“A holiday gives one a chance to look
backward and forward, to reset oneself by an inner compass.” - May Sarton –
“All the world is a stage, and all
the men and women merely players.” - William Shakespeare -
There are many advantages to Timesharing or Vacation Ownership,
however my favorite is that it provides opportunities for families to get together and celebrate. This year many
members of Gerry and my immediate family will get together over the Christmas Holidays for the first time
since the kids were small. We are going to gather at the Orange Lake
Country Club in Kissimmee Florida. Now I know that most of you are wondering why we didn’t go to
someplace like the Iron Blosam
Lodge in Snowbird, Utah, Lake Condominiums at
Big Sky, Montana or Trapp Family Lodge
and Guest House in Stowe, Vermont for a more
traditional winter setting.
We could have gone to Ocean Towers Beach Club
in Panama City Beach, Florida and just been 110 miles west of Tallahassee where Hernando de Soto
and his army set up their winter camp in 1539. While in that encampment those troops celebrated with an authentic
Spanish Style Christmas observance. That was the first recorded Christmas get together in what now
is the United States.
We could have gone to the Manhattan Club
in NYC and among other things, gazed at the magnificent Neapolitan Baroque figures on the Angel
Tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ice skated beneath the tree at Rockerfeller Center or
caught the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes. Magic
and merriment abound at the Bronx Zoo's Holiday Lights. This special nighttime extravaganza welcomes visitors into an enchanting world
with hundreds of thousands of lights and over 140 illuminated animal sculptures - many of which are animated, such
as leaping frogs and swinging monkeys. Delightful costumed characters including: special guest Paddington Bear and the BBC's Robbie the Reindeer, plus
a fairytale princess and other stilt-walking entertainers from the Alice
Farley Dance Company, along with the Zoo's own Sammy Snowman, Blizzard the Polar Bear, Tasha Tiger, Tommy
Turtle, and Penguin
Pete are on-hand to greet guests during their visit.
We could have gone to the Riverside
Suites on the famed Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas and joined a Tex-Mex ‘Posada”
Not familiar with the ‘Posada’? Las Posadas – the best known manifestation of the Christmas
spirit held each night on the nine days between December 16th and Christmas Eve which, according
to religious tradition, represents the period when Mary and Joseph were seeking shelter before the
birth of Jesus. People carry candles, visit several houses and ask for “posada” (shelter), the adults are
given a thick punch “Ponche Navideno” and at the end of the journey, the “piñata”,
stuffed with candy and fruit, is broken.
We all thought about Boston, Massachusetts and the Marriott
Custom House on Boston Harbor where we could see the city lights prior to visiting Prudential
Center, and the tree that comes from the gracious Nova Scotians. Seventy-five years ago, the collision
of two ships in the Halifax Harbor caused an explosion that killed thousands and destroyed a neighborhood.
Boston responded by sending relief: doctors, nurses, food, and supplies, and to this date, the Canadians
continue to display their appreciation for Boston's goodwill and assistance. Another tree, again from the
Canadians, is on display at the Boston Common. The children of New Brunswick gave it to the
children of Boston.
Our daughter Rene’ suggested New Orleans, Louisiana and the Chateau
Orleans in the heart of the historic French Quarter and just a few steps from Jackson Square.
From there we could then join in a truly moving 57-year tradition as Jackson Square brims with candlelit
faces of song-lit spirits as high as the spires of the St. Louis Cathedral. The singing is led by Patio
Planters (the Garden Club of the French Quarter), who also provides candles and song sheets. On Christmas
Eve we could have joined in a time-honored tradition - the "feux de joie" (fires of joy) along
the Mississippi River. For years, the Cajuns have built mammoth structures out of wood and then set
them ablaze to light “Papa Noel's” way down to the bayous.
Several in our family have heard me talk about visits to Vancouver, British Columbia
and all of them remember me mentioning the Canadian
with its stunning views of the city. This would have been the perfect base from which to explore a special city
and its celebrations. During the magical holiday season, Canada Place is transformed into a Christmas
village where visitors can stroll through the avenue of Christmas trees. The Festival of Lights at the VanDusen
Botanical Gardens is arguably the most bedazzling seasonal light display. Even the worst Scrooges might
find themselves getting caught up in the whimsy of the Lake Walk. While wandering along spectators can watch
the dance of glittering lights, flickering and twirling in harmony to music.
Unique to Vancouver is the Carol Ships, which are a procession of boats and
ships with Christmas lights, playing Christmas music, that sail by various points around the city. The stars of this event are the sailing ships The Pride of Vancouver, the
Queen of Diamonds and the Harbour Princess.
We, the Sikes Family chose Orlando for our Christmas get-together because
it was the most convenient for the majority of our members. If we had actually put it to a vote (without cost of
travel considerations), I believe many would have traded Orlando for Honolulu. The Hilton
Grand Vacation Club at Hilton Hawaiian Village would have been our choice because they have very
nice 2 bedroom units that offer an unparalleled view of the sunsets.
The official Honolulu Christmas tree is in front of Honolulu Hale and
Kalakaua Ave.'s mahagony trees light up the entire length of the street. Where else would you find a children's
choir dressed in muumuu’s, a hula halau performing Christmas hulas, Grammy award winners
singing Hawaiian/Christmas music outside, dressed in aloha wear-- no jackets, no sequins, no breath steaming
in the cold air? And how many other cities dress up their buses, garbage trucks, cranes, and other hard-working
vehicles in thousands of lights for an electric lights parade through downtown?
Santa shows up in Hawaii in a bright red outrigger canoe, (a magic one of
course) which carries him across the wide sea and right up onto the beach. Since Hawaii only gets snow on
top of the highest mountains (which are volcanoes!) on the Big Island and Maui, sleighs aren't much
use and the reindeer get to take a little rest while deliveries are being made in the Islands.
Final Thought
Life is nothing if it is not lived to it’s fullest and when it ends one would hope that
their life’s vessel was overflowing rather than half empty. I don’t know if we take memories with us when we leave
this world, but I know that the family and friends who shared our days have memories of us and our times together
long after the worldly goods we left behind are gone.
Timesharing or Vacation Ownership has added fullness to many lives. It motivates
us to break out of the routine that often dominates our lives and it facilitates (by its very name) sharing.
Timeshare accommodations are always more than just suitable, they encourage both living and involvement.
Involvement with the people you bring with you, who join you, who are guest like yourselves and who live and work
at the chosen destination. These entanglements with others at intriguing locations abound with memories just waiting
to happen. Holidays can also be like that...
There are those people we all know that are homebodies. You know them as those who live
their entire lives within a small radius of where they came into this world. It is they who make us feel guilty
if we don’t visit them on holidays. You know how it is... Thanksgiving with your family last year means
you must share it with her family this year. You must spend Christmas Eve with her mother and Christmas
Day with yours. It’s tradition, its required, expected and so often it’s the same-old, same-old, same...
Get over it!
If not this Holiday Season, then next year... Why not create a new tradition and
some different memories with a Timeshare Holiday? Get out your resort directories or sit down at your keyboard
and find some exciting venue like one of those listed above and plan a family outing within the world of Timesharing.
It could be that the Sikes family will see you there. Mele Kalikimaka!
