Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Christmas in July?!

Yesterday I drove on the "wrong" side of the road, but that sensation can't compare to the weirdness of walking around in shorts and a t-shirt while Christmas music blares, ornaments dangle and everyone around me is wishes each other a Happy Thanksgiving. I feel like somehow I fell asleep for a few months and just woke up. How is it November 22nd? How is it two days till Thanksgiving? Why is Santa wearing a thick red coat with white fur trimmings when it's a balmy 82 degrees and sunny??!

A new friend of mine laughed at me mid holiday freak-out. I guess it's hard to understand what's so weird when you've grown up experiencing the holidays in the heat. For me the signals that the holidays were approaching were everywhere growing up. The days darkened sooner, leaves turn color then drop and the cold makes you reach into the closet for your heaviest coat. Seasonal change does happen here- the nights are a bit cooler, making you grab a light sweater before you leave the house- but it's a much more subtle seasonal change. As my friend Vanessa said "we a know Christmas is coming because we feel the festivities in the air building up to it".

These are images I took in a few of the shops in Christiansted. I wish I had my camera on me to capture the plastic snowmen globes in one of the grocery stores. These ornaments seem a little more island appropriate. I started a tradition back in Italy of collecting Christmas ornaments from places I visit. The sea turtle ornament is the one I'm bringing back with me, but there are a lot of great options here and I might be tempted to bring back a few more!

One of the shops features glass-work by Jan Mitchell, and five of her pieces from this year have just been sent to the White House to be featured on the tree there; a tradition that honors American art and culture through an eclectic mix of ornaments. You can find more of her work on her site (http://www.mitchelllarsenstudio.com/col-ornament.php)

Handmade Moko Jumbies, a Crucian icon (http://www.gotostcroix.com/mockojumbies/index.php)
A sea shell ornament, a sea plane (fastest transport between St Croix and St Thomas)
Decorated storefront
Jan Mitchell glassware

The top row are the ornaments sent to the White House this year
My little turtle ornament. Isn't he just adorable!!?


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