We've put just a few Christmas lights around the boat and we have some decorations out - including our 8' inflatable snowman.  Some other boats in the marina also have lights, small lighted trees in a cockpit or cabin window, a tree in the marina office, etc.  The Chamber of Commerce has put up lighted decorations along Route 1 - a holiday dolphin, lighthouse in holiday colors, and a palm tree with a bow are the common themes.  It's a bit different getting into the holiday spirit here where it's 80 degrees every day (this is a very good thing).  No one has shorts with a sleigh or holly motif... people aren't wearing red hats with white fuzzy trim (too hot!)... though the local real estate office has a mailbox in the shape of a manatee and it's always wearing something appropriate for the current holiday (an elf hat; you should see the red teddy it wears in February).

The other interesting thing about the Keys is that shopping isn't a big deal because we don't have malls and lots of chain stores.  I don't miss the eroding of holiday spirit from fighting parking lot traffic and crowds in malls.  But it's harder to wrap things when the wrapping paper is damp from the humidity.  It's all a trade-off, isn't it??

Last night was the annual Holiday Boat Parade here in Marathon.  I'm sure the one down in Key West was much bigger, but we decided to stay put and cheer for the local crowd.  Many folks from the marina decided to make a party of it all.  We had cocktails and snacks before parade time, then we all trooped down to the fuel dock to sing carols and applaud the parade boats.