Christmas spirit

It’s always spooked me that warm places over-compensate for being sunny this time of year by having the most outlandish of Christmas decorations.

Bermuda goes to town on the festive bedecking but after being in Sarasota, Florida for two weeks I reckon it takes the glittering prize.

Sarasota’s downtown glows, the Mall at UTC has streets of lights that dance to music and outside people’s homes sit the most unimaginable blow up festive and in fact non-festive characters known to man. It’s America after all.

We’ve crammed a fair bit of Christmas joy into this last week since the family made it here. Our favourite night was at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens where we got their early to see the sunset over Sarasota Bay and more than two million lights shone brightly upon every little nook and cranny at the beautiful Gardens.

The best jaw dropping sunset was at Siesta Key last night when we joined in with the Christmas carol service on the beach. I am not remotely religious, but I do like a Christmas carol singalong!

Tonight we were at St. Armands Circle, a dine and shop enclave separated from Sarasota by two bridges over the Sarasota Bay. A big Christmas tree sat centre circle as we walked amongst the shimmering lights and had dinner at Columbia, an old world charm Spanish restaurant.

There was a wishing tree at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. I took a ribbon and tied it to an illuminated tree covered in bright ribbons and thought about all of those that have not been so lucky this Christmas.

It has been a tough year for many who have lost loved ones or have been impacted badly by the pandemic. I thought of them as I tied my ribbon.

Be kind, be grateful, and enjoy your Christmas the best way you can.