Tuesday, November 15, 2011

he's here

 Look who I found, sitting in his heavily decorated Santa cave.

Seriously? Doesn't he have some last minute preparations to see to? Surely it is too early? There is still six weeks. The street decorations haven't even been put up yet.

And, more importantly the Santa Claus Parade isn't for another week. Doesn't that mean he hasn't officially arrived in town?
Here he is hard at work, waving to some toddler, who seemed more attracted by the glittery balls than the man himself.
As for me, I was more interested in this cool tree that changed colours and patterns.
There was a conveniently located coffee place just behind where I was sitting, so I had myself a beverage and set my camera on burst.... there was, at one point, some dancing snowmen, but the lights didn't seem to have a consistent pattern - some were repeated more than others and I never did see the snowmen again to get a picture of them.

Of course, people, like this girl and her friends, had to have their photos taken by the tree (though as you can see, it was not very busy on a Monday night) and I was asked if I could take one of the three of them together. Of course, I could. I was given this flat thing that wasn't a camera, but some kind of fancy phone and told to just press the centre button. It took several tries and a couple more lessons before I got the hang of it. If you so much as brushed the button, or pressed it on an angle, strange things started happening - the image would zoom and swerve and sometimes disappear altogether. I did not like this device, but still I wished to play with it some more. However, once we established that a decent photo was taken she took her phone back and off they went, completely ignoring Santa.
When I got home, I found a postcard waiting for me in my mailbox. 
It was from an American, who wrote that she was looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving. She loved that holiday because "that is the day we put up our Christmas tree"

That must be the ultimate in holiday combining.

16 comments:

  1. That cave is weird. Like Santa has something to hide.

    Come to think of maybe he does. I know I'd hide if I were obliged to sit out in the middle of a mall six weeks before Christmas.

    I'm already sick of the season to be jolly.

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  2. Husband and I were just talking last evening about how the GIFTing has taken over the HOLIday season. And what a drag it all is.
    I know many people who put up their Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving. That's too much, and too LONG to have a Christmas tree up.
    If they're putting it up for convenience' sake....the long weekend of Thanksgiving, I mean....I object to that reasoning.
    ....as if anybody cares what I think.
    ;-P

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  3. All I can say is, things are out of control.

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  4. Santa in November just doesn't feel right!! There have been Christmas gifts and chocolates in our supermarkets since beginning of October and we have a shop in our local town that sells Christmas stuff all year round!!

    CJ xx

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  5. There is an award waiting for you on thefeatherednest.

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  6. Even in this continent of summer Christmases, the decorations and the mince tarts appeared promptly on 1 November. I am a solitary and isolated outraged bystander. Hot cross buns will appear on New Year's Day. I cannot abide this relentless commercialisation.
    Your photos give us all so much pleasure.

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  7. We are calves being led to the slaughter. We can follow or boycott the whole thing. It's up to us. I choose to boycott.

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  8. That can't be the real Santa, not before the Santa Claus parade and definitely NOT in a cave. It has to be a fake one. The trees are probably fake too.

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  9. I loved "I did not like this device..." That was great! I'd love to see that crazy tree but not under the bright lights of a mall. I love everything about Christmas and hate Thanksgiving, but now maybe I can view Thanksgiving as the gateway to Christmas and it won't seem so horrible.

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  10. Jazz: at least he has a cave. last year the Eaton Centre only gave Santa a chair and green screen for superimposing your own background in the photo

    June: I suppose if people did not have fake trees and had to use real ones we might go back to putting up the tree the week of Christmas instead of American Thanksgiving

    Delores: I cannot go to my local coffee shop now because they are playing annoying Christmas music already

    CJ: I have seen those year round Christmas shops and have always wondered how they do business in spring and summer - or keep staff!!

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  11. Persiflage: it does seem as if it is only the retail trade head guys who are pushing this onto us hapless 'customer'. every year, the complaints get louder but nothing changes. you are not solitary (or the 1%!)
    ...and thanks

    Nora: I don't want to boycott the whole thing - I just like it better when holiday decorations were only for a few days around the holiday and the gifting wasn't so insane. personally, I love getting and giving presents.

    SAW: especially when it has been an unseasonable 15-19 celcius (mid 60s)

    Pinklea: perhaps that is why he had no visitors. and now that you mention it, those trees do look rather too perfect.

    Geewits: ooh, yes, under dimmed lighting that would be neat. at the tree in the aforementioned Eaton Centre, they used to dim the lights a few times a day and then they had fake snow falling. I hope they do that again this year. little things like that amuse me. stupid phones with overly sensitive buttons do not.

    Ann: yes. at least our Thanksgiving is already over so there is no other holiday in between.

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  12. Ah yes... it is that time of year isn't it? I happen to love the holidays and can't wait to put up the tree and get a couple of carols playing on the ipod. ;)

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  13. PS: When do Canadians usually put up the tree? I was wondering that actually since as you say, Americans usu put it up after Thanksgiving.

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  14. I've seen a few trees up already - but I still think before Dec 1st is far too early. (but that is just me). I have noticed quite a few of the outside decorations being put up this weekend, which is a good idea (before it gets too cold!).

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