It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Ah, winter.

(from http://antsonagreenroof.wordpress.com/category/weather/)

Perhaps not the favorite time of the year to be living in this city; less and less sunlight, periodic blizzards leaving piles of snow to tromp through, negative degrees, plus there's that nasty wind that bites through even the warmest coats. Yes, winter can be a bleak time in Chicago. However, even on the most dismal of days, there are beautiful sights that can cheer the heart even while the nose may be in danger of freezing right off.

Back in mid November, I started to see the initial stages of the preparations for brightening the city for the upcoming holidays. Along the streets throughout the city, workers covered the empty flower beds with pine bows and began stringing white lights in the leafless trees. Now that it's December, the lights come on every night, helping to take a little of the edge off the city dwellers' cold, dark evening commutes.

Even though you can practically see the chill of the air, the Christmas lights brighten up the whole place. Plus, no matter the time of year, the amazing smell of chocolate/cooking brownies, that will occasionally permeate the downtown air, can bring a smile to even the most determined curmudgeon's face.

The CTA even gets involved! Every year they decorate an entire train anew with quite elaborate decorations and pipe Christmas tunes as they visit the various stops. It even comes complete with elves passing out candy canes and a Santa Claus on a flatbed car to wave and wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

(from http://realmirages.wordpress.com/2007/12/01/united-states-in-september-2007/)

But really, the best place to cheer the heart is in the home.

Getting excited for Christmas

Trying to avoid being schmucked in the face with the branches

The final piece of our fabulous tree

Now for the ornaments:

Some favorites:The final product:

And a few other festive touches to brighten our new home: