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Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Christmas Season Is Upon Us






While we're been subjected to listening to Christmas music at Sam's Club for the past two weeks or so, now the Holiday Christmas Tree is being installed outside the GOB today. I hear they'll be decorating it and turning the lights on in a week or so. Considering no one really gets to see how this is done and just how involved it is, I thought I'd deliver you these shots because you won't see it in the Daily Slime.

I see this tree and honest to God, all I can think of is that image last year of Gary Comegys kissing Lynn Cathcart on the lips at the lighting ceremony. Like Rosanne Rosanna Danna used to say, "I thought I was Gonna DIE!"

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

See, here is the deal-how much does this tree and daily lighting cost for 6 weeks or so? Why would the city spend that money/employee work hours to decorate an abandoned plaza area so so (so) far in advance of the actual holiday? Keep in mind there are photos on adjacent posts today showing overflowing, inadequate trash bins and crumbling bricks/sidewalks (adjacent to the plethora of condemned buildings). Give the city a downtown pub (or seven), a couple coffeeshops and a restaurant or two and you will have enough visitor traffic at night to justify the expense in these recessed times. As it is right now, isn't it just another wasteful "pet project" that only benefits those that actually work within the GOB? And because the tree (form of religious expression)appears to be placed on government property, when can we look forward to the installation of the Kwanzaa Shrub and the Hanukkah Funky Cold Menorah?

Anonymous said...

I bet that was quite a kiss. Hadn't heard of that before.

Anonymous said...

I watched the tree being installed and have a couple questions:
1. Where is the tree from?
2. How much did the city pay for it?
3. Who picked out the tree?

The reason I ask these questions is, that tree is NOT in good condition. It has brown/dead/dying branches all over it! A lot of that may be hidden by decorations, but seriously, if you expect a tree to embody the holiday spirit, make sure the tree has some spirit itself!

Anonymous said...

couldn't get a fake one from walmart. they have really come a long way with them plus it would be as real as our city government

joe albero said...

The tree was donated by St. Frances, I believe. So it didn't cost the taxpayers a dime.

Anonymous said...

If the City didn't have a tree, you' all would be bxtching about that! The City can't win either way.

Anonymous said...

1:34. If "THE CITY" truly had the tree, it would be placed in a more prominent place in a neutral park/riverfront, etc. As it appears to me, "THE GOB STAFF" has the tree on their land in the middle of "Zombie Plaza". Let them pass their own collection plate to turn on the lights for over a month...As the plaza is right now, the only night-time "visitors" that tree will have are smack addicts looking for a kinder, gentler place to urinate.

Anonymous said...

Can't we wait until AFTER Thanksgiving?! Sheesh. It's like the moment Halloween ends, retailers post Xmas items for sale the very next day.

I love Christmas, and I appreciate that these 8-10 weeks of holiday sales are what put retailers in the black for the year, but I grow less and less interested in living with two full months (and growing) of holiday decor.

I am sure there are lots of people who would agree with that.

CC

Anonymous said...

What bothers me is are the going to plant on in place of the beautiful tree they chopped down? Couldn't they have gotten a smaller tree with the roots to plant later instead of letting it sit there to die?

Anonymous said...

All I know is that Deli111 on Main St, around the corner will be open late the night they light the Tree, he's got coffee, hot tea, and hot chocolate as well as other stuff on the menu. Come in hungry or cold, he'll fix you up with reasonable prices.

Thanks for the posting this Joe. Last year, he got a little busy, after the ceremoney but everyone else was closed and people weren't aware there's a place open on the Plaza.

Anonymous said...

4:18. No cheeseburgers, no peace....Doesn't anyone else find it extremely un-American that "in the very heart" of an average "American Small Town" you can't even get a good, hot sandwich (let alone an Irish coffee)? Really, your place sounds cool, and quite a monopoly, but why would I want to take my family down there (until things begin to change)after sunset..yuck.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:15 PM,

I was thinking the same thing. When I rode by there this morning I thought the city workers were taking down an old, dead tree instead of putting one up. That is definitely a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

LMAO

Anonymous said...

2:30 I completely agree with what you've said. K-Mart was selling Christmas ornaments the week before Halloween. I remember when it was so much fun to go shopping with Mom after Thanksgiving because it was like magic how suddenly the stores were decorated. That was also back when Bennett Jr. High School (which is now Bennett Middle) would play Christmas music on the plaza next to the Memorial. There were plenty of stores down there back then. There was a great little toy shop too. I miss those days.

KM