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Have a Cool Yule!

December 25, 2012 by Chris

Well, Christmas 2012 is almost in the rear-view mirror and what a Christmas it was. It was unlike any Christmas I’ve ever experienced. Warm, sunny palm trees decked out in lights. Garland and wreaths adorn fences and front doors. Christmas balls decorate the numerous yucca plants bursting from the sandy soil. I feel a little like a visitor to a strange land, the land of the Tropical Christmas. I’m used to crisp, chilly or even down-right frigid weather on Christmas. Frost coating the remnants of summer’s lawn and the air  heavy with the smoke from neighboring fireplaces. Not here… not now. We had no tree. I’ve always had a tree but this year, we decorated the mast with garland and lights. A red bow marks the “top” of our tree and we purchased one ornament.   A tiny, plaster Santa who dangles precariously just above the opening into the deep dark bilge. No worries Mr. Claus… You didn’t  have to navigate any dark, dirty chimneys for us this year. Nope… We woke up late this morning. We exchanged not a single gift. When I opened my eyes, my gift was all around me. My family, my boat, my life wide open to the sky. It’s an amazing and scary moment when you open your eyes and realize you might just be happy. Very happy.

Christmas on the boat

I didn’t frequent one Mall or Big-box store this holiday season. I didn’t rush to a single party or stress over a last-minute gift that I didn’t get. I actually didn’t even have the “Spirit” until Sunday night. We’d just finished decorating the mast, poured a glass of wine and turned on some Christmas music.  With the passing of Mel’s Mom recently, we had mixed emotions about how it would all feel. Palm trees decorated with Christmas lights, wreaths hung on pool and patio fences and christmas balls strewn on yucca plants don’t do much to evoke the NYC or Philadelphia Christmas vibe but we were trying.  Then… something amazing happened. We heard music playing and we poked our heads out of the companionway to see where it was coming from. Low and behold, a sailboat adorned with beautiful, twinkling lights blasting “White Christmas” slowly passed by our stern. Dag-nabbit! Our tropical version of carolers…  Instant smile. A rush of warmth ran through me as if I’d just tossed back three-fingers of Tennessee whiskey. Hello Spirit. You’re just in time. Follow that up with some Nat King-Cole and it all began to feel eerily ok.

I don’t know that I’ll ever get used to Christmas lights on palm trees or traipsing down the beach on Christmas morning instead of shoveling off the driveway but I’m not going to think too much about it. I’m going to let our Tropical Christmas work it’s way into my psyche. I’m going to put on my favorite old t-shirt, pour me a glass of wine and put my feet up and take it all in. My bare feet.

Merry Christmas Friends! Melody and I wish you all the love, luck and happiness the world has to offer in the new year. Lets be good to each other.
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Filed Under: Musings, People, Vacilando - a Cal 35

Comments

  1. Darla Smith says

    December 25, 2012 at 11:12 pm

    Chris, I will Never stop loving your stories and your writing. This Christmas story was sooo like ours has been for the last 13 years.( Thats when we moved here ) It is such a strange and different place, especially the year I lost my mom, 2005, and lost my Kat, 2012. I have gone from decking out with lights and trees to having No spirit at all. Thats how it is ( I guess ) when there is No family around you. I dont regret a single moment coming here, although it is a sorta different world. I really cant compare mine to yours, ( being on a boat is WAY different ) but the situation is much the same. Love you bunches and Cannot describe the love I have for my sweetist Niece!!!

  2. Lyn Lewis says

    December 26, 2012 at 1:17 pm

    Love the story! The boat decked out in Christmas lights & playing White Christmas…so cool!

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ABOUT US

CHRIS: Singer/Songwriter and author from Philly, (and also the author of this blog), transplanted to Nashville, took a break from the music biz and somehow convinced his girlfriend (now wife) to live on a boat and began writing books. You can check out his music on iTunes or his books on Amazon.

MELODY: Thought her husband was crazy for wanting to live on a boat, but never one to shy away from an adventure, decided to play along and fell in love with cruising. She blogs about how to make money while cruising at Saving to Sail and helps solopreneurs build 6-figure digital product businesses at Soloprenista.

JET: Dutch Shepherd rescue who traveled more miles in his 14 years than most people do in a lifetime. Refuses to vacuum his own hair and instead insists on shrimp tails and belly rubs. (Update: Jet crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Sunday, May 23, 2021 but will always be our favorite crew member and is dearly missed.)

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