Daily post 07 Dec 2008 09:43 am
Small town Xmas
- Nothing makes New York City feel more like a small town than Christmas and some of the Christmas decorations.
Sure there’s Rockefeller Center with their 2000 ft. glossy tree, but on the other side of town things get a bit tinier and significantly more personal.
This week the City started to dress up for the holiday, and I began to take some pictures. I’m a sucker for some of this stuff. (It’s obvious, since I probably posted the very same story last year.) Of course, Madison Square Park always gets my attention; I walk through it every morning, early, on my way to the studio.
The tree stands on its little wooden box, which will probably end up hidden and surrounded by a bunch of smaller trees. They’ll all be lit with big round ornaments that look like styrofoam during the day hours, but will light up blue at night.
I like seeing Madison Square Park develop so slowly and exactly.
This is the first sign of their big tree in the “reflecting pool.”
The tree is held upright by these cables. Last year there was a violent storm.
Rain, sleet and heavy winds didn’t knock down the trees or decorations.
Meanwhile, on the Southern side of the park they’re setting up
more trees and some tables. I’m not sure what this will be.
The art piece – treehouses – will look down on the new installation.
The usual tree stores have been set up outside of many of the bodegas.
A tree can be bought any time of day or night from many of these 24 hours stores.
I have to admit that I enjoy the pine scented areas
as I pass them on the way to the subway.
The local Portuguese church has already set up their Nativity booth.
Christ will join them on Christmas Day. Something about the wire mesh and
the glass casing takes a bit of the glory away from the setup.
Also caged is the hay poodle wearing eyeglasses sitting in front of twinkling lights.
This is an eyeglass store, and the late night gate guard is down.
I like the home grown decorations.
on 07 Dec 2008 at 11:25 pm 1.Elliot Cowan said …
The hay poodle is a traditional Christmas animal in Indonesia.
It’s also a good name for an awful children’s book.