SuperOwls

Can you get real ones in Florida or are they all fake?

Nutmegger

It took 2 seconds on Google to find this:

http://www.flchristmastrees.com/

explorerman

You'll start seeing all the home improvement stores getting their Christmas tree tents up in the next few weeks. Look to spend between $50 and $150 for a tree from one of them. You'll have to have a good dig through to find a decent one though.

Good hunting

Englishmum

Believe it or not but you can actually buy real Christmas trees in tropical Singapore (which is just 85 miles north of the Equator!). They even sell them in IKEA.

I can just imagine all the needles dropping as soon as it a real tree is brought home there - but if you turn on the air-con to max the electricity bills are horrendously expensive.

TBH Christmas feels really weird in the tropics; I'll be there this Christmas (approx my 7th experience of an Xmas in tropical climes) but all the shops are open on Christmas Day (they only close at Chinese New Year) and it just doesn't have that cosy feeling. Last year we were celebrating Christmas in New Jersey with an Australian expat family and they think it's weird having cold weather at Christmas!

How does it feel being an expat in Florida at Christmas, do you get used to it with the weather and daylight hours being so different to a Christmas in Blighty?

SuperOwls

[QUOTE=
How does it feel being an expat in Florida at Christmas, do you get used to it with the weather and daylight hours being so different to a Christmas in Blighty?[/QUOTE]

I have no idea. First one in Florida. I will let you know on Boxing day

Englishmum

You may find that a lot of locals throw out their Christmas Trees and leave them at the kerb on Boxing Day (which is a normal working day.....you are sooo lucky that Christmas Day is on a Saturday this year!)

anotherlimey

Yes you can, just look around.

I only miss the few days of snow we used to get. The rest of the time I'll take the 70F, a BBQ and a few beers.

explorerman

Christmas is pretty crappy in FL, only one day off and no snow on the actual day.

SuperOwls, I'm guessing you are a Wednesday fan?

rivit

Christmas trees are on the move, i saw a load of them on a trailer this week up here in New Hampshire.
If it were me buying one i'd get one of the first batch that comes in then i could keep it fed and watered, poor things are undernourished when they get there and only get worse waiting for someone to give them a good home
Some people say cut 2 inches off the bottom of the trunk so it can suck up the water better.

I didn't say you have to decorate it now but take care of it till you do

SuperOwls

Unfortunately yes

Titchski

I've got the Christmas week off, well sort of, it's my turn to be on call this year.

Owl_79

Look on the bright side, you might not be for much longer......................

Dan725

I'm not a fan at all - it still just doesn't feel "right" to me. Daylight hours are not that different, but of course the weather is. One year, it rained all day....and I actually felt much more at home that year

One of these years I think we'll have to book the skiing trip over Christmas; see if we can get some sort of Christmas feel to it....of course the other Christmas problem in the US is that it is a one day event; Boxing Day doesn't exist and most people just work, as they've just blown all their vacation time for Thanksgiving, which in itself is a Christmas killer IMO.....far too close on the calendar.

Dan725

Absolutely right; I agree - As Christmas day is on a Saturday, a lot of people will get the Christmas Eve Friday off in lieu....then a forced Boxing Day on Sunday, yay!

SuperOwls

28 days of more torture!