We love to spend Christmas in our beautiful home in Orlando, Florida, but we very often get special requests by guests who want to stay in our home, so now we tend to visit prior to Christmas to enjoy all the wonderful traditions in the sunshine, whilst being able to prepare our house to welcome our Christmas guests in a festive fashion.
Many of the traditions which we value so highly in the UK can be found in the USA.
One thing we always do for our younger guests is to provide a stocking for each and every one of them. I buy little gifts and wrap them before placing them inside the stockings. I then lay them under the tree with each child’s name on them. Guests have told me that their children have been so excited when they see them, awaiting their arrival. Stockings are very easily available from all the major stores, and can be as plain or as fancy as you want. There are usually velvet ones with fur, stockings with Father Christmas or snowmen or reindeer decorating them, or colourful felt ones with silver ribbons or little bells on them. There really is something to suit every pocket.
Of course, we also provide gifts for each member of the family, wrapped in silver or gold paper and decorated with ribbons and bows. These are labelled and placed under the tree, beside the stockings, and they look so festive and welcoming. I spend a lot of time thinking about what each person would like, and it is so good when guests contact me after Christmas to say how much they liked their gifts, and asking ‘How on earth did you know what we wanted? ’ It is wonderful to know that we have made their Christmas extra special.
Candy canes are traditionally given at Christmas. They can be found in stores such as Walmart or Target, and come in boxes, individually wrapped. They look great with their red and white stripes, and you can hang them on the tree too. These candy canes are also to be found at Cracker Barrel, that old country restaurant which has a fascinating gift shop within it.
Back home in the UK, thousands and thousands of bright red or pure white pointsettias are purchased either for decoration or as gifts. These beautiful plants can also be found in Orlando, and they always look healthier and more robust than those we buy here. I always like to buy a fresh pointsettia, as it brightens up our villa, and makes it feel really Christmassy.
Rita Fraser
Many of the traditions which we value so highly in the UK can be found in the USA.
One thing we always do for our younger guests is to provide a stocking for each and every one of them. I buy little gifts and wrap them before placing them inside the stockings. I then lay them under the tree with each child’s name on them. Guests have told me that their children have been so excited when they see them, awaiting their arrival. Stockings are very easily available from all the major stores, and can be as plain or as fancy as you want. There are usually velvet ones with fur, stockings with Father Christmas or snowmen or reindeer decorating them, or colourful felt ones with silver ribbons or little bells on them. There really is something to suit every pocket.
Of course, we also provide gifts for each member of the family, wrapped in silver or gold paper and decorated with ribbons and bows. These are labelled and placed under the tree, beside the stockings, and they look so festive and welcoming. I spend a lot of time thinking about what each person would like, and it is so good when guests contact me after Christmas to say how much they liked their gifts, and asking ‘How on earth did you know what we wanted? ’ It is wonderful to know that we have made their Christmas extra special.
Candy canes are traditionally given at Christmas. They can be found in stores such as Walmart or Target, and come in boxes, individually wrapped. They look great with their red and white stripes, and you can hang them on the tree too. These candy canes are also to be found at Cracker Barrel, that old country restaurant which has a fascinating gift shop within it.
Back home in the UK, thousands and thousands of bright red or pure white pointsettias are purchased either for decoration or as gifts. These beautiful plants can also be found in Orlando, and they always look healthier and more robust than those we buy here. I always like to buy a fresh pointsettia, as it brightens up our villa, and makes it feel really Christmassy.
Rita Fraser