It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas…

[image error]Tis the season…   Already.   I can't get over how quickly they put the Christmas stuff out these days.  We were in a superstore in July and I kid you not they already had some of their holiday merchandise on display.   Dude, we were in shorts!  But I digress, what I want to talk about is the decorating of New York City.   There is no finer place in the world for celebrating the holidays.  And because Thanksgiving is a huge tourist time here, the glamourizing has begun. 

First let me set the scene.   The air here is crispy cold, the nights coming early, which means that lights glisten in windows as you walk down the leaf strewn streets in the evening.  Sidewalk[image error] cafes have given way to snow scenes and twinkling lights in windows.  A few pumpkins still decorate brownstone stairways and courtyards.  And the air smells so clean, the wind off the rivers giving a hint that winter is on its way.  Anticipation is the word of the day.   The Macy's Day parade serving as the kick-off. 

So can you tell I like the holidays?   Especially here in the city.  I think as adults we sometimes lose sight of the magic we felt as children.  And believe me, it's hard to walk down the streets of Manhattan in late November and December and not smile with delight.  Whether you're checking out the tree in Rockefeller Center, or the windows at Saks, Macys, Bloomingdales and Bergdorf's (always my personal favorites), you're sure to find something to remind you that magic is in the air.   There's the fifth avenue star, the light show in Grand Central Station, and the year's Christmas musical (this year Elf) to delight.  But some of my favorite sites are simply the local stores and streets decked in their own holiday festivities. 

[image error]The holidays are coming…so, wherever you are, make sure that this year you take a moment in all the madness to remember the magic. And to get the season rolling, I'm giving away a copy of the holiday suspense anthology (is that an oxymoron?) containing my novella "Still of the Night".    Comment this week to win!