Christmas

Brrr

Paul Keleher watched the annual Santas in Speedos run around the Back Bay today.

Copyright Paul Keleher. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Another photo.
Leaders of the Santa pack.
Santa and his reindeer.

16WadeSt captures the scene in Downtown Crossing, looking down Washington Street.

Copyright 16WadeSt. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

It just wouldn't be Christmas without Joe Fitzgerald and his annual column about the one Jewish woman in Brighton who loves Christmas (past examples).

Jonathan Kamens explains why Fitzgerald and Irina Kotiniuc need to stop hocking about how Christianity is under assault in the Boston area and the U.S.

The MP3.

BostonMaggie catches Santa saluting the commander of the USS Constitution during a tree lighting at Old Ironsides.

Not only has Jordan's bought and saved the old Jordan Marsh Enchanted Village, it's brought back Jordan's blueberry muffins.

Tom O'Keefe took this video in Brookline tonight, reports "I'm not sure if they're Christmas lights or a form of alien communication."

Yes, there will be one - a large tent on Summer Street, with various artists and craftspeople, between Nov. 28 and Dec. 24.

Read more on the blog or follow on Twitter.

Via Beantown Bloggery.

They put up trees gaily decorated with lobster traps. Good Morning Gloucester is running a completely impartial poll that lets you pick the best one: "The Fantastic Majestic Gloucester Lobster Trap Tree" or "The Crappy Unimaginative Maine Lobster Trap Tree."

Whalehead King notes the Neponset Circle Christmas tree is already in place:

... Office pools have already started to pick the day a placard will be planted next to this tannenbaum. What will the sign say? That is subject for another pool but most bets rest on variations of "Season's Greetings from Mayor Thomas M. Menino." Those are words that warm the heart like cocoa heated a few degrees above tepid. Season's Greetings!

Thanskgiving comes first? How about Halloween? Jody posts a photo of a shocking display at her local Target.

About ten years ago, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department switched its Common holiday tree lighting from the multi-colored lights they had used for many years to all-white lights, except for the one Christmas tree.

This followed a trend in many communities, where multi-colored displays began to be seen as vulgar and all-white lights as "tasteful." Perhaps it was Martha Stewart or some other middlebrow tastemaker who put out the fatwa on multi-colored lighting, but many towns fell into line.

Ho ho ho to those who go that way today! Hope everone wasn't up too late last night wrapping or celebrating, especially if you have kids.

Happy Chanuka to those who celebrate for more nights than just one. Adam Sandler's classic has been getting a lot of airplay lately; I heard it twice in one morning, I think on the same station (hmmm, did Mix's playlists change dramatically when Lander went, or is that just my imagination?).

Joyous Winter Solstice for those who are thankful the sun has come back to us, a little more each day.

Don Martelli provides the photographic proof.

Ross Levanto makes his annual Christmas-Eve trek to Mike's Pastry and shares a hard-won tip:

... You need to feel the crowd and the lines, and look for a "soft spot" where the attendant-to-customer ratio is the highest. ...

Seth Gitell, whom I'm betting was eating Chinese food on Christmas long before "A Christmas Story" came out, rounds 'em up.

David Weinberger, meanwhile, explains why Christmas is actually a lovely time for the sort of people who would go out for Chinese:

... Christmas is a lovely time of the year for Jews in America, not because of all the decorations and the ho-ho-ho's, but because it takes the Christians off the streets and shuts the whole place down. While Christians focus on the sweetness of their faith and deal with passive-aggressive fruitcakes, our calendars are empty and our cellphones are mute. Beautiful. ...

Anyone know of a place in West Roxbury or Rozzie (or nearby) that still has Christmas trees for sale, and what their hours are if known? All out at Home Depot in WR and Lowes in the Dedham Mall. In fact, it looks like they have been all out for a while. A charity-based sale would be good but we're not too fussy at this late hour.

Thanks

The first is that James Aloisi would be a big mistake as state transportation secretary.

The second is that it would be most cool if bloggers of all political stripes got together to blog for joy and help out a charity this holiday season.

Of course, being Harvard Square, this Santa is just a bit different.

Third Decade took lots of photos (including the one above) at today's Santas in Speedos run.

Marciela posted photos, too. Nicholas Cifuentes posted more.

Even more photos.

The annual Santas in Speedos run is this Saturday, along Newbury and Boylston streets.

Amy Joyce went on the recent West Roxbury Holiday Tour.

Bob Brown posts a photo you need to see:

OK, so we're suckers for a picture of a snowman and seasick elves in a boat in downtown Wellesley

Mats Tolander tells you what you missed at the annual Swedish Christmas fair at the Cyclorama:

... I gorged on Princesstårta, våfflor and what not. The kid, in full Swedish character dressed in a Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter-outfit, was well behaved and held it together even at the end when he was clearly sick and tired of the whole Swedefest. ...