Thanksgiving may be just around the proverbial corner but the on the literal corner the Snowflakes are hung on poles with care. A truck with a cherry picker, the guy put them on the telephone pole – I noticed some are also on the faux 19th century light poles – but on Grove Street where I documented the actual affixing of the flakes it was on a telephone pole. The holders were already in place, an outlet available. The lights went on, the one that did not shine was immediately replaced. Then, on to the next pole.
Every year they do this, Municipal, non-denominational holiday decorations. The season always creeps up on you. The holidays always seem to be starting earlier and earlier. I noticed Christmas decorations on sale at Kohls Labor Day Weekend, that ain’t no lie!Some years you resist the season longer than other years; the first Christmas carols can cause cringing. But sooner or later, by December 15th or so, you’re in the mood. Christmas is fun, cozy, saturated with nostalgia and memories and merriment. We all have our rituals, the holiday specials, movies, music. Thanksgiving through Advent. Christmas occurs gradually, incrementally. The ending is abrupt. New Years. Boom! Then Winter then more winter. Baseball seems so far away when January is ending and your socks are perpetually damp from trudging through slush day and night.
Still, focus on the now. Today may be too early to start enjoying the holidays; but sooner or later, enjoy them you will. You have to; Christmas is bigger than you.
I always thought elves came in and put up the Jersey City snowflakes, but no. And unlike real snowflakes were every one is geometrically unique, not only are these identical our municipal flakes are the exactly the same as in other cities.
About an hour after I saw the snowflake hanging I wandered through Grove Street Plaza. The same guys were lighting up the tree. I talked to them. They do this for dozens of cities and towns in the area, as well as shopping malls. They start right after Halloween.
It’s not even thanksgiving and you’re putting up Christmas decorations, we get that all the time,” he said
">How many flakes went up in our fair city?
“We came with 59 and we are leaving with 7, we put them up all the way up Newark, Grove Street and Jersey.”
I didn’t inquire further, about flakes in other J.C. hoods or why only a few blocks (the most gentrified, near the PATH streets) and not others.
People were hanging around the open-air plaza, waiting for buses. The night was warm. It was nice to see the lights achieve illumination on the artificial tree.
Some bulbs remained dark and had to be replaced. It was balmy out, unseasonably warm – two weeks ago we had snow and ice, a real-life nightmare before Christmas. A couple wandered to the tree, holding an infant, his first Christmas. They pointed at the lights. I felt merry for a moment. It was nice
Every year they do this, Municipal, non-denominational holiday decorations. The season always creeps up on you. The holidays always seem to be starting earlier and earlier. I noticed Christmas decorations on sale at Kohls Labor Day Weekend, that ain’t no lie!Some years you resist the season longer than other years; the first Christmas carols can cause cringing. But sooner or later, by December 15th or so, you’re in the mood. Christmas is fun, cozy, saturated with nostalgia and memories and merriment. We all have our rituals, the holiday specials, movies, music. Thanksgiving through Advent. Christmas occurs gradually, incrementally. The ending is abrupt. New Years. Boom! Then Winter then more winter. Baseball seems so far away when January is ending and your socks are perpetually damp from trudging through slush day and night.
Still, focus on the now. Today may be too early to start enjoying the holidays; but sooner or later, enjoy them you will. You have to; Christmas is bigger than you.
I always thought elves came in and put up the Jersey City snowflakes, but no. And unlike real snowflakes were every one is geometrically unique, not only are these identical our municipal flakes are the exactly the same as in other cities.
About an hour after I saw the snowflake hanging I wandered through Grove Street Plaza. The same guys were lighting up the tree. I talked to them. They do this for dozens of cities and towns in the area, as well as shopping malls. They start right after Halloween.
It’s not even thanksgiving and you’re putting up Christmas decorations, we get that all the time,” he said
">How many flakes went up in our fair city?
“We came with 59 and we are leaving with 7, we put them up all the way up Newark, Grove Street and Jersey.”
I didn’t inquire further, about flakes in other J.C. hoods or why only a few blocks (the most gentrified, near the PATH streets) and not others.
People were hanging around the open-air plaza, waiting for buses. The night was warm. It was nice to see the lights achieve illumination on the artificial tree.
Some bulbs remained dark and had to be replaced. It was balmy out, unseasonably warm – two weeks ago we had snow and ice, a real-life nightmare before Christmas. A couple wandered to the tree, holding an infant, his first Christmas. They pointed at the lights. I felt merry for a moment. It was nice
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