Christmas Has Been Delayed ...

While I have been touting that we are "skipping christmas" this year, it may be a bit of an exaggeration. There are no Christmas decorations inside or outside here at Shingle Creek Manor, not so much as a wreath, but we're not skipping Christmas. It has however been delayed... well, at least for us.

We have always had to plan our holiday rituals around our careers which have never allowed any vacation time during this time of year, so our Christmases have been somewhat limited to whatever festivities we could squeeze into Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and of course the pre christmas battling of the shopping hoards. This year though we planned way early to get away from our normal Christmas routine, visit our family on Christmas Eve and then leave the country on Christmas Day. So while everyone else is exchanging gifts and celebrating with friends and family we'll be cramped into over priced airline seats. Our arrival date to Prague on December 26th will begin our holidays this year.

While this might not seem like it should be a first choice for a Christmas getaway, by all appearances and reviews it is one of the few European destinations that continue their christmas festivities beyond the 25th. It has far less tourism than most other European destinations, plus they have lots of "old stuff" there. Not a century or two of old stuff  like here in the U.S., but that kind of old where they have to put BC or AD on the date to help distinguish how old it is. I'm all about exploring historic stuff and having lived here in Florida for so many years, if we can have some fresh fallen snow a bit while we're there, well, that would be okay too.

While it might be a bit optimistic, we hope to capture the feel of an old world kind of Christmas with a little less corporate influence and instead, concerts in centuries old churches or cathedrals, street markets of hand made goods, street performers, and savory new cultural foods and spirits.

 Of course this isn't a Christmas blog, and it would be inappropriate for two people that dedicate so much of our year toward making a Halloween experience for our neighbors not to to spend some time exploring historical sites of a more macabre nature. Several of Prague's beautiful Cemeteries and the Sedlec Ossuary (The Bone Church) are in our plans.

Seen so many photos of the Old Jewish Cemetery and read the history behind it, this is a must see in person

However you chose to celebrate Christmas, we hope you will find the joy that you seek with time for family and friends, and of course time to reflect on the true meaning of this season.  Merry Christmas from Shingle Creek Manor!