Santa Claus reclines in a wooden beach chair on a tropical shore, wearing sunglasses, a Santa hat, a red-and-cream floral shirt and red shorts, with a tall tropical cocktail close at hand. A striped red-and-cream umbrella shades him, and a small potted Christmas tree hung with red ornaments stands beside the chair.

On the left, a leaning palm tree and a rustic driftwood tiki bar with stools balance the scene, while turquoise water, two small sailboats and a low tree-lined shoreline recede into the hazy distance. Warm, diffused daylight and a sun-bleached, slightly dusty palette are built up in thick palette-knife impasto, loose and impressionistic rather than photographic, for a playful, relaxed holiday-postcard feel.