Fa la la la la 2016

[bixaorellana]

It's that time of year again.

Here is a thread for everyone to post pictures of the season, whether you have just one or almost a thread's worth.
Stick them in along with your comments as the spirit moves you. I'll go first.

I walked down to the zócalo day before yesterday to see what kind of Christmasy sights I'd see along the way.
Even though it was mid-day and rather hot, the mountains to the north looked cool and misty ~

Had to stick my head into the Hostería de Alcalá restaurant, as they always have good seasonal decorations ~



Every planting area in the zócalo had been scraped down to bare earth. There were rustic structures up, but they were empty.
Whatever is being planned, it's going to involve lots of poinsettias -- the paper sleeves give that away ~



Christmas trees can come in all sizes. Here is an itsy-bitsy one ~



And a great big one here ~





This is obviously a work in progress. It's cordoned off so people like me can't get close enough to really snoop ~



Looks like there will be lots of buttons and bows and big baubles.
The guys putting up the lights have their cage held steady by two guys on the ground. That butt sling doesn't look all that secure to me ~







That's all I've got for now. Let's see what's up with the rest of you, yule season-wise.

[mossie]

Well here is Ipswich Borough Council's pathetic attempt at a tree, recycled from las year, when it attracted a fair amount of criticism. Note the anti vandal protection.




and here is one of my neighbours houses

[lagatta]

The building behind the tree is lovely though.

[bixaorellana]

What's wrong with the Ipswich Council's tree? I kind of like it!

[amboseli]

Christmas decorations in Antwerp/Belgium

[bixaorellana]

I love the white lights and how they look so frostily pretty, Amboseli, but that last blast of color is also very welcome. Great pictures!

[bixaorellana]

Just some bits & pieces taken around town, but first: the good news ~

We don't have to worry about that tattletale elf on the shelf this year!

Some young entrepreneurs had staked out a spot in a shady doorway to await customers for Santa's sleighpower ~

The fun fair and food stands had filled up a small park in front of the supermarket and spilled into the nearby streets and intersections.
These were taken @11 am Sunday morning, obviously before things had really taken off for the day ~





Throngs in the very large courtyard of Our Lady of Soledad church, paying homage and having objects blessed ~

[lagatta]

Bixa, I don't see any rapists, murderers or narcos!

Alas I know that there are rapists, murderers and hard-drug dealers everywhere, including here, but it is very clever of them to be hiding in plain sight among what looks like happy families.

[questa]

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[bixaorellana]

Ha ha, LaGatta ~ good point!

Questa, that took me a minute but

[lugg]

Great thread . Questa.
I have not taken any in my home town, but I took these in Nottingham recently . An extremely crowded Xmas market - (shudder) but many seemed to be enjoying it







These penguins appear to be a fine idea








Now for some fa la la la for real. This old man was also entering into the Xmas spirit....and yes he was singing " I'm dreaming of a White etc etc ....

[mossie]

I agree re the penguins, great fun for the kids

[bixaorellana]

Wow ~ Nottingham went all out with its Christmas market. Really, it looks like more of a Christmas village than simply market. And Nottingham itself, sans the gingerbready temporary structures, looks beautiful.
Lugg, I take it from your shudder that being at the ho ho ho market was not your choice. Did you buy anything?
The little kids look dubious about the ice, but the penguins should keep it from being a traumatic experience.

So, time to update the OP with some pictures I took yesterday. We'll start with a stroll down the pedestrian street ~

A glance into the ritzy jewelry store ~



and the patio behind it. I assume this is much prettier when all lit up ~



These are my kind of Christmas ornaments ~





In the patio of a coffee shop ~

[Deleted]

I really enjoy seeing these photos from everywhere. It is amazing how much work goes into a lot of this stuff for just a one month display in most cases.

[bixaorellana]

Yes, it's fun to see how this time of year looks in different places.
Everyone remember that "Christmas season" extends to 3 Kings day, January 6, if you want to keep adding pictures here.

As usual, I have an excess ~

Continuing south on the pedestrian street, I arrive at the Alameda -- the large space in front of the cathedral.
Here's the tree we saw in the OP, when it was being set up. Children supplied the decorations on the lower level ~

The ice skating rink ~



This surely was many people's first crack at ice skating, but these lads seem to have it under control ~



As they make a full circuit, they receive the admiring glances of the more timid (or prudent) neophyte skaters ~



The vendors are out in force to feed the spectators, although there's not much to spectate ~



The display tables and stands awaiting the artists and their creations for Night of Radishes. I shan't be showing that this year because I'm sure you all have seen enough carved root vegetables in my 2010 and 2015 threads on that subject.



So now I see what they did with all those poinsettias shown in the OP. I believe the technical term for this kind of landscaping is "piss-poor" ~



Breaking the piñata ~



The posada ~



Bread & chocolate await the little revelers in their hut ~



The bandstand in the middle of the zócalo ~

[bixaorellana]

The scorched earth + poinsettia theme doesn't look any better from up here on the bandstand ~

This family is busily making piñatas ~





As usual, the zócalo is full of protesters and protest signs. The dogs don't care ~



And now for something completely mystifying. This man is standing in his almost empty hut ~



He can look out over his yard full of sheep ~



He also has a donkey ~



Meanwhile, inside the hut, things don't seem to be going so well.
He appears to be coaxing or remonstrating with his sullen fashion model wife. Or maybe it's Joseph proposing to Mary. I don't know ~



This is my favorite.
If some of the figures we've seen have been department store mannequins, surely this is a religious statue pressed into service as a disgruntled shepherd ~



Live animals complete the pastoral scene ~

[bixaorellana]

Okay, enough of that bucolic business. Let's go check out some glitz and glimmer. We're going to the commercial streets south of the zócalo ~

There you have it: fabric, electrical cords, ski masks, Christmas frou-frou, and fresh produce -- true one-stop shopping ~



The street running between the two downtown markets is crammed with Christmas stalls.
Check out that child's t-shirt.





All the stuff you need to create your traditional Mexican scene of Bethlehem.
It still kills me that Spanish moss is used as a Christmas decoration here ~

[bixaorellana]

Back at the Alameda, the rink is taking off ~





Radish sightings ~







I head for home ~



Happy holidays to all!

[Deleted]

This is absolutely sensational, every bit as interesting as the Muertos festivities. Frankly, I would never have expected to see an ice skating rink in Oaxaca.

As for the Spanish moss, I seem to recall a lot of it being used in the nativity scenes in the church when I was little.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks, Kerouac! That's cool about seeing Spanish moss used in Gulf Coast nativity scenes when you were a kid.

Lucky Bixa got taken out for Christmas lunch at the La Quinta Real in the historic center of Oaxaca.
Built in 1576, the hotel was originally the Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena and much of the original structure has been carefully restored and remains displayed to this day, including frescoes and restored tile floors. source

The seasonal display in the entry courtyard features Oaxaca tin work ~

After a leisurely lunch, we strolled the grounds and admired the old washing area.
Apparently the water used to flow continuously from the center cistern to the small round receptacles, supplying clean water for each wash and rinse ~







Fancy lady graffito. Note the classic Oaxacan design of the earrings ~



A last look at the Christmas display in the mellow late afternoon light ~

[Deleted]

Very classy decorations!