Everyone has read/heard/seen stuff about Christmas in New York. I have to say it is as magical as you can imagine and more.
The lights everywhere, the darkness at 4.30pm, the stores, the Christmas Carols everywhere, the excess of Christmas parties and also, the possibility of snow.
I started Christmas on the 1st of December with a trip to the 99c shop around the corner from my apartment. I sent myself a challenge to set up my tree from that shop only – mainly because I could honestly not be bothered carrying decorations and a tree on the subway then the walk home.
$26 later I left the store and within one hour I had this set up in the lounge room –
I accidently bought white wired lights instead of green so it looks even more cheapo than I paid and the replacement green set I accidently left on the train when I was engrossed by my iPhone so I am seeing that as fate and that they were electrically faulty. Or something like that. 😉
The whole Christmas tree ‘thing’ is exactly as you see on tv/the movies with someone buying them off a guy selling them on the footpath. Here is a scene from a couple of weeks ago on the Upper West Side. I had to walk through what felt like a wall of Christmas trees.
Christmas Party wise it has been in full swing this year. The first was at the Australian Consulate where I was required to work… but after a couple of hours we got to stop work and enjoy the party! The catering was by the guy that owns the Sunburnt Cow and while I missed out on the party pies, the sausage rolls weren’t bad. It was a good night and reminded me of a larger version of our classic ALIA Victoria Christmas Parties! Look – I even had the Santa hat AND name tag (it was SO nice to wear a Santa Hat in non-sweltering weather!)
The other Christmas Party was one that the Association hosts for our corporate supporters. It was in the penthouse of the Sherry-Netherland Hotel and is the Pratt family apartment. The view was absolutely gorgeous. You look right along Central Park South to Columbus Circle from one window, then up 5th Avenue from the other window and from the far window you can see down 5th Avenue. That is if the gargoyles don’t get in your way! What made the evening even more interesting was it was snowing – so while it did make our view a bit more clouded… to see Central Park with a dusting was just lovely! That was until panic set in about having to actually walk in it. Eeeek.
On Monday at work also we had a Secret Santa and a group lunch. I contributed home made sausage rolls, Camille made lamingtons and Deb made the nicest Rum Balls and cheese sticks. As you can see from this pic there was even the obligatory bowl of tomato sauce. The Sausage Rolls are getting their own solitary post because it is bizarre making them here.
So with all this Aussieness I am so excited about utilizing my Green Card and being totally American when it comes to Christmas Eve/Christmas Day and the sad-that-it-is-missing, Boxing Day! As you can see from the post below – weather wise you could get any more opposite to what will be happening in Melbourne but… yes… some things never change. Trifle will be making an appearance!