Everything’s bigger in Texas, including Christmas. Around these parts, we don’t just set up some giant inflatable snowmen in the front yard and call it a day. We take Christmas seriously around here, from tacking wreaths on the barn to smoking meat special for the occasion—and we have some traditions you won’t find anywhere else. When yee-haw country gets a whiff of the holiday spirit, there’s no telling what’ll come next. So, it’s time to buckle on your spurs, slap on that ten-gallon hat, and get ready to experience Christmas: Texas Edition.
Here are four things every Texan does to celebrate Christmas:
Chop it Down
Miss us with those plastic trees. We do it right around here, and that means heading out to our local Christmas tree farms every December and picking out the perfect tree while it’s still in the ground. Then it’s time to break out the axes and saws and chop that sucker down by hand. Plus, this is a family affair, and many tree farms will have hayrides and hot cocoa for the kids, so bring the whole family and the dogs too. Fresh-cut trees bring the holidays to life like nothing else, and there’s something truly special about picking it out and cutting it down as a family.
All Hail The ‘Nog
Other states like eggnog a reasonable amount, and that’s fine. But around here, the holiday season starts when the eggnog hits the shelves and doesn’t stop until HEB stops stocking it in mid-January. And then you can just make your own. This rich and delicious chilled beverage can be consumed in so many ways, from eggnog cheesecake, to eggnog ice cream, to creamy alcoholic eggnog beverages. Or, you can just pour it on cereal like milk. There’s nothing that isn’t better with a little eggnog on it. (No, we won’t be taking questions on this.)
Light it Up (And Leave It Up)
You know we love our lightshows around here, but you won’t find lightshows of this size anywhere else. Drive through neighborhoods near Austin, Dallas, and Houston and witness the extravagant displays that span multiple acres, as well as custom light displays in certain parks in the big cities. And we’re not talking just Santa Claus and a few reindeer, either. These displays feature Star Wars characters, nativity scenes set up across an entire rooftop, and even light-up longhorns, armadillos, and cowboys. Elaborate light displays are truly a Texas classic—but the real Texas tradition is setting up early and leaving those lights up all the way into January or longer. What can we say? We love the holidays.
This Plate Ain’t Big Enough For the Both of us…
A true Texas Christmas always includes more food than you can shake a stick at—especially the meat. We like to combine meat in new and strange ways, including the turducken, the turbaconducken, and more. Your plate will be overflowing by the first course, and you may need an extra plate (or two!) to make room for all the delicious and hearty food combinations available at a good Texas Christmas table.
Ready to join us down in the Lone Star State for a Christmas of epic proportions? Get your fix with a locum tenens position down here in El Paso, Temple, San Antonio, or one of our other Texas positions. Connect with us today to learn more. And if you do make it down to Texas in time for the holidays… don’t forget to put a longhorn at the top of the Christmas tree.