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MURRIETA, Calif. — Nothing compares to being home for the holidays. Many of we transplanted New Mexicans return for the love of family, tradition and memories.

OK, and the food, we return for the food.

My mother-in-law makes the best red and green and bakes the world's best cakes, cookies and pies. The woman could pour an award-winning glass of water, she's so good. So, home for the holidays it is this year.

Despite the strong draw to New Mexico, I have also come to enjoy the California solstice over the years. I am even getting accustomed to the state's solitary season. If I had it my way, I'd choose New Mexico for Christmas with a return to the West Coast to usher in the New Year.

While the the Southwest offers sensual delights that rival any other place, California does have a unique style of its own. Off the top of my busy holiday-crazed brain, here are some things that make winter holidays in Southern California very special:

Decorated Palm Trees: You can wind twinkly lights around and around beautiful palm trees as high as your ladder or decoration budget will allow. Palm trees epitomize California, so it's only right to deck them out for the holidays.

Surfing Santa Claus: I've never seen one in person, but every winter you'll catch the Man in Red on television or newspaper photos, riding a long board. There's usually a Chihuahua or some other tiny dog decked out in reindeer gear, surfing along side him.

A Disneyland Christmas: Don't knock it until you've tried it. For all its commercialism and priciness, the folks at Disney do a bang up job of celebrating the holidays. From the attention to detail, to the daily parades and general good cheer that they conjure up, it's really a fun place to be. Disney does Christmas up right.

Holiday Harbor Parades: A long-time California tradition: taking to the water to see a night time boat parade. Beach cities and towns situated right on a lake welcome visitors to attend their floating parades of lights. Orange County's Newport Beach has a very flashy parade that grows in popularity each year. These parades are a sight to behold.

Swim in the Morning, Ski in the Afternoon: What you read in the vacation catalogs is true. Catch the early morning surf, or take a walk along a Southern California beach and then jump in your car and spend an afternoon skiing or boarding in Big Bear. You can get the California Christmas Spirit out on the water and within 90 minutes you can find yourself unpacking a suitcase in a mountain cabin. Big Bear is so far removed from the hustle of the freeways below that it feels like you're in another time zone.

Family Photos on the Beach: So, it's a little kitschy, but a lot of people try this out at least once. We gave it a shot when our boys were little. Picture this: Dad, Mom and two wiggly boys, in matching red shirts, with our backs to the Pacific Ocean, waiting for the perfect wave to break for the perfect Christmas photo. Also in the background: beachgoers with their coolers, umbrellas and bad postures. Fortunately, Photoshop was made available to the masses that year, and the end product was a cutesy family on what appeared to be a pristine, private beach.

The most priceless thing about Christmas in California is spending time with our like-family friends who also made this state their home. Sometimes, New Mexico has come to us, and we like to bring people together with a party or two. Introducing friends to green chile stew and posole on Christmas Eve is always fun.

If you never have left the place you were born and abide by tradition year after year, consider yourself blessed. For those who have moved away from family and friends, and are able to return home from time to time to relive memories and create new ones, consider yourself blessed. Most importantly, if you're fed, safe, and in a warm bed come Christmas night, consider yourself very blessed. May God Bless all of you this holiday season. Felicidades!