Wishing You All the Best Lights of the Holidays

Dancing in the corner of my eye, 

the lights on the Christmas tree in the IPALCO

headquarters always delights.

There is an installation of etched and cut

glass that catches the brilliant colors,

breaking breaking the dots into even more bits,

holding them in abstract shapes that makes

me think Pointillism has met Futurism.

Since the day after Thanksgiving

holiday lights have illuminated the Circle.

The downtown area has been crowded with people,

all of then caught up in the twinkling charm

of the lights, suspended like bubbles of

champagne in the night air.

A Seasonal Kaleidescope

On my way to Saturday morning swim practice,

I had time to talka walk around Monument Circle to see

the Christmas decorations. My favorite lights

are on the Christmas "tree" in the Indianapolis Power & Light

lobby. The lights are multiple sizes, creating a visual

treat that does not become boring to look at.

There is a cut glass window installation that comes

alive only during this holiday season, reflecting the colored

lights in its star-like shapes.

Leaf in Blue Light

The leaves lay in a sidewalk light, 

illuminating the area 

outside a downtown restaurant.

Profiles in Shopping

Though it's still two weeks until Thanksgiving, 

after which the Christmas shopping season 

begins, you'd have thought it began

on Saturday. Traffic was heavy around the most

popular shopping malls, and people

were streaming in and out and around the 

downtown stores and restaurants.

Groups of teen-agers, often consulting their phones 

for directions, as seen here, were chattering and laughing,

as they visited downtown restaurants and sights. 

Mission Accomplished

Last Saturday, I noticed a couple men removing 

the little squadron of fiberglass toy soldiers 

from their posts on Monument Circle.

As a truck pulling the troop's transport slowly drove around 

the monument, a sling was put under each soldier's arms, 

then he was lifted from his post on to the trailer.

Finally, they were carted away to home base, 

to be stored until just before Thanksgiving, 

when they will again be assigned special duty, 

bringing joy to visitors on the Circle 

during the Christmas season.

Dots and Glitter

I am just in from spending Christmas day with my family.

There were about twenty of us, with eight of the contingent

made up of children age six years and younger.

And one large, happy dog name of Jackson, who followed

the children around during their processions and chase scenes,

or who appeared, sitting politely in front of the adult humans,

when he thought he might like a bit of summer sausage

or turkey to find its way to his mouth.

After a year of watching what I put in my mouth, 

I feel as though I ate more today than I've eaten since Christmas;

I am uncomfortable, bloated and not at all satisfied.

Never again.

A Beaded Gown

As I walked to the store Saturday morning, 

I caught sight of the crystalline raindrops 

decorating the tree in a neighbor's yard.

The tree did not appear bare so much 

as it seemed to be wearing 

a lacy gown encrusted with beads.

I thought maybe the trees on the block had 

a party during this Christmas season,

and this one had just gotten home.

Because I Can ...

...So I do, which means it's probably too easy and that I should look 

for more of a challenge, but I really enjoy the way 

the lights on the IPL Christmas tree are reflected by the cut 

and etched glass installation in their window.

I don't think I'll ever pass on an opportunity to find 

some new angle to look at the myriad lights on this display.

In and of itself, I don't find the art glass to be very interesting,

but sometimes the weather gives it a different look,

and it's obvious that the multi-colored lights take on another

aspect when viewed amid and through the cut glass.

Circle Lights

Between buses, I decided to wait for my ride home 

by walking around Monument Circle to see the lights.

It does not get old, nor does it disappoint.

There is something about the twinkling colors that adds

a happy edge to the winter evening, making the most

routine of tasks seem special.

The carriage horse have been dressed for the season,

with little felt headdresses or hats, their hooves

painted with gold glitter. Not only do the lights

on the carriages make them more visible to motorists,

but the horses seem to be pulling their

own light show.

Some Assembly Required

Magically, somewhere from one of Santa's storage bins, 

the hats appear, everything from a red velvet pimp hat, 

to Rudolph antler caps, to a funereal black velvet 

"Bah Humbug!" Santa hat.

Then we all gather for a group photo wearing our choice 

of the Christmas millinery. What began as a pretty

casual Thanksgiving stunt, with everyone taking their 

own pictures, now involves tripods and umbrellas 

for diffused lighting.

The picture below is missing four adults and two

of the three-year-old triplets, all of whom eventually

found their places in line. 

Frosty's Green , Umm, Appendage

This window decoration went up not long after Halloween,

so it seems appropriate that Frosty looks as though 

he's being attacked and strangled by a giant green dick.

Detritis 'n' Excessius

Christmas is in the past. The tattered gift wrap 

brought curbside for pick-up by the trash collectors 

lies, wilted and bedraggled, on the 

tatty gray remains of yesterday's snow.

What looked pretty and inviting as it lay beneath 

the Christmas trees now seems like tawdry shards 

of our brief excursions

into commercialized generosity. 

Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve was overcast and, when I went downtown 

to take care of last minute errands, the city seemed just as gray. 

Only a few people were around and, without the usual hustle, 

the buildings looked abandoned, which they were. 

The bustle of last minute shopping had taken itself to the outskirts 

of the city, where the traffic stood in line 

at the intersections and people stood in line at the stores.

I made my way through the traffic, avoided most of the congestion

in the stores, and came home to wrap my presents and 

to talk with friends and family before I watched "A Christmas Story"

on TV. As always, I laughed at scenes as though I'd never

seen the movie before, as I'm certain I'll laugh when 

I see the movie next year. The critics didn't like it

when it first came out, but the people have spoken.

It's a classic.

Presents for the Kids, Part 2

I finished shopping for the kids today, so I now have a present 

each for eight children aged 5 and under. It's easy when they're so young,

but I still try to find them to suit the child. What is difficult is

finding age-appropriate stuff that hasn't been commercialized into

plastic banality, creating only plastic, banal adults.

Two of them are now old enough for beautifully illustrated

picture books. Hopefully, they will be captured by the color and line

of the drawings, entering into the world of the written word,

guided by art and design.

These pictures are of the animated window displays from the old 

L.S. Ayres & Company Department store, which was located

at the corner of Washington and Meridian Streets from 1905 until

it was closed in 1990. Along with this display, furniture and decor 

from the Ayres' Tea Room was kept and re-created 

in the Indiana State Museum. During the Christmas season,

one can enjoy the store's displays, Christmas train and

the Tea Room's famous Chicken Velvet Soup.

Last Friday marked the 50th anniversary of the lighting 

of the World's Tallest Christmas Tree. Strands of lights were 

hung from the Indianapolis War Memorial Monument

by volunteers from the International  Brotherhood

of Electrical Workers. Around its base, thousands of spectators

gathered to watch the entertainment before the tree

was switched on by a young girl who had won a coloring contest.

Santa Claus, accompanied by assistants, Frosty the Snowman, 

and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, strolled among the crowd,

visiting and posing for pictures with admirers of all ages.

Street peddlers, hawking light sabres, light sticks, and antlers decked 

with flashing lights, wandered the crowd the entire evening.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department used 

their mounted patrol to quietly keep watch over the throngs

of people. In recent years, the patrol has replaced

their earlier horses to improve their visibility at night, 

so that they are all now white, roan, or gray.

Awe and Happiness

Crowds of adults and children began gathering on Monument Circle 

in late afternoon to watch the lighting of the World's Tallest Christmas Tree.

Many had come down earlier to shop, to visit the museums, 

and to dine at numerous restaurants in the area, as well as at the 

many food trucks parked in the area. 

The event has progressed well beyond the inaugural year, 

when the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers strung the lights 

from the top of the Monument to its base, plugged it in for the duration,

then took it down after the New Year. No fanfare and "no big deal"

is now a local dancing and singing extravaganza, complete with visits from

Santa, Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph with his nose so bright. 

Sparkly Season

This evening was the fiftieth anniversary of the lighting 

of the "World's Tallest Christmas Tree."

Each year, lights are strung from the Indianapolis

War Memorial on the Circle, the surrounding trees are

wrapped in lights and candy canes and toy soldiers

are stationed all around. This is done the day after Thanksgiving,

which marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping

season, when all the most sparkly displays are

shown in the stores, the laciest camisoles, the most

satiny of bows - not to mention the most outlandish

gimcrackery, and gimmicky tools for the men. 

The Indianapolis Power & Light Company debuted

window displays, re-creating some of Norman Rockwell's

most famous Christmas illustrations.

The one above caught my eye because the figure

closely resembles my brother, Doug, who's

going to be pretty astonished to see himself depicted

astride a rocking horse. The second one shows a young

boy, fallen asleep while "Miracle on 34th Street"

plays on the family television.

Glitter Galaxy

Went downtown this morning to the Winter Farmers' Market

to buy some Brussels sprouts and squash. I stopped by a little stand 

called 3 Days In Paris for a crepe and a cup of coffee, 

got some Christmas cookies at Circle City Sweets, 

then walked a few blocks to take some pictures

Most of the people seemed to be downtown 

to attend an Indiana Pacers basketball 

game at Conseco Fieldhouse. While the day 

was overcast, the weather was not unpleasantly

cold, allowing people to enjoy the decorations

without feeling numbed by wind.

In a week or so, many of them will be back

to spend the gift cards thoughtfully

provided by otherwise clueless relatives.