It may be winter, the days may be short and snowy, but in my mind palm trees sway in make-believe breezes, an imaginary calypso band plays steel drums as I dig my toes into the warm powder-pink sand.

Whether your Holidays have you snow-bound or headed south it's easy and fun to bring a bit of tropics to a holiday meal or two this season.

Tropical Christmas Decorating - 

Tropical holiday decorations can be traditional red and green or blue and silver or they can be a riot of hot tropical reds yellows and oranges or cool Caribbean shades of blues, turquoise and coral.  Pick you palette and buy ribbons and bows to match.  Your tree could be a small potted palm, a retro metallic silver artificial tree or a traditional Christmas tree or Chanukah bush.  String your tree with tiny white lights and add accent in you color palette.  Look for unusual ways to extend your theme - maybe garland of wire-wrapped sea glass strung with sand dollars and starfish or crab-pot buoys and toy boats.  Let you imagination run wild. 

Casual is King

One of the reasons we love the tropics is the laid-back, barefoot "no worries" attitude.  Learn this lesson and make your tropical holiday a breeze to prepare.  This is a chance to keep the good china tucked safely away, instead buy festive tropics inspired paper plates.  Turn on some Jimmy Buffet Christmas tunes and mix and match from the following recipes!  Enjoy.

Recipes

Crab Cakes with tropical salsa 

Jerk Rubbed Grilled Turkey

Citrus Baked Snapper with roasted pineapple

House of Blues - Voodoo Shrimp

Bloody Mary Shrimp Pasta

Poinsettia Punch

Orange Spiked Green Beans

Tropical Spinach Salad with Papaya and Macadamia Nuts