Earlier this month Bob and I traveled to New York City to enjoy the Christmas decorations, especially Macy’s windows and the tree at Rockefeller Center. It was exciting and cozy warm to be in the city as the tree was lit, of course we watched that from our hotel. I’m adventurous not crazy. We went to see the tree the next day, when there were only tens of thousands of people taking pictures of it.

The tree was beautiful – check that off bucket list. The ice rink at the base of it, on the other hand, was dwarfed (not elfed) by it. It looked a little diminished, but I felt that way too as I traversed the cold streets of the city wearing more layers than a Tex-Mex bean dip. Honestly, I don’t know how you Northerners do it! How do you manage wearing long-sleeves with scarves and gloves and hats and a coat everywhere you go? When we’d go to a restaurant, the backs of chairs were so thick with coats that you could barely walk the aisles. And this may surprise my Southern friends – they have coat rooms to check your coat. We waited in the one at the 9/11 museum for 20 minutes. I felt like I was at Disney World.

But I digress. It was all worth it. All the walking. All the waiting. All the layers. Even being cold. I loved it. At least for four days. I probably couldn’t have lasted much longer.

I must share a few of Macy’s windows with you. They wrap around most of the store, so it’s a lovely stroll in winter. We were warmed by the Christmas spirit, our many layers of clothing, and the crowd with whom we shuffled nearly shoulder to shoulder. I am confident my pictures won’t do them justice, but you’ll get the idea. Maybe you’ll want to make your own trip next year.

Macy’s does not have the market cornered on windows, but I would say they are the best. We also went to Raising Cane, the chicken place. Their flagship store in Times Square is 8,000 sq. ft., and it was hopping. We enjoyed lunch with approximately the number of people in the state of Rhode Island while the restaurant’s halls were being decked based on A Christmas Story complete with the leg lamp. All the while a DJ was spinning Christmas music as we consumed those yummy chicken fingers. It was a little piece of insanity, but we could get in and eat and take a load off our feet for a few.

This store devoted a window to Charles Schultz’s Peanuts, celebrating 60 years of my favorite, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Christmas trees were everywhere. We found this one in front of Fox News. 

Hope you have a wonderful, Jesus-filled Christmas. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have to remind myself that this is all about Christ being born. All of the decorations and shopping and food and get-togethers are secondary to that wonderful day when Christ came into the world to save sinners like me. Merry Christmas!