An Evening Walk Through the Holiday Lights

We went out for a walk tonight, November 23rd, and it felt like the official start of the holiday season. The streets were already packed, with everyone else seemingly having the same idea.

Every storefront and building was trying to outdo the next. One patisserie was covered in Christmas trees and dozens of white teddy bears peering down from the ledges. We walked down a narrow side street where the lights overhead were all purple and white, casting a strange glow on the crowd below.

Some of the decorations were incredibly elaborate. I saw one building with huge, illuminated drums hanging over the windows, each with a tiny carousel scene inside. Another was a full-on gingerbread house facade, complete with giant gingerbread people and rows of candy canes. It's a lot to take in all at once.

The most unusual sight was a huge, ornate crystal chandelier, lit up and suspended over the street inside a glowing white box. It felt completely out of place and yet somehow fit right in with the overwhelming festive atmosphere.