are you ready?
Christmas is almost upon us.
Our cities are being decorated with garlands, tinsel, baubles large and small.
In Adelaide, our annual pageant is being held tomorrow.
From the time that I was quite small, 4-5, until fairly recently, (1995-6?)it was The John Martin's Christmas Pageant. Then John Martins (large, family friendly department store), closed down and David Jones took over the pageant. That didn't last long and now it's run by one of the major building societies.
It's still very popular, although many of the original floats are no more and have been replaced by "bigger", "better", "more", with many of the themes seemingly unrelated to Christmas.
(to me anyway).
Today after lunching with my K, I took a few photos of some of the decorations.
Along Grenfell Street there are reindeer suspended high above on the street light poles.
Giant baubles too.
All along Rundle Mall are giant baubles, stars and candy canes too. I forgot to photograph the candy canes, but I'm sure you all know what they look like by now.
See these banners? One of my sons works for a company that makes these types of things for events all over Australia. I'm not sure if they made this year's banners, they have done some in the past.
In my opinion, the prettiest decorations this year are in the Adelaide Arcade, which runs between Rundle Mall and Grenfell Street.
Our cities are being decorated with garlands, tinsel, baubles large and small.
In Adelaide, our annual pageant is being held tomorrow.
From the time that I was quite small, 4-5, until fairly recently, (1995-6?)it was The John Martin's Christmas Pageant. Then John Martins (large, family friendly department store), closed down and David Jones took over the pageant. That didn't last long and now it's run by one of the major building societies.
It's still very popular, although many of the original floats are no more and have been replaced by "bigger", "better", "more", with many of the themes seemingly unrelated to Christmas.
(to me anyway).
Today after lunching with my K, I took a few photos of some of the decorations.
Along Grenfell Street there are reindeer suspended high above on the street light poles.
Giant baubles too.
This enormous Santa used to always be on the Rundle Mall facade of the John Martins building, indicating the location of Santa's Cave, where Santa would make daily appearances from the end of the pageant until Christmas Eve. Now this large jolly man is on the facade of what was the original David Jones building, I believe.
All along Rundle Mall are giant baubles, stars and candy canes too. I forgot to photograph the candy canes, but I'm sure you all know what they look like by now.
See these banners? One of my sons works for a company that makes these types of things for events all over Australia. I'm not sure if they made this year's banners, they have done some in the past.
In my opinion, the prettiest decorations this year are in the Adelaide Arcade, which runs between Rundle Mall and Grenfell Street.
Garlands and Wreaths in green and gold, ribbons and baubles, with sparkling lights twinkling all along the Arcade.
Here's a closer look at a garland, I'm sorry still photos don't show the lights twinkling, just use your imagination for a minute.
Here is one of the trees.
And here is a tree with Santa, reading from his naughty and nice book. He looks pretty happy, so I'd say the "naughty" pages are all blank this year.
Further down Grenfell Street, towards King William Street, are these new, really cute, Santa decorations that I've never seen before.
Look at this cheeky fellow, eyeing off the passers by.
So how is your city looking, this close to Christmas?
Here's a closer look at a garland, I'm sorry still photos don't show the lights twinkling, just use your imagination for a minute.
Here is one of the trees.
And here is a tree with Santa, reading from his naughty and nice book. He looks pretty happy, so I'd say the "naughty" pages are all blank this year.
Further down Grenfell Street, towards King William Street, are these new, really cute, Santa decorations that I've never seen before.
Look at this cheeky fellow, eyeing off the passers by.
So how is your city looking, this close to Christmas? Will you be taking the kids to see the pageant?
I don't go to see our pageant anymore. I do see parts of it broadcast on our news service, and the whole thing is live on the ABC on the morning, but I'm usually working, so I miss that.
The local Norwood pageant is being held on the 27th, I'll be at work, but I might be able to duck out for a photo or two. I'll have to sweet-talk the boss a bit.
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The street decorations look a bit better than Melbourne's. Ours are pretty old and tired. Of course neither city should put them up until December.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Andrew, pretty ordinary in Melbourne and we won't even mention the handful of nasty, tacky, cheap cardboard decs our local council wrap around tree trunks *rolls eyes*.
ReplyDeleteYours are very pretty!
Adelaide Arcade is pretty even without the Christmas decorations.
ReplyDeleteMy younger brother was a clown in the Adelaide Christmas pageant about ten years ago. Not one of the lucky ones on a float or a bike, he ran the entire route, chasing an imaginary butterfly, never flagging, never wilting... at the end his rainbow afro wig was soaked in sweat. I couldn't have been more proud of him!
Andrew; write your local MP a letter maybe? Tell him how tired the decorations are, suggest a little brightening up is in order to make people feel Christmassy and start spending, remind him that spending will boost the economy.
ReplyDeleteJayne; I agree decorations shouldn't go up until December, but then again, neither should the pageant be on until December. But November it is, and the pageant wouldn't be quite the same without the street decorations.
Kath; I love Adelaide Arcade, the tiled floor, the wrought iron balconies, the whole atmosphere is so much nicer than Regent Arcade.Plus it has Haighs..
From what I've read in your blog, your brother is still a bit of a clown.
I always look forward to Christmas, it gives me a lift, I like the house decorations, and the carols, all the brightness and colour. And the good will, the generosity, that's good too; what a pity it's only a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteI love that wreath in the Arcade. It would look lovely across my front porch so just nick down in the middle of the night and grab it, I'll pay the postage.
ReplyDeleteR.H. The decorations are the best part, I think, everything so colourful and sparkly. The goodwill too, everyone seems more inclined to cheer and forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteJahTeh; if I could, I would, but the Arcade is locked at night. Just print out the picture instead and pin it to your door.
Oh, I'm officially homesick. But now that the pageant has happened, I can put up my Christmas tree!
ReplyDeleteKymmie; I'm not allowed to put up my tree until my daughter's birthday is past. She doesn't like her day being overshadowed by Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm not such a fan of the big Santas but the rest look pretty good. I like the pole ones and the garlands in the mall.
ReplyDeleteCellobella; thanks for stopping by. I'm not particularly enamoured of the really huge Santa, he's been on that building every year that I've been in Adelaide and probably before that too. I do like the new ones in the last two photos, they're new.
ReplyDelete