If you travel to Syracuse, New York, you might think you are pretty far north. Keep traveling about 85 more miles north and you will stop at Fort Drum, New York. Fort Drum is only 24 miles from the Canadian border, so it can get pretty chilly. Locals at Fort Drum take holiday decorations very seriously. However, this holiday season, the Bilotta family escaped the cold and traveled south to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands to celebrate a more nontraditional holiday.
The family's Christmas tree is very special to us because all of the ornaments have a story.
The ornaments are laid out before they are put on the tree. There are the shiny ornaments that go on first, and then we put on the special ornaments that we have accumulated over the years.
Unique to my family, we have a "military-themed" Christmas tree in our front room that has ornaments from the different units and places we have lived at over the years.
Part of the "North country" culture is ice skating, The skates are shown off on our front porch as well as some pinecones and berries.
We escape the cold and head down south to St. Thomas, USVI for a more non-traditional holiday scene.
My family takes in the views and as much sunlight as possible before we have to head back home.