3. Your mom bribed you with In-N-Out for lunch if you didn’t whine too much during the long hours of Christmas shopping.
4.Your dad barbecued steaks in his Santa hat while you set the table for an ‘al fresco’ Christmas Eve dinner.
5. You got dozens of photo Christmas cards from your east coast relatives with their pasty white faces. Your family still had a light bronze glow from some late November beach time.
6. You had to endure the annual road trip in the family station wagon down the 101 to see relatives. You and your brother always fought over the headphones while your dad griped about the LA traffic.
7. Your Christmas tree was usually dried out by mid-December because your mom was worried about the drought and didn’t give it enough water.
8. There was either a skateboard or surfboard on your or your sibling’s Christmas list.
9. Your dad always looked forward to his annual golf game on December 26th; he loved wearing the golf shorts you got him for Christmas.
10. You couldn’t wait for the New Year’s bonfire on the beach. Sand and sunshine in December was the norm for you and the neighborhood kids.
11. But you were jealous of snow days kids in the mid-west and east coast got to enjoy. You tried to convince your teacher to shut the school down the one day it rained and have a ‘rain day.’
12. Your family constantly talked about the ONE legendary day it did snow around Christmas. There’s a picture of you and your siblings in the front yard with a heavy dusting of frost on the lawn.
13. There was always a fresh salad with crisp garden vegetables for Christmas dinner.
14. You took the Christmas tree home in the convertible.
15. The Beach Boys Christmas album was played everywhere.
16. The corner Santa didn’t look too jolly as he sweated in his over-sized Santa suit.
17. You watched for Santa and his reindeer from your deck with hot chocolate in hand, bundled up in big fluffy blankets and flannel pajamas because it was a chilly 70 degrees out.
18. You longed to make snow angels, have snowball fights, and build a snowman in the front yard. But you were happy with surfing Santas and jacket-free holidays.
19. Your shiny pink bike from Santa got action on Christmas day, instead of collecting dust in the garage until spring, when the snow melted.
20. All your childhood fantasies came true at Disneyland in December. Your senses were on overload from the Christmas parade with Mickey to the Jingle Cruise.
21. You thought everyone had palm trees in their front yard to decorate with Christmas lights.
22. Grandpa’s beach house was a favorite holiday destination where you could swim in the ocean on Christmas Day.
23. After the presents were unwrapped and played with, your family strapped on their hiking shoes and trekked the hills behind your house.
24. You had your first sip of California wine during your Uncle’s Christmas party at his vineyard. 