Medford Star News

So we’re out walking around on Saturday in Satellite Beach looking at Christmas light displays. The kids are loving it, calling out “Snowmen” and “da Gurinch” (the Grinch in Daphne speak) as they see all of the decorations, when we come across an outdoor inflatable nativity set like this:

I turned to my 4-year-old and asked, “Do you know who the baby is?” To which I received this prompt reply:

“That’s baby Santa!”

Oops! Guess those many, many years of Catholic school, Catholic mass, and Catholic guilt haven’t really rubbed off on him yet. Time to pull out some world religion story books.

And have no fear, my Catholic guilt is kicking in overtime on this one.

While I earn my right to own a rosary back, here’s a photo of the kids enjoying the lights.

Being from Wisconsin, just the thought of purchasing a fake Christmas tree can amount to sacrilege. But, I confess, this year we’ve done just that.

O Fake Weihnachtsbaum, O Fake Weihnachtsbaum! How I adore thee.
O Fake Weihnachtsbaum, O Fake Weihnachtsbaum! No more needles dropping from the tree!

Truly, I love real Christmas trees. The smell, the texture, all of it. But with 3 barfing cats, one dog who tears apart everything she encounters, and two kids who would probably climb it, this year a fake one just seemed like a better idea. And a fake one that fit on top of our table seemed like the best idea.

But, one tradition we haven’t changed is our yearly trek to a Hallmark store for each family member to purchase an ornament of their own choosing.

I think my husband found a winner: the leg lamp from A Christmas Story:

But my choice isn’t too bad, either. Anyone remember the mooing barn toy from Fischer-Price? I now have a tree-sized version:

No matter what your tradition or holiday, here’s wishing you and yours the best!

Christmas, I’m told, is right around the corner. What? When did it become December?

Anyway, we hopped on the Holiday Train today by hanging out at my work’s family holiday party. Decorate your own cookie. Face painting. Crafts. Not too shabby. Here’s a pic of my kids getting their sprinkles on:

Just got back from watching the coolness that is Palm Bay Lights.

Something lovely in Palm Bay, you say?  Can’t be so!  But it’s true. Palm Bay Lights is like a mini-Osborne Family Light Display at Disney MGM studios just a few minutes from I-95.

An enterprising guy took months, a radio station of his very own (91.7 FM for those of you keeping tabs) and millions (ok, not millions, but thousands) of lights to create an animated light show on his house that even kept my 3 1/2 and 2 year old entertained for well over 30 minutes.

The lights “dance” to the music, with all of the decorations timed perfectly to a rotating soundtrack of holiday music (kudos for the new tiny trees that were added this year - my daughter’s favorite!). It’s the kind of thing you expect to find in a theme park, plunked right down in good old Palm Bay.

Actually, we were pretty pleasantly surprised to see the effort people in the area have taken to decorate for Christmas, considering that many places in Brevard County currently look like they’ve been occupied by the Grinch.  But if you’re not one of the ones that “stink, stank, stunk” you’ll enjoy a trip to see these fun sparkly decorations.  Visit palmbaylights.com for all of the directions and stuff.

Oh, and don’t forget to turn off your headlights when you’re sitting there!  It’s so distracting having high beams in your mirror while trying to absorb some Christmas spirit.