Christmas in July? I found it. It’s in Clearwater, Florida. It’s called Robert’s Christmas Wonderland. I swore I wasn’t going to buy anything. It is, after all, nowhere near Christmas and being a thoughtful “artiste,” I haven’t arrived at this year’s theme yet.
I bought a tree topper.
If you’re inner artist isn’t sure what sort of theme you want, they have plenty of examples – trees decorated by color, ornaments, lights, even Disney characters, jungle animals, dancers, Florida citrus and Sesame Street.
Are you a fan of snow globes? I have cardinals in my backyard and they’re fascinating birds. I don’t know if it’s part of the breed or not, but the male and female always arrive together. I’m quite fond of them so this globe caught my eye. The snow swirls continuously and it’s a bit mesmerizing.
Want something regional? Well yee ha, ya’ll. I’m originally from Texas and this stocking caught my eye. And since I’m now a Floridian, the fishtail next to it managed to sneak into the picture.
How about lights, Christmas balls or even a summer sale on cards. Yep, they’ve got those, too.
One of the things I love most about Florida is the wildlife so I was drawn to the plethora of fuzzy, soft animals to put under the tree or in the front yard. Well . . . maybe not the front yard. They’d end up pretty soggy.
And I tell you what. If you don’t like Christmas, then this one’s tailor-made for you.
Robert’s Christmas Wonderland is open daily from July to December and Monday to Saturday from January to June. They are located in Clearwater at 2951 Gulf to Bay Blvd. (Highway 60) and can be reached at 727-797-1660 if you want to check on store hours.
Lisa Browder 
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