Well, I don't know what Christmas looks like and won't this year, but I can sure show you and tell you what it looks like a few weeks prior!
This past week on the 8th, the Immaculate Conception was celebrated. That night heading home from work through my little towns I was rather impressed with all the lights now illuminated. (Some of them had been up for weeks, just never turned on.)
Seriously. I can almost give directions from the "Bumpy Tunnel" on just by types of Christmas lights out there....follow the red chasing lights, pass under the white stars surrounded by blue outlined garland, turn right at the bush covered in large blue lights and follow the road under the shoot stars up the hill. I could go on but none of you should be visiting me in the next few days and I'm sure next year the creativity will continue. All I know is Nico loves the blinking lights our neighbor has flashing out our window and just stares at them when he's not checking out his Christmas tree.
There are also a ton of LED lights flashing across our kingdom. Once the sunsets, many, many rooftops look like airport landing strips with their blinking red and green lights. A little closer to home, our local piazza has a tree made of blue lights at the perfect level for our rooftop patio. I still get a little confused as to why my living room is glowing blue in the morning, but another day or two I should remember. Should.
The garden shops now have a ton of cyclamen and poinsettias. They also have small potted evergreen trees. I've noticed that even the ones not in pots are sold with a root ball wrapped in canvas. Maybe they are just clearing out their landscaping department but I'd like to think that they are doing the more "eco friendly" thing. (Yes, I do realize that I live in the part of Italy notorious for their trash issues...)
Over the weekend my music playing Santa count started. It started with two walking down my street carrying a keyboard and guitar on my way to the field trip. When we were downtown, two more Santas played African drums as those walked by got an instant dose of holiday spirit. Later that evening driving home, another one was spotted but I only saw his tip container so I'm not sure if he was a musical Santa or maybe a dancing Santa?
Speaking of Santa- his name out this way is Babbo Natale. The commercially produced images of him still portray him as an old, fat, white guy. I'm not sure if this is because these items have been produced in China and they are producing them for the main market segment or what. And yes, for you large inflatable fans- I have spotted a few of them throughout the neighborhood. (These may be American homes...I know they live out here but since I never see them I can't tell you for sure.)
This past week on the 8th, the Immaculate Conception was celebrated. That night heading home from work through my little towns I was rather impressed with all the lights now illuminated. (Some of them had been up for weeks, just never turned on.)
Seriously. I can almost give directions from the "Bumpy Tunnel" on just by types of Christmas lights out there....follow the red chasing lights, pass under the white stars surrounded by blue outlined garland, turn right at the bush covered in large blue lights and follow the road under the shoot stars up the hill. I could go on but none of you should be visiting me in the next few days and I'm sure next year the creativity will continue. All I know is Nico loves the blinking lights our neighbor has flashing out our window and just stares at them when he's not checking out his Christmas tree.
There are also a ton of LED lights flashing across our kingdom. Once the sunsets, many, many rooftops look like airport landing strips with their blinking red and green lights. A little closer to home, our local piazza has a tree made of blue lights at the perfect level for our rooftop patio. I still get a little confused as to why my living room is glowing blue in the morning, but another day or two I should remember. Should.
The garden shops now have a ton of cyclamen and poinsettias. They also have small potted evergreen trees. I've noticed that even the ones not in pots are sold with a root ball wrapped in canvas. Maybe they are just clearing out their landscaping department but I'd like to think that they are doing the more "eco friendly" thing. (Yes, I do realize that I live in the part of Italy notorious for their trash issues...)
Over the weekend my music playing Santa count started. It started with two walking down my street carrying a keyboard and guitar on my way to the field trip. When we were downtown, two more Santas played African drums as those walked by got an instant dose of holiday spirit. Later that evening driving home, another one was spotted but I only saw his tip container so I'm not sure if he was a musical Santa or maybe a dancing Santa?
Speaking of Santa- his name out this way is Babbo Natale. The commercially produced images of him still portray him as an old, fat, white guy. I'm not sure if this is because these items have been produced in China and they are producing them for the main market segment or what. And yes, for you large inflatable fans- I have spotted a few of them throughout the neighborhood. (These may be American homes...I know they live out here but since I never see them I can't tell you for sure.)
Well, that's what I've experienced so far. I'm still on the hunt for a deformed Ariel but I just may have to wait for Candy Cane Lane...I really don't think that one can be beat!
As for me and Nico's Christmas decor I'm so thankful that I went a little crazy last year (okay, and the year before) because I've been able to rework some of my decorations since running to Michael's for new supplies really isn't an option. Shoot. Running anywhere for craft supplies really isn't an option. With little BP racing around the house and looking at a few of my ornaments from years past I was once again reminded why we always had "cat decoy ornaments" on the lower branches of the tree. Rather than tempting fate and having one of my ornaments destroyed via being dropped in a water bowl (his newest game) or rolled downstairs those were put in cat free zones and/or packed back up.
This also goes for our cute little tree. Again, thankful that I bought a ton of plastic ornaments for wreaths last year. Nico decided to go for a black, silver, and white theme. I helped him out by purchasing "shocking" lights (which apparently means obnoxiously bright and blinking) and tying the bow on top since clearly the gold star I have won't work with his color scheme.
If time permits tonight we're going to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas so he can try to get the real meaning of Christmas. He does keep checking out the nativity scene though. As in thinks he needs be part of the party and just like that catzilla is sticking his head into the manger. Entertaining? Yes but another reason I need to look into getting a wood set and always have superglue on hand.
At any rate, it's definitely Christmas time out here and my office advent calendar that gets raided daily for chocolate proves it. (Shoot we hit the ones from this weekend on Weds last week). It's come without peppermint ice cream or a red Starbucks cup full of chocolatey, peppermint, coffee. And I'm okay with that for the time being BECAUSE it's come with the opportunity for me to get back to the states and the state that I care most about...California since it's where the family is. Well, will be once Miss Texas gets herself back to the 831.
I like your Christmas decorations.
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