Land Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone!

This is the first Christmas in three years that I’ve been on land for. With some luck and strategic planning I managed to get contracts on cruise ships that started in late October at the earliest and would go for four months. This meant three Thanksgivings and Christmases spent in much warmer climates, but also away from families and more traditional holiday fare.

A Christmas Stroll Through Atlantis in Nassau

As we’ve spent this year re-adapting to the cold and turning an apartment into a home instead of a temporary respite between travels we realized something. We forgot how to Christmas. Not how to buy presents, but how to decorate.

On the ship you have a small cabin space and most of the fun decorations are deemed a fire hazard, so you rely on the decorations in the main lobby on good ole deck 7.

So what did we have this year? We put all our presents on what became known as “the christmas chair.” You might be imaging a festively decorated chair, disguised as a tree bejeweled and ornate. Nope. It’s the chair that is in the corner. Although, my mom sent a small light up christmas tree inside a globe…about 3″ tall. So, that was there lighting up the 3″ space.

I think we are more prepared for next year.

If you’re one of the many improvisors, dancers, actors, magicians, cruise staff, etc. on the ships for Christmas please enjoy turkey and CHRISTMAS BINGO! *cue Cha-Cha Slide*