DECORATING THE CHRISTMAS TREE

The kids in my apartment building always decorate the lobby tree.  I buy the ornaments…..they hang ‘em.  I get them all at” Gracious Home”……..my favorite store on the West Side of Manhattan.

The kids are all so sweet…………

Fascinated by the lights……….our tree has 2000 of them.

They are very fussy about which ornaments they want to hang.

She is as precious at the ornament…….

He insisted on hanging the garlands…….

Archie  found the perfect spot for his red ” snowflake” ball.

There are 12 of these boxes to choose from.  They get to take the “leftovers” home.

He’s trying to decide what to put in this spot.  Snowflake or ball?

She decided the back of the tree needed more ornaments.

Zack was ever so careful……..for a while !

“O.K.  I dropped three already….should I drop this red one?”  HE DID !  What a cutie.

I designed this Angel years ago for a company in Wisconsin…..so she always goes on top……though a lot of the kids vote for a Star.

All done!  And every day the kids bring their friends to see “their” tree………and they hung all 600 ornaments.  And it shows !

My neighbor……Angelica Houston ……stopped to pose in front of the tree.  She’s such a sweetie.

WINTER’S EVE at Lincoln Square

Last night at the Time Warner Center…………and in Lincoln Square…..the annual “WINTER’S EVE” kicked off with entertainment…….musicians………tumblers…….lighting of the Christmas Tree, the Polka Dance Band and Santa Claus showed up at Gracious Home.

NEW YORKERS by the thousands showed up for the festivities and the food.

The lighting of the Christmas Tree began at 5:30 in Dante Park.

New Yorkers turned out by the thousands for the first Christmas celebration in the streets.

Every store, bank and restaurant in the area participated in the fun with special activities for kids.

Starting at 5pm………music accompanies the stars as they change colors.

That looks like it hurts.

Mariachi Puebla tooted on their horns…….I did NOT toot along with them !

The Polka Dance Band.………worked up the crowd….but did not inspire me to dance the Polka.

Sweet little lady on her stilts kept the tots amused……and there was face painting with the Big Apple Circus.

Ice Carvers were all over the streets……..buzz saws buzzing.

La Boite en Bois dished out RAVIOLI with leeks, Spinach, Goat Cheese and Ricotta.  Was it yummy!  No !

LANDMARC was spooning up ORECCHIETTI ala Toscana.  Was it delicious?  YES 

Street Vendors were on every corner………

“Chestnuts Roasting  on an Open Fire”……….$5 a bag.

The COACH store at Time Warner Center.…….MAJENTA seems to be the new color for winter……….from $150 to $5000……change purse or a clutch.

CHRISTMAS lingers on in NEW YORK CITY

Radio City Music Hall….and the Rockettes are still putting on their show.

And the New York City buses are still advertising it.

Tom is baking more cookies!  For what?  Next Christmas?

My nephew David’s name is at the top of the list!  I heard he was a naughty boy!

Get your mitts off the moose!

Dept. 56 Villages are still selling.

Santa’s little helpers have nothing to do now.

Angel in mink………..on my fireplace.  Poor little mink!

My fireplace…..mit Mennorah.  Last candle was lit tonight.

My tree………sagging under the weight of adornment.

My wreathe is dried out.

The Santa……….courtesy of Gracious Home.

Dessert at the Metropolitan Opera……between the acts of Hansel und Gretel.

Paper star in a window on 5th Avenue

Tiny little Telly.  I bought it!  We had a TV like that when I was a kid.

My neighbor and his lavender tree on his stoop.

And the Santa I sold to PAPYRUS is in their window…..now at half price!  So my royalty just dropped by half!  Such is the life of an artist!