Christmas in New York City

New York City has few redeeming qualities, but Christmas is by far the best one. There is something about the chill in the air, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree being brought to the city, put into place and lit for all to see, the windows at Macy’s, the Village at Bryant Park with the skating rink (the ONLY free one in the city). I was walking to the store the other day when this song by Sugarland came up on my playlist called the City of Silver Dreams (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7YqlHrStIY). The song talks about St. Patrick’s Cathedral and when the doors open, you can see all of the candles. The windows being dressed up with ribbons and smiles.

Having lived in Brooklyn for 7.5 years, I have experienced almost everything the city has to offer when it comes to Christmas. I have attended tree lighting ceremonies, gone to the Winter Village at Bryant Park, shopped at the ones in both Central Park and Union Square, visited the French Market by the Smithsonian last year (even if it was a disappointment), wandered through Central Park while it snowed. There is just something magical about New York (Manhattan mostly) during the holidays. There are many things I really and truly hated about living in New York, but Christmas was not one of them.

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St. Patrick’s Cathedral-Saks Fifth Avenue-9/11 Memorial-Zuccotti Park-Wall Street-New York Stock Exchange

The lyrics are as follows and I will include photos of as much of these items as I have:

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Bryant Park-Empire State Building-American Radiator Building-Rockefeller Center-Radio City Music Hall-Central Park-Plaza Hotel

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“City Of Silver Dreams”

The windows in New York City
All dressed up with ribbons and smiles
Snow covers the park like a carpet
Bells on white carriages roll by in style.

St. Patrick’s cathedral is all lit up
When the doors open wide I can see
All of those candles burning inside
Looks like somebody’s birthday party to me.

Snowy night
Catch the light
Shimmer bright
Angels sing
Here below
Children know
Faces glow
Bells they ring
Through a city of silver dreams

They hung a star over 5th Avenue
Like a beacon that’s calling you home
With our gifts we come looking for comfort
May we find in each other we’re not so alone

Snowy night
Catch the light
Shinning bright
Angels sing
Here below
Children know
Faces glow
Bells they ring
Through a city of silver dreams

Its like this whole town has swallowed some magic
With a taxi horns singing away
They say that this city will change you
But it ain’t me that’s been changing
from what I can tell.

Snowy night
Catch the light
Shinning bright
Angels sing
Here below
Children know
Faces glow
Bells they ring
Through a city
Through a city so pretty
In this city of silver dreams.

2020 and moving on

At this point in the year, parents are excited because their kids are going back to school soon and they are taking their summer vacations. This year, everything is different. Parents are out of work, kids are not physically going to school and are working on distance learning. Companies have closed, opened part time or never opened after being shut down by their states. People in cities around the world are social distancing and wearing masks and this is the 'new normal." 

My experience has been no exception. On March 20, when Governor Cuomo shut down New York State, my company also shut down. It really wasn't surprising as business had been slow for months and the attorney I was working for wasn't doing anything to get new business. I spent my last day updating my spreadsheets, packing and labeling boxes with the clients name and application status, running errands and packing up my desk.

I have spent the past 5 months watching lots and lots of tv and applying for jobs. Despite having submitted thousands of applications, I have only had a few interviews, no second interviews and a lot of ghosting by employers. In May, when Vermont and New York opened up their borders, I went home and spent a great 3 weeks with my parents. In July, my sister and I went camping at Golden Hill State Park and went to Niagara Falls. The weather was perfect and the campground beautiful. Our campsite was right on the water and waking up to seeing the lake in the morning was nice. The sunsets were spectacular and we even got to see what we believe was the comet. During this time, she got notice that her roommate was planning to move out, so we got me an application and after an hour and a half of going through my bank statements, highlighting my rent payments and income deposits, I submitted my application. About 10 days later, we were on our way to Berkshire, Vermont to visit our Uncle Chris and Aunt Bernie (who is totally awesome btw). On the way, we stopped at Split Rock Falls for what was supposed to be just a quick visit to get out of the car but turned into us swimming in our clothes (not all that unusual for us). From Berkshire, we (she) drove to Bar Harbor, Maine to spend a week with our brother and sister in law and their kids. Again, we had perfect weather. We went to the beach, spent time in town, went cliff jumping and hung out at the house. During this time, Alyssa got a job interview (and then the job) and I was approved to move into her apartment. 

Tomorrow (today as I am just now finishing this up) is the big move and while it isn't what I had hoped would happen and where I thought I would be going, I did fulfill my goal of getting out of Brooklyn by fall. It will be challenging for sure, but I'm looking forward to it. I do hope to be able to leave the state by this time next year and be able to move to Charleston, but it all depends on a lot of factors. 

Christmas Traditions Ireland

In preparation for the holiday season, homes in Ireland are cleaned top to bottom. We normally only do that here in the US when special family members are coming to visit or it's spring. Mantles are often decorated with holly and mistletoe is hung in doorways. Trees are often decorated with ribbons and holly and set near a window to be seen by passersby. We do similar things here in the US, but many of us have special decorations that have been passed down that we also put on the tree.

As Ireland is predominately Roman Catholic, attending services on the night of Christmas Eve instead of the morning of Christmas is common. It is usually held at midnight and everyone who attends is given a candle blessed by the Bishop of the church, to light. We had this when I would attend services growing up as well, only as we aren't Catholic, it wasn't blessed by the Bishop.

Unlike here in the US, children do not leave out stockings, but leave sacks to be filled with toys on Christmas morning. As a sign of hospitality, after dinner on Christmas eve, families will often set aside milk and bread (or mince pies and Guinness). Here, we leave milk and cookies for Santa and sometimes carrots and celery for his reindeer.

Noilaig Shona Dhuit (pronounced as null-ig hun-a dit) or Merry Christmas in Gaelic! Christmas day in Ireland focuses more on the religious versus the secular, but children do receive gifts. Christmas is a time for families and dinner is traditionally served in the afternoon. The main course is usually a goose, turkey or chicken and sides include stuffing, gravy, and potatoes. For many, this is the largest meal of the year whereas in the US, we have several including Thanksgiving and Easter. Dessert is usually a Christmas pudding with a rum sauce.Often after the lavish meal, the kitchen table was again set and on it was placed some bread and milk and the table was adorned by a lit candle. if Mary or Joseph, or a wandering traveler, happened by, then they could partake of the hospitality. This is what Christmas pudding is in Ireland: 


One unusual custom in Ireland on Christmas day is the Christmas day swim where people wearing nothing more than a swimsuit and a Santa hat plunge into the Atlantic or the Irish sea where temperatures are a mere 50 degrees in the water and much colder outside of the water. Although judging by some of the photos I saw of this, people do sometimes dress up in costumes. I found this image which shows Alan Heffernan at the 40-foot which is south of Dublin.





The candle in the window or Coimmeal Mór na Nollag, usually placed by the youngest member of the family. The idea was to light the way of the holy family who were travelling. It was also lit to show strangers that there might be an offering of food in the house within. Sometimes, there were three candles lit because Jesus, Joseph and Mary were looking for a place to stay. this was to show that they were welcome in an Irish home, even if they could not find a place in Bethlehem. During the Penal Times (1695-1793/1829) in Ireland, Catholic priests were forbidden to perform Mass, so the candle acted as a covert signal that the occupier was a Catholic believer and that mass could be held on the premises.