand new bikes or scooters or playing with their new basketballs or footballs. --Breakfast includes oranges or grapefruits picked that morning from the backyard tree. --We take a family bike ride around the neighborhood a few nights before Christmas to look at the lights and decorations. --We run lights around the palm trees. --We don't have to carry coats around when shopping (although now most of my shopping is done online). --Some years dh smokes a turkey. Outside on the grill. Usually wearing shorts. I know this doesn't help you figure out how to make it feel cold, but it is frustrating for those of us who are constantly told that Christmas should be cold. We think it should be warm. And who gets to decide? I guess I'm just saying, enjoy the warm. Don't try to make it what it isn't. Enjoy what it is. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 i guess i need to shift my focus and embrace the warm, but it just doesn't seem right....i don't know....but a picnic/bbq dinner with friends sound good since a lot of us are expats and without family.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 We live in Phoenix, and although I grew up in the midwest with snow, I've lived out west in CA and AZ for so long now that a warm Christmas seems normal. On Christmas Eve we light a fire outside in our firepit and invite family/friends over to sing Christmas carols around the fire. Some years we're out there in jeans and a shirt, but other years it's cold and everyone is wearing coats. You never know. We serve snacks and drinks - if it's cold my dh makes his famous hot buttered rum, if it's too warm for that we just serve beer/wine. Our Christmas Eve food tradition is Mexican, picked up from our favorite drive-thru. Sometimes we'll have Margaritas to go with it if we feel like making them. On Christmas Day we start the morning off with mimosas and my dh cooks up a bunch of sausages and eggs, along with something sweet like coffee cake, cinnamon rolls, etc. Our family comes over and the kids are outside most of the day, riding new bikes/skateboards, trying out any cool outdoor toy or sport equipment they might have received, or just hanging out at the park. We eat a lot, play Beatles Rock Band, and in general just make merry all day long. To me, Christmas is about our family, getting together to share food/drink and just spending time with everyone. Warm or cold, I love Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Mom Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I've lived in Florida most of my life. I remember snow on Christmas though, and I do long for it when Christmas rolls around. In the past few years I've learned to just embrace the Floridian lifestyle. I put a tree out by the pool...decorated with tropical ornaments, hibiscus garland, and 'hot colors' (lime green, hot pink, orange, aqua, and hot purple). Most of the decorations were wooden pieces I picked up at Michaels and painted myself. It looks pretty awesome. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I'm a native Floridian as well. The things that we do are similar to what people up north do, I believe. The difference is probably Christmas day. My family does not own coats. We have warm-up jackets and other lighter weight jackets. We simply layer. If it is a particularly cold Christmas it is a bit disappointing as the outside toys and gifts will wait a few days as we are all tucked inside the house. However, most Christmas mornings are warm. The children are often in spring or summer-type clothing. They go outside and play while dinner is being prepared. They watch Christmas specials, which usually feature snow. Some of them ask if it will snow this year. I usually tell them that we'll have to see or that it really doesn't snow here (last time it snowed and gathered on the ground was 18 years ago..about a fourth of an inch). Some will ask if we can go see it, but I often respond about how far away that is. Well, we are moving to Ohio this winter. It's the first time we've moved out of this county in Florida. They may get to see snow - this year - after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 We have cold cuts, bbqs, ice-cold drinks. Beach, pool or water guns is often a christmas activity! Actually, our biggest 'hot weather' christmas tradition is a big plate of prawns with christmas lunch! mmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 For those of you that celebrate christmas in a warm climate, what special traditions do you have...anything special you do to make it feel "cold/wintery?" Who wants cold and wintery? I hate being cold! And I'm glad I don't have to pay such a large heating bill at the same time as I'm Christmas shopping! Spread out the expenditure, please! I shouldn't be surprised if we have pizza for Christmas dinner. It seems just the right time of year for my aunt to fire up her outdoor oven. :D And my cake, because it is the bestest cake in the whole world. :drool5: (Do a search for my batik cake if you want the recipe.) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassoonaroo Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Grew up in Florida (and have spent a few years in Ohio, Massachusetts, and now 16 years in Colorado...) and loved our warm Christmases. We'd play with our new outdoor toys right away. And our municipal golf course would leave all the hand carts unlocked on Christmas day and would leave out a stack of score cards. The locals knew that the golf course was "open" for those wanting to play a free round or two that day. We didn't spread the word too much because nobody wanted a crowded course. There were no workers there and no tee times and the pro shop (and restrooms!) were locked, but "everyone" knew it was okay to grab a cart and a score card and pencil and play 18 holes on a pretty Christmas day. It was fun but in a different way than a white Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 When we lived in Baton Rouge, we used to often drive down River Road toward New Orleans and look at the bonfire preparations all along the levees down that way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I loved going to the beach on Christmas day. :D My mom did do traditional decorations inside the house. We put Christmas lights on the tropical plants in our yard. :) We had traditional cookies and such, too. Caroling is much more comfortable in warm weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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