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Many people think that because I’m in retail, that by mid-December, I would be so sick and tired of all the Christmas hoohah, but I’m not.

I even had a customer ask me this past weekend if I was OVER Christmas. I said, “No way…I love it!”

In fact, we have Christmas music playing at work right now and I’m always singing and dancing along with it, right in front of the customers. I act like a kid on Christmas CRACK.

I love this holiday because it’s full of sensory delights - the music, the decorations, the lights, and the foods (mainly, sugary sweets). And the Christmas spirit itself.

I had off yesterday, so I spent the entire afternoon outside. I walked over to City Hall, where they just recently opened a new ice skating rink, so that I could surround myself with everyone else who was enjoying Christmas. I grabbed a hot cup of java and a cranberry muffin, and then sat down on a bench and people-watched.

Christmas in the city is very different than experiencing it in the suburbs. And I think that’s because in a city, you’re closely mingling with all the city sights and sounds; not to mention mingling with so many other people. It’s like one massively-collective Christmas experience. You can feel the Christmas spirit all around you. It’s contagious, uplifting, and heartwarming.

I think everyone should at least, once, experience Christmas in a city because it’s such a unique treat.

Please enjoy some sights from my afternoon…


Tiffany's window displays.



A horse-drawn carriage.


Crowed city streets. People, people...everywhere!









Outside cafe tables.


I spotted this adorable and well-dressed elderly couple, walking down the street.

And yes, I even spotted SANTA.
However, he wasn't driving a sleigh with eight reindeer, but rather a very spiffy motorcycle...


He was having his picture taken while talking with everyone...


Here he is zooming past me...



And I heard him exclaim 'ere he drove out of sight..."Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

Hope you're enjoying this holiday season, y'all!
X

44 comments:

  1. I love every one of your fabulous photographs, Ron, the elderly couple especially, and the little boy on the ice, and Santa on his spiffy motorcycle, and the crowds on 16th Street. You sure captured the magic of Christmas. I went into my smallish mall today and almost danced to the Christmas music. And this is me talking, the one who always says she doesn't like Christmas! Happy Monday, dear friend xx

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  2. Aw to the old couple walking down the street. And even though I'm not in a huge city, I do love how festive my city feels this time of year - it really is contagious. I also like driving through the neighborhood at night and seeing all the lights up and a peek of the Christmas trees through the windows. I do think it feels more Christmass-y in colder places, too - I noticed in Savannah that even though it was decorated and lovely, it was still a little too tropical to really feel like full-on Christmas to me.

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  3. Those window displays are fabulous! Sort of retro, which I love! I enjoy all the decorations too, and even though I'm in the suburbs, I appreciate how each one decorates its town square. Our suburb has a fantastic light display in the square and all the street lights are decorated as well.

    But you can't beat the city's windows and people. What a treat to see ice skaters. Hope your week is joyous, Ron!

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  4. Ron, you are so right about experiencing Christmas in the city. That's something I really miss about living in New York and going into Manhattan during the Christmas holiday. There is nothing quite like it. This is the time of the year that I most miss about no longer living in the northeast. It's not the same in Florida.

    Great photographs! I love the ones of the ice skaters. You really know how to capture candid shots, like the one of the elderly couple. So cute! I also like the ones of Tiffany's holiday window displays. I remember walking down 5th Avenue and looking in the windows at Tiffany's.

    Have a wonderful week, Ron x

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  5. Okay the horse drawn carriage is one thing I NEED to do like ASAP! I want to go for valentines day weekend and find a horse drawn carriage ride. It is on my must do list and your picture has now pushed that even further! I love the Christmas season so thank you for sharing these amazing photos!

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  6. Love these shots, especially Santa...I'm cool with his modern transportation!
    We were out to take night shots last not in Old Towne Portsmouth and a beautiful horse drawn carriage (white horse and white carriage) passed by and my camera wasn't ready, drats!

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  7. Ron, I can feel your excitement in your words, it's contagious. These are such great photographs because you captured the essence of this holiday, joy! The one of the elderly couple is so sweet. The ones of Santa ROCK! That is the coolest thing ever. I've never seen Santa on a motorbike!



    Great post, dude!

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  8. "You can feel the Christmas spirit all around you. It's contagious, uplifting and heartwarming."


    And this lovely post is certainly heartwarming, Ron. These photos are filled with the Christmas spirit, from the Tiffany window displays and the ice skaters, right up to Biker Santa revving up his engine! (I suspect Rudolph is going to be pissed!)


    Thanks so much for sharing these photos, buddy! It really is Christmas time in the city.

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  9. Ron, you're a sweetheart for letting us share your Christmas in the City! How fantastic to see the sights -- and imagine the sounds! -- of Christmas in your neck of the woods!

    I loved the photo of the elderly couple, but what really grabbed the romantic in me was the Tiffany window of the young couple looking at jewelry (and him with a special box hidden behind his back!)

    Santa's got a nice set of wheels there -- here, he arrives via train! You can just see the wonder in the eyes of all the "kids at heart" when they catch sight of that familiar red and white suit! And I love seeing the ice skaters, too!

    Happy Monday to you!

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  10. For city folks, Christmas in the City is the very best place of all. Tiffany in Philadelphia decorated their windows with scenes from NYC? How rude - LOL

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  11. We also love Christmas and all that goes with it - except when food shopping ;)
    I agree about Christmas in the city. We went to Sheffield City (second largest to London , so I was told). It's a beautiful, university city, so plenty of young people too. We went to see the Coca Cola Truck and what a lovely time that was. They had a group of singers (dressed in santa costumes) singing carols. There was a Christmas Grotto and heaps of beautiful street lights. Masses of people all having fun. It was a great time!



    I tried to post a pic here, but couldn't :)

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  12. My mom said she was surprised we "already had our tree up" the other day. IT WAS DECEMBER 10!! I told her we'd put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving, and she responded, "Aren't you sick of Christmas yet?" Which really made me question whether I was adopted, because if it were up to me, we'd have the Christmas tree up all year and Christmas music would be playing even on 100+ degree days in July. C'mon, mom...

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  13. Lovely photographs, Ron! As I've said to you before, you really have a keen eye for capturing city life in your photos. You are a true urban photographer.


    My husband and I haven't stopped by the ice rink at City Hall yet, but we plan on doing so soon. It looks delightful!

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  14. Fabuloso photographs, Ron! I especially love when you post photos with people in them because I like looking at the expression on their faces, like the one of the crowded city streets. The one's of Tiffany's windows are awesome! I love the Christmas scenes.


    And the one's of Santa are priceless!

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  15. Thanks, Jayne :)

    Isn't the elderly couple ADORABLE? I spotted them walking down the street and quickly snapped three photographs because I didn't want to miss that moment.

    Have a FAB week, my friend. And thanks so much for stopping by!

    Happy Holiday to you!
    X

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  16. Thanks, Valerie :) Isn't the elderly couple ADORABLE? I loved how they were walking hand in hand. OMG...it was so sweet! And I loved the way they were dressed. You hardly see people dressed up like that anymore.

    " I went into my smallish mall today and almost danced to the Christmas music. And this is me talking, the one who always says she doesn't like Christmas!"



    HAHAHAHA! Isn't the Christmas music faaaabulous? It just puts you in the Christmas spirit!


    Happy Monday, dear friend. And thanks so much for stopping by!


    X to you and Joe!

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  17. "Aw to the old couple walking down the street."

    Aren't they ADORABLE? They made me smile :)

    " I also like driving through the neighborhood at night and seeing all the lights up and a peek of the Christmas trees through the windows."

    My family and I used to do the same thing when I was a kid. I LOVED peeking through the windows too!

    " I do think it feels more Christmass-y in colder places, too - I noticed in Savannah that even though it was decorated and lovely, it was still a little too tropical to really feel like full-on Christmas to me."



    Yes, I TOTALLY agree! Christmas in Florida was not the same as here. There is something about the colder weather that makes it feel more "Christmasy."


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a fantabulous week!
    X

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  18. "Those window displays are fabulous! Sort of retro, which I love!"

    Me too, Bijoux, I LOVE retro!

    "I appreciate how each one decorates its town square. Our suburb has a fantastic light display in the square and all the street lights are decorated as well."

    OMG...that sounds WONDERFUL! I hope you share some photographs of that because I would LOVE to see it!

    "But you can't beat the city's windows and people."



    Yes, and that's why I think everyone should visit a city during the Christmas holiday at least, once, to experience it. And to me, nothing is better than Christmas in a place like NYC. The BEST!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a super-duper week!
    X

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  19. " That's something I really miss about living in New York and going into Manhattan during the Christmas holiday. There is nothing quite like it."

    Amen, Denise! There is nothing quite like Manhattan during the Christmas holiday. In fact, I may try to get into NYC the first week of January because all the decorations are still up.

    " I also like the ones of Tiffany's holiday window displays. I remember walking down 5th Avenue and looking in the windows at Tiffany's."



    Yup...the ORIGINAL Tiffany's! There is nothing like it.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl Have a fantabulous week!

    X

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  20. "I want to go for valentines day weekend and find a horse drawn carriage ride. It is on my must do list and your picture has now pushed that even further! "


    There is something SO romantic about taking a ride on a horse-drawn carriage, isn't there? I did that once while I was still living in NYC through Central Park. FAAAABULOUS!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a grrrreat week!
    X

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  21. Aw, thank you, Debbie, glad you enjoyed :) I had so much fun taking these photographs and sharing them with you guys. The whole day felt very special to me.

    "but what really grabbed the romantic in me was the Tiffany window of the young couple looking at jewelry (and him with a special box hidden behind his back!)"

    OMG, I can't believe you mentioned that because I had the same reaction to that window display....sooooooooo romantic!

    " You can just see the wonder in the eyes of all the "kids at heart" when they catch sight of that familiar red and white suit!"



    Yes, and that's one of the things I most love about Christmas...seeing it with the eyes of a child!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a wonderful week!


    X

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  22. "Tiffany in Philadelphia decorated their windows with scenes from NYC? How rude - LOL"


    HAHAHAHAHA! Yes, I agree...how RUDE because, really, there is only ONE true Tiffany's, and that's in NYC.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a faaaabulous week!
    X

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  23. "I agree about Christmas in the city. They had a group of singers (dressed in santa costumes) singing carols. There was a Christmas Grotto and heaps of beautiful street lights. Masses of people all having fun. It was a great time!"

    OMG, Babs...that sounded WONDERFUL! And Sheffield City sounds a lot like Philadelphia because we have so many universities here too. There is nothing quite like Christmas in the city, is there?

    "I tried to post a pic here, but couldn't :)"



    Sorry about that. I will check the settings on my Disqus account to see if I have it set to post pictures. I don't think I ever even looked into that. Thanks for letting me know.


    Have a wonderful week, my friend, and thanks for stopping by!


    X to you and Mo!

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  24. "Which really made me question whether I was adopted, because if it were up to me, we'd have the Christmas tree up all year and Christmas music would be playing even on 100+ degree days in July. C'mon, mom..."


    AMEN, Mark! I agree, Christmas trees should be up all year.


    I put mine up on Thanksgiving Day.


    Thanks for stopping by, buddy. Have a festive holiday week!


    X to you and Tara!

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  25. Thank you, Elaine :) I love taking pictures of city life because there is so much going on around you and so much to see.

    "My husband and I haven't stopped by the ice rink at City Hall yet, but we plan on doing so soon. It looks delightful!"



    I think you will really enjoy it. They did a great job. In fact, that whole area of City Hall looks faaaaabulous! The ice rink will be up until February, so you still have time.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a super week!

    X

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  26. Hey ho Robert!


    "...photos with people in them because I like looking at the expression on their faces, like the one of the crowded city streets."

    I'm getting much braver at taking people photographs. And I agree, photographs with people in them are so interesting. Especially in a city.

    "And the one's of Santa are priceless!"



    Isn't Santa on the motorcycle the BOMB? He really added so much joy and fun to the day. He even had Christmas music playing on his bike!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a SUPER week!

    X

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  27. Ron, forgot to mention in by previous comment that I enjoyed the video clip of the Charlie Brown Christmas dance. How cute is Snoopy?

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  28. "How cute is Snoopy?"

    Yes, isn't he adorable playing that guitar and dancing to the music? A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my favorite holiday treats to watch each year.

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  29. Very nice pictures Ron, I absolutely love the one of the elderly couple, and also the little girl ice skating, not sure what she was looking at but she was in her own little world for sure, it's a good thing to be in our own little world at times, kind of like singing and dancing like a kid on Christmas crack, gotta love the season my friend.

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  30. As much as I'm a small town gal, this really is something I'd like to experience. I could feel the spirit of the season in the photos, hear the carols and started humming! LOL. And I'm not even Christian!!
    I LOVE it when that spirit ripples through a crowd. It amazes me how people suddenly find a level of kindness that might escape them the other 11 months.....but I'm thrilled to watch it unfold in front of me.
    You captured such awesome things. Oh how your photos have blossomed....

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  31. Hey there Jimmy!

    "... and also the little girl ice skating, not sure what she was looking at but she was in her own little world."

    Isn't the look on her face adorable? And do you know what's funny? I thought that was a little boy, but I think you're right...it is a little girl.

    "it's a good thing to be in our own little world at times, kind of like singing and dancing like a kid on Christmas crack, gotta love the season my friend."

    Amen!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a super week!

    X to you and Cindy!

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  32. Hiya Mel!

    "I LOVE it when that spirit ripples through a crowd. It amazes me how people suddenly find a level of kindness that might escape them the other 11 months.....but I'm thrilled to watch it unfold in front of me."



    WOW...you shared so much truth in that. And maybe Christmas is a reminder to hold that spirit within us the other 11 months :)


    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear lady. Have a super-duper week!


    (((((( You ))))))

    X

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  33. The holidays are such a fun time of year. My girls love to go iceskating.

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  34. We've got some family members visiting from out of town, so we might take them there this coming weekend. The Christmas Village is close by too.

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  35. Ooo...that's a great idea, Elaine! Love the Christmas Village!


    Have fun!

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  36. I've never been a fan of Christmas myself, but with a new family (including a sweet six year old little girl) to cater for, I'm starting to get into the spirit a bit more.
    All the best for the festive season Ron, I'm sure Yule have a blast.

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  37. "..but with a new family (including a sweet six year old little girl) to cater for, I'm starting to get into the spirit a bit more."

    That's awesome, Dale! Experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child is one of the best ways to experience it.

    All the best to you too! Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

    And thanks so much for stopping by!

    X

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  38. http://ladyfi.wordpress.comThursday, December 18, 2014

    What lovely shots! That Santa on a bike is wonderful - he must spread the cheer!


    I love that Christmas spirit of kindness and forgiveness... makes the world softer for a while.

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  39. "That Santa on a bike is wonderful - he must spread the cheer!"

    Yes, Fiona, he was! He was the highlight of the day, spreading joy and cheer!

    "I love that Christmas spirit of kindness and forgiveness... makes the world softer for a while."

    You said it, my friend!

    Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you're enjoying a beautiful holiday season!

    X

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  40. An absolutely breathtaking, fun, and awesome post, Ron! Enjoyed every frame!

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  41. p.s. I absolutely adore Judy Garland! If you get a chance, which I'm wondering how many you have during this hectic sales season, "The Family Stone", with Diane Keaton is much fun! I bring it up, because there's a scene in which highlights this song by Judy. Just beautiful! :))

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  42. Thank you, Petra! Glad you enjoyed the photos. I had such a blast that day!

    Hope you're enjoying a faaaaabulous holiday season, my friend. And thanks so much for stopping by!

    X

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  43. Obviously have been gone for a while, but am trying to make my way back into the blogosphere...and wanted to begin with this post. Your photos brought a smile to my face and I thank you for sharing your Christmas joy. Who wouldn't smile at Santa on a bike?! I probably won't be able to read every one of your posts since I've been away, but know that you are one of the ones I definitely want to catch up on! Hope 2015 treats you well. :-)

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  44. Helloooo there Lisa!

    "I probably won't be able to read every one of your posts since I've been away, but know that you are one of the ones I definitely want to catch up on!"



    Aw, bless you! And I really appreciate that. I've been thinking about you and sending MUCH prayers, good vibes, and love your way. Hope you're feeling it.


    ((((((((((((( YOU )))))))))))))


    Happy New Year, my friend!


    X

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