Christmas in Laguna

“What’s it like to spend Christmas where there’s never any snow?”

Our friends who live in colder places seem to always want to know.

Some think the holiday spirit can only be enjoyed served over ice.

We tell them more than honestly, that it’s comparatively quite nice!

It’s true we miss a fresh-fallen show, laid smoothly across the lawn,

But shoveling it off the driveway simply requires too much brawn.

And while we enjoyed the frozen snow crackling beneath our feet,

Do we need to live where it’s cold enough to keep a side of meat?

You see, it never snows in Laguna, and the water never freezes.

The nighttime sky is clear and crisp; our weather always pleases!

But Christmas arrives here just the same, and this I can guarantee

The season gets great ratings, as does our show on MTV!

The shops in the village deck out their halls,

They hang out their lights and their bobbles and balls.

Everyone shows up when they light the pepper tree,

And the meters are off, so the parking is free!

The June-gloom is gone, and so are the tourists,

And the surfers are reduced to only the surest.

Breakers break higher, exposing lost treasure.

Finding sand-worn beach glass becomes a great pleasure.

There are lots of holiday indicators, but one sets our town apart --

Local painters decorate large pallettes, to create public art.

The city hangs them on street posts, sometimes with great care,

But many are a little crooked, I guess it gives them their flair!

The moral of this year’s rhyme? It is really simple to me.

Look for the best in your world, no matter where you should be.

And if life doesn’t give you exactly what you want most,

Just paint a simple picture, and hang it up high on a post.

* Mike and Melissa O’Neal live in Laguna Beach. They wrote this rhyme for their annual Christmas card.