Christmas in San Francisco
Entry posted by docoflove1974
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Every year at Christmas, once school got out, my mom used to take us up to San Francisco. We'd park at the Stonestown Galleria, which is in the outskirts/Park Merced district, and take the street car into Union Square. We'd go to FAO Schwartz to play with the toys and dream of what we'd really love Santa to bring us; we'd have lunch somewhere in some cafe; we'd watch all the ice skaters fall down and look silly on the rink on top of Union Square. We'd gawk at all of the glorious displays in all of the stores...I always wanted to buy something, even if it's small, and sometimes my mom would let us. It was a tradition; my grandmother and great-aunt used to take her, and supposedly my grandmother and great-aunt used to go when they were younger (they didn't move to SF until 1925, and they were teens). To this day, I go at least once during the Christmas season, just to see what is going on.
So I just posted in the gallery my pictures that I took today. There aren't many pictures of displays...it seems that in these economically uncertain times, many stores can't afford them. The Christmas Tree in the center of Union Square is still the focal point, and it's in its usual splendor. It stands strong along with the Dewey Monument, which was erected to mark the accomplishments of Admiral Dewey. Macy's has sponsored the tree for the last 5 years, as they are such a monumental part of the vibrancy of Union Square. But things change: where FAO Schwartz used to stand (it closed several years ago), Nieman Marcus has a store; they now have a tree displayed in the front, but it's nothing like the mobiles, trains, and other miraculous toys the old store had.
Nephele, this is for you: The New York Times' Marquard Liquor Store!
The ice skating that used to be in the Square has been moved to the Embarcadero...and I just didn't feel like crossing town to fight more crowds. But here are some links to the best treats of San Francisco during the holidays:
The San Francisco Ballet's The Nutcracker: I saw it for the first time last year, and was floored. I'm not a ballet person, but it hit me hard...gorgeous.
The Maritime Parade: Many of the boats and yachts in the SF Marina light things up, and show off their wares. The Victorian houses along the Marina and Chrissy Field are wonderfully dressed up, too...on a cool, crisp night it makes for a beautiful walk.
The Embarcadero: Each year, as one comes in from the East Bay and goes across the Bay Bridge, this is the sight that greets you. It's not the Holidays unless the Embarcadero's lit up.
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