Something Christmassy

Something Christmassy

I've spent Christmas or the period before overseas but never in the northern hemisphere in the west. Even though the planes that I flew in had seasonal decorations like little wreaths tied to the windows, the feel is very different when you get surrounded by the Christmas spirit entirely.

This time around, when I visited US, it was already Christmas season and everywhere was decked out and ready for the Christmas holidays.

On the radio, Christmas carols and songs were played almost non-stop. Douglas fir was seen outside many houses. The more creative owners put out lit caricatures such as the deer, the Nativity scene, and Santa Claus. Christmas was in the air.

In New York, the Macy's shop windows were so well-decorated that shoppers and revellers alike stopped to ogle at the wonderful set-up and incredible feats of small scale large scale engineering (a lot of engineering works within a small frame). People were carrying shopping bags and everyone looked as if they can't wait for Christmas to come.

In DC, there were Christmas trees decked out with lights and livery in the lawn in front of the White House. Unfortunately, I was not aware of the significance of those trees and missed them. Apparently, there was a big tree and 49 smaller trees. That I know. What I didn't know what that the 49 smaller trees were decked out with the produce of the individual states to represent the state outside the White House. What a waste. The only consolation was that the fog came when we arrived at the tree at about 10 in the night. We would not have been able to get a good look.

Wreathes were laid at the Arlington Cemetary, a sight we missed. Instead, we had a great time at the Iwo Jima memorial. And we got a fresh prespective of the Federal Triangle and its buildings from across the Potomac River. Interesting, indeed.

This year, I found out about the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I became a fan and listened to their recordings even back home. Now that Christmas is over, I'm keeping the discs till the next year.

Christmas 2006 has great and I hope for more great Christmases to come.