'Tis the Season

New York at Christmas.

People sing about it, dream about it, make movies about it, et. al. More than anything else, I was looking forward to the Yuletide season, my first in Manhattan. The Christmas tree at Rockefellar, the lights lining Avenue of the Americas, Macy's, snow flurries and carriage rides in Central Park, jovial New Yorkers wishing me season's greetings. And, to some extent, my First Holiday Experience has been that.

Working at the New York Post, I have full access to the decorations 1211 Avenue of the Americas has to offer. This year, giant globular ornaments outside the building, questionable red tinsel wrapped around the columns outside, a small tree in the atrium. Respectable. Up on the 10th floor, there's a lone menorah, placed for the disgruntled Jewish journalists, as well as another tree and a wicker reindeer. Further down, roundabouts the neighborhood of The Wall Street Journal, there are fountains and twinkle lights, row upon row of white lights. I have a hunch, though, that all of theses decorations were somewhat scaled back due to the recent economic climate. Excess and luxury went out of fashion more quickly than acid-wash jeans and Pokemon.

As for the famous tree/skating rink at Rockefeller? Wonderful. But nearly ruined by the Exodus of Tourists that crowd around en masse. So it is to be avoided as the Plague, or at least admired from a distance.

And what of the festive season in my stomping grounds of East Village? Modest twinkle lights grace some storefronts, fake snow is sprayed unceremoniously, and 14th Street reeks of pine. Christmas trees are shipped in by the truckload from the pine forests of ... the Adirondacks and other nondescript places to be used as decoration, only to end up on the street once more January 2nd. I'm not sure if it's this year in particular, but things seem solemn all around, and holiday modesty is as ubiquitous as Hipsters in Brooklyn.

Even at Lipman, the holiday spirit seems subdued. Our Christmas party was canceled, as layoffs don't tend to put people in the holiday spirit. I sadly packed away my reprehensible reindeer antlers and Christmas jumper. Maybe next year, I tell them as I pack them in their boxes. We spin out campaigns for Lord and Taylor that encourage the consumer to "spend wisely," and give the gift of love. Etc, etc. High-end boutiques like Marc Jacobs have marked down their merchandice. They're practically giving it away. When I walked by a few days ago, shoes had been marked down to 90% off; handbags, 70%. Who said there was no silver lining to the worst economic crisis of our time?

Added to this befuddlement of Christmas melancholy, there has been little snow, mild climes, and a noticlable lack of Salvation Army bell ringers. Not to mention, I will spend Christmas Day on the beaches of Florida, eating grapes fed to me by Eduardo Diego, the salacious pool boy. And then, it's off to Europe, where I will expand my mind (though not my bank account) with the wonders of travel.

So, Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good Recession!