Merry Christmas from the Virgin Islands!

Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas from our tropical paradise in St. Thomas!

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

We will be spending Christmas Day in Christmas Cove on the boat. Did you know Christmas Cove was the cove that Christopher Columbus stayed on Christmas on one of his trips to the Virgin Islands.

Here is a Christmas poem that was taken from News of St. John and adapted to St. Thomas: 

http://newsofstjohn.com/2013/12/24/twas-the-night-before-christmas/

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through St. Thomas,

Not a creature was stirring, even at Caribbean Saloon;

The stockings were hung by the Island Time Pub with care,

In hopes that a Bushwacker soon would be there;

The locals were chillin’ at XO on St. Thomas;

While Tara dished out shots of Fireball;

The tourists out to dinner, some at The Cellar,

Next head to Latitude 18 for a little night cap,

When out on the dock there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my barstool to see what’s the matter.

Away to the beach, I flew like a flash,

Ran past Fish Tails and heard a big splash.

The moon on the bay and the St. John lights,

Gave a lustre of midday to something in flight,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid than mongoose his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!

To the top of Crown Mountain! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up past Moutain Top the coursers they flew

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I put down my drink, and was turning around,

Down the palm tree St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his hand,

And his clothes were all tarnished all salty with sand;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

Now back at the sleigh were three HSST dogs;

While back in the house, the man sampled some treats,

And made sure to leave some for the Iguanas to eat;

He had a tanned face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the palm tree he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew, like Homer, a missile.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”