I was flipping around tonight on the tv and I came across the NBC televised lighting of the Rockerfeller Center Christmas tree. This year it's the 75th annual.
It was corny with dumb jokes from the presenters and lots and lots of plugs for NBC shows, but it was good too. They had a whole bunch of singers there in New York performing, like Josh Groban, Tony Bennett, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion from a studio, and the Rocketts at the end (wow they are amazing). While I don't like the commercialization and buy buy buy ethic of America these days, I do love the Christmas spirit here. I love to hear carols performed by current singers. I love to see stages with snow flake decorations and lighted trees and to hear everyone wish happy holidays and merry Christmas. I pulled out all my parents Christmas cds and I'm going to copy the songs onto my computer before I go back to France. Last year I didn't have any Christmas music and I think that was part of my not liking Christmas in France. I think I'll make decorations out of paper and glitter and print-outs from the internet as well since I like to see decorations around the house. Watching the show I couldn't stop thinking of spice cookies and warm drinks and wearing lots of corny winter sweaters and socks and all the years I danced in the Nutcracker. That's perhaps one of the reasons I love the Christmas season so much. From about age 6 to 13 I was in the Nutcracker every year with my dance school. I got to act out Christmas eve 10-15 times each year before it actually happened.
And I also saw two perfume ads. Which reminded me of all the perfume ads I had to sit through last year. Isn't it funny out perfume is really pushed in France as a nice and luxurious gift and in America it's no different from a pair of ear rings or DVD box set. The Elizabeth Arden commercial was artistic: a guy melts down into water as the woman walks by wearing the perfume Provocative. I have yet to see any Salad Shooter, Ch-ch-ch Chia Pets, or Clap on ads. I'm sure my life will be better if I didn't in fact.
1 comment:
I totally hear you on the Christmas spirit back home in the U.S. -- I really missed it here over the last few years... And I agree that of course there is a lot more commercialization in the U.S., but the sense of "spirit" is just different. People just smile more! (And that's true in general, year-round, anyway!) So I've recently been putting together a Christmas mix myself, on my iPod, with some CDs that I've either picked up used or borrowed from friends. It just makes me feel better! And I'll be decorating my apartment with Christmas stuff this coming weekend, I think -- at least that's my goal!
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