As a San Diego native, I've never had a white Christmas. Christmas Day is a snowless, generally sunny day, usually with temperatures somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees. Being in Boston has made me think a lot more about how nice it would be to have one of those movie-style Christmases, with a fireplace and snow falling outside the window, with big puffy coats and mittens and hot mugs of cocoa.

But then I thought about all of the amazing things about a San Diego Christmas, and realized that I wouldn't change any of those traditions for all the crackling fireplaces in the world. So here are the five best things about a San Diego Christmas, and why no amount of snowmen or cute beanies could ever be better.

1. The beach-ball Christmas tree.

Every year, someone donates a huge Christmas tree and it gets put up right on the beach. It gets decorated with beach balls, and the sight of the tree with a backdrop of blue, crashing waves is unbeatable.

2. Boogie-boarding down sand-dunes.

When winter rolls around, little mountains get built on the beach, stretching all the way from the tide-pools to Tower Four. On days when it's a little too chilly to actually go in the water, the next best thing is grabbing your boogie-board and sliding down the sand-dunes. It makes you feel as cool as Julie Andrews mattress-surfing at Princess Mia's twenty-first birthday party.

3. The Christmas Parade

I know there are Christmas parades all over the place, but there's something special about the one we have every year in Ocean Beach. It's such an intrinsic part of the community, a collective picture of what OB is all about. Everyone comes together to create this incredible symbol of togetherness; it's what Christmas is all about.

4. Garrison Street

Again, there are a million different streets decked out with Christmas lights, but Garrison is special. Is it really Christmas if you don't spend a night with your friends, sipping hot chocolate and snacking on sugar cookies while admiring the lights? (No, no it's not).

5. Christmas Eve picnics

One thing you definitely can't do if you're enjoying a snow-ridden Christmas –– Christmas picnics. It's probably one of my favorite traditions. You gather your friends and family along with an armful of Christmas cookies, fresh fruit, and hot cider, and head on down to the cliffs to watch the sunset.

Christmas in San Diego is a little unorthodox. It doesn't match with any of the Christmas movie stereotypes, and most San Diegans will spend much of the holiday season with their front doors open to let in the warm air. There's no snow, outdoor ice-skating is a struggle, and anyone in a puffy-coat is ridiculously extra. But Christmas in San Diego comes with traditions that make celebrating the holidays a hundred times better than it would be anywhere else, so you won't find me dreaming of a white Christmas any time soon.