Welcome Christmas

Welcome Christmas







December 14, 2008

Welcome Christmas, fah who rah-moose,
Wecome Christmas, dah who rah-moose
Christmas day will always be, Just so long as we have we



The holiday season in Key West is one of the busiest and most festive times of the year as the entire island community gets caught up in holiday fervor and residents go to great lengths to decorate their homes and attend the many, many holiday related parties and functions. We may have gotten a slightly late start, but our home is currently covered in Christmas lights and decorations and we have purchased a beautiful tree from the MARC House.

Kathy at the MARC House

I have always believed that Key Westers go over the top in their holiday decorations to make up for the lack of such traditional winter hallmarks such as snow. I must admit when I first came here, I was astonished at the level of participation in the holidays. It still feels a little odd to see inflatable snowmen and Santa displays mixed in with Palm trees, dolphins and manatee decorations. The holiday spirit is alive and well in Key West.



It was extra special this year to share at least a portion of the holiday season with our good friends Kerry & Bruce who were here visiting from Colorado. They have returned to the comfy warmth of their wonderful Estes Park restaurant, The Rock Inn Mountain Tavern but it was great to be able to spend time with them during their visit.

Bruce & Kerry

One of the many annual holiday traditions is a ride on the special Conch Train ride to see all the various holiday displays that are all over the island. Once again, we joined the parents and children from the Key West Preschool Coop on the train. It is always extra fun to see all the excited kids as they get all keyed up for the holidays.

Tiffany, Logan, Brooks & Scott

Tim, Tarah, Gryffyn, & Ursala

The weather was a little crisp, which actually added to the holiday feel of the ride and the hour long ride took us across much of the island and the myriad of amazingly decorated homes. Sadly it is difficult to capture the splendor of it in photographs, poor lighting and a moving train create near impossible conditions for decent photos. It did produce a few interesting images though.



Kathy surveys the house.

Kathy & I spent a few evenings putting up lights ourselves, being on some of the train routes, it seemed the thing to do. We also made our Christmas tree purchase from the beautiful MARC (Monroe Association for Retarded Citizens) house plant store. They sell trees each year as a fundraiser to benefit the many services and programs that they provide to the disabled citizens of the county. Even if you never purchase a tree, it is worth a visit to the Christmas tree sale just to experience the intoxicating aroma of the frazier pines- it captures the holiday spirit just walking through the place.



MARC House