If you can’t be home for the holidays, bring the holiday spirit on the road with you. Truckers away from home during the holidays can brighten up their cab and sleeper interiors – and state of mind – easily and on a budget.
Dress for the occasion.
Jann Bray, a trucker’s wife from Connecticut, says her husband of 35 years wears an elf hat when he’s on the road during the Christmas season.
Other truckers say they get a kick out of dressing up like jolly ol’ St. Nick by wearing a white beard, red plaid shirt and suspenders. Motorists – adults and children alike – get a dose of holiday cheer when a Santa-driven big rig rolls by.
Take along a Christmas tree.
Tom Loyd, a driver for Floyd and Beasley from Munford, Ala., says he’s seen trucks with a little Christmas tree set up inside the cab. “It makes the holiday seem more festive,” Loyd says.
It’s easy and inexpensive to construct your own in-cab Christmas tree. Sharon Anderson and Pete Nelson give tips and instructions for do-it-your-selfers on their show (www.hgtv.com).
One easy way is to take a plastic-foam cone, wrap it in red and gold drapery cord and then glue it to a spray-painted pot.
Many versions can be made with the plastic-foam cone. Fill little presents with nuts and candy and place the wrapped treats around the tree. It’s festive and can double as a snack.
Spruce up the dashboard.
Bray says her husband goes all out when he’s decorating his cab interior. “He even will decorate his dashboard with tinsel and ornaments,” Bray says.
Tinsel, balls, ornaments and a variety of other decorations can be purchased inexpensively at discount and hobby stores.
The tinsel can easily be attached to the dashboard of a truck and lined with balls and ornaments to add a variety of color to your dash.
