As dawn
evolves the Arizonan sun and blue skies flood the day, together with a cool desert
chill morning and evening filling the atmosphere and where, surprisingly, light
jackets are required even though the temperature is still 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
A road runner runs here and a quail scurries there; a hummingbird hovers and darts
to my left and a desert robin sits proudly high atop a saguaro surveying the festive landscape.
Venturing out I enjoy observing the merriment and hustle and bustle of families
preparing for their personal celebrations…fall or one day only (yes one day only)
here in the US. No Boxing Day here. Though our American friends pretend to celebrate
BD day, even though they do not really know what it is all about; they like to
observe it for us two Brits, Mrs Teacup and daughter. Sadly, on Boxing Day the
working population usually return to their corporate desks.
The Malls
are frantic with families buying food, decorations, gifts, wrapping paper and ribbon. Monstrous
evergreen Christmas trees are sold on street corners in the “Tree Patches” all over town and
families load their car roofs and make their way home to overload such tree with
sparkly decorations and lights of every shape size and colour you can imagine. Shop
windows are beautifully and tastefully overdone; prices are low, or lower than
usual, with bargains to be had on every corner of the Phoenix grid system where
businesses hope to rake in their last sales before the New Year is rung in with
Should Old Acquaintance be Forgotten.
Coffee shops sell Christmas shaped cookies and pastries, snowy frothy winter
lattes and cappuccinos and Christmas flavoured tea with cinnamon and seasonal
spices, all very yummy and moreish. Families look festive (and silly in some
cases) wearing reindeer ears or jingle bell antennae as they go about their Christmas business;
even some of the cars and trucks are sparkled up for the Season of Good Will and wear “ears” or “sparkles” or “lights” of
some description or another.
Every other
house and garden twinkle with coloured lights of every colour of the rainbow; gardens
are a glow and covered in decorations. Competition is high to see who can put
the most lights up or who can do the most outrageous display; electricity bills must be high too! Neighbours
outwitting neighbours in the Christmas spirit in some streets. Cactuses, bushes, trees and plants are all elaborately adorned
and flashing. The downtown trolley bus will take you on a tour of the grandest displays
if you so desire. House parties are in full swing on each street corner with Cadillac’s,
Hummers and Station Wagons parked kerb side and I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas blaring. Restaurants have Christmas everything;
decorated ice creams and puds; napkins and table centres; waitresses and
waiters are bedecked with tinsel and flashing earrings, Santa hats and festive antennae. Christmas flavoured ice
teas, Christmas smelling candles; in fact everything you ever wanted can be Christmas
coloured, flavoured or decorated right down to the Kleenex box , kitchen towel…..and even
the loo rolls!
There are
places to go and things to see; Lights at the Zoo, Luminaries at the Botanical
Gardens with Chihully, Christmas Markets by the Waterfront, Christmas Craft Making Parties, the
Nutcracker at the theatre, carols at the Philharmonic, Swan Lake at the ballet, Native
American Storytelling and children’s theatre of some description all over town.
No traditional Pantomime; they do not understand Pantomime! The Public Art is festivitied up with holly and ivy wreaths, bows and baubles. Everything that can be decorated is decorated.
Churches of every denomination are in full swing and sparkle up with crosses
and stars, mangers and nativity scenes to praise, be thankful and welcome the
Kings of Kings birth on the 25th. Carollers sing The Holly and the Ivy and Hark
the Herald Angles in quiet corners of shopping malls with donations going
to charities. Schools celebrate with parties and concerts for proud mums and dads
to shed a happy tear in honour of their children’s successful year at school. Charities
sell paper angels in a variety of prominent spots, in order that children less
fortunate can receive a gift over the Christmas period. Soup kitchens and youth
hostels serve up free meals and food bags so most do not go hungry.
Its fun, a
blast, cool, awesome and certainly different and I love every minute. You
cannot get much more Christmassy and outrageous than spending the Christmas Holiday
Season in the Arizonan Desert alongside the Saguaros, Jumping Chollas, Cactus
Wrens, Hummingbirds, Road Runners, Quails, Poinsettia’s, Cowboys and Native
Americans. What a fantastic juxtaposition this whole adventure and season
always is here in my heartland.
Merry
Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all.
God Bless.
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