When you think about the holiday season you envision spending time with family and friends, watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas songs, helping the less fortunate, and of course cold weather and snow.
Well in Florida there is no snow nor cold weather. The average temperature in December is about 75 degrees in the tropical state where over 20 million people call home.
The lack of cold weather causes Floridians to celebrate the holiday season rather unconventionally. I have celebrated Christmas in the sunshine state for 21 consecutive years, therefore I have noticed 6 seasonally incorrect things Floridians do when celebrating christmas.
1. Wearing shorts on Christmas Day.
I have lived in Sarasota, Fl for over two decades and every single year it's 80 degrees on Christmas Day. Florida's warm weather eliminates the possibility of wearing fun holiday sweaters or jeans. Everyone wears shorts, a short sleeve shirt and quite possibly a swim suit underneath.
2. Sand instead of Snow.
Floridians celebrate Christmas by going to the beach and building "sandmen" instead of the typical snowmen. Many families go to local beaches on Christmas Day to celebrate, rather than playing in the snow or warming up next to a fire like the rest of Americans do on this day.
3. Santa in swimsuits.
In Florida, Santa Claus decorations commonly involve the big man paired with a festive flamingo while sporting swim trunks and sunglasses. I guess it makes us feel more included since we are excluded from the winter fun?
4. No fire in the fireplace.
Since the sunshine state's average temperature in December is a warm 75 degrees, it would be silly to light a fire on Christmas. Many people I knew growing up didn't have a fireplace because there was no need for one. Therefore Santa had to improvise and begin using the front door to deliver gifts to the great sum of Floridian children who do not have a fireplace.
5. Cranking the AC down to comfortably wear the classic Christmas flannel pajamas.
Sorry Mom and Dad, but many children who grew up in Florida are guilty of sneaking to the thermostat late at night to bump down the air conditioning because they were sweating their butts off in their favorite flannel Christmas pajama set. It also makes them feel like it's actually winter, but parents do not appreciate the high accompanying high electric bill.
6. Iced hot chocolate.
Yeah, it's pretty much glorified chocolate milk, but it's too dang hot for traditional hot chocolate so we had to improvise.
