Wednesday, December 11, 2013

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like A Tropical Christmas.

The sun is starting to swelter.  The days are sultry.  The temps outside have climbed to very, very uncomfortable.  The humidity levels have risen to stifling.  The cicadas have started singing.  The Poincianas are blooming.  It must be nearly Christmas time here in the tropics.  Hot, steamy and sticky is the way we like our Christmases!!  That's the weather, not the food.

Anyway, the school year is over and I'm on holidays.  Yahoo!  I've been busy adding some Christmassy touches to the place.


The tree is up and covered in ornaments collected over many years.


The verandah has a few Christmassy touches here and there.


There are many, many little gifts, given to me by students over many years, all scattered about the house.  Of course, I did receive bucket loads of chocolates, smelly soaps or lotions, and coffee/tea cups over the many years of my teaching career.

I've been very appreciative of all the presents presented by happy-faced students over the years, but I have to admit that the gifts that were not chocolate, not smelly and not made of china have become very precious to me.  Even though they're not the most sophisticated or classy looking things, they can be brought out every year and add that special touch of Christmas joy.

What does your place look like this Christmas?  Do you have special things that bring back lovely memories?  


Note:  After I had published this post, Google Auto-Awesomed one of my collages  (not sure that's a word, but what-the-hey!)  I love what 'they' did with my collage.     Here's the link.


18 comments:

  1. Beautiful! I love the look of your house with all the collections and memories. We are exceptionally cold this year and I actually prefer warmer weather at Christmas.

    Our tree is filled with ornaments collected over time, memories of our many moves and travels through the years.

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    1. Thanks Shirley. I love my house all year round, but there is always something special about the house when it's dressed in its Christmas finery. It sounds like you've collected quite a few treasures over the years, and what better time than Christmas to have them all out on show.

      P.S. If I could I'd share some of the toasty warm weather we're having at the moment. Less is more, in my eyes!

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  2. A hot and sultry Christmas is NOT what we have up here in New England in the USA. It is snowing today, and quite cold and gray, but pretty in a classic holiday way. I love the fact that people in the tropics put up decorated evergreens. There is something so enduring about the imagery! And I love that students from years past have gifted you with so many memories : )

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    1. Lol, no I wouldn't expect hot and sultry where you are. I've always wanted to experience a white Christmas. It's on my bucket list.

      Yes we do put up fake evergreens here. It's a tradition that just keeps on keeping on, although some people do use things like our native Norfolk Pine as their Christmas tree. I've never gone down that route as of yet. I guess maybe one day when the plastic tree gets too old and looks too bad to put up, I might.

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  3. Hot and sultry it is here too! I love that googly awesomeness with the flashing lights :) I dont like to have too much stuff to store, so just have a small tree, but love the memories of the ornaments each year. Happy Crhistmas to you and your family.

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    1. Thanks AA, and Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. I'll soon be off to spend Christmas with my son and grandchildren and I'm looking forward to that. It will be yet another Christmas without my youngest son though, and that's always hard. I do so long for the days when we were all together at this time of the year. Still, change is the stuff of life isn't it?

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  4. Oh, I thought we had an unusually warm December here in London, but compared to you it’s pretty cold here with 10-12 degrees C during the day. No white Christmas for us this year though, it will probably stay in double figures the rest of the year. Loved your Christmas decoration, especially your little mementoes from students, I have lots of homemade Christmas decoration and I treasure them much more than the shop bought ones.

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    1. Yes Helene, 10-12 degrees C would be very, very cold for us. That's a winter's night or freezing cold winter's day here. The decorations given as presents or homemade are always so very precious aren't they. Real treasures.

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  5. I love the sentiments behind your precious and lovely Christmas finery and a White Christmas is high on my bucket list - real high!
    Have a wonderful Christmas with your son and grandies Bernie.
    Rose

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    1. Thanks Rose. We're so looking forward to spending time with them, especially at Christmas time. Children always make Christmas an extra special time.

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  6. Merry Christmas Bernie! Thanks for such wonderful posts!

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    1. I'm pleased you enjoy dropping by, Maria. Have a wonderful Christmas yourself.

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  7. You're at +30 Celsius, and we're at -30! That's a 60 degree difference, Bernie!
    But seriously, your home looks lovely and festive! A tropical Christmas is extremely appealing!
    Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. : )

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    1. I just can't contemplate the temperature you're talking about, Wall Flower. I think I'd spend all day and night indoors next to a raging fire. Thanks for the Christmas wishes, and the same to you and yours.

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  8. Happy Christmas Bernie! Your house looks lovely and very Christmasy! Christmas is all about memories mostly happy and I am sure you are making new memories with your children and grands. Here in the cold we have serious heat envy! I would be most happy to share some of this with you.

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  9. Merry Christmas, from down south. It's taking it's sweet time warming up down here :) It is certainly looking like Christmas at yours. Love that auto-awesome effect :)

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