Monday, December 22, 2008

CRAZY FOR LIGHTS





Looking for Christmas in Japan... I seem to be wandering around the streets at night trying to catch a glimspe or glimmer of the festive spirit. I think it's a Western thing !!! In Canada, I made my own decorations, poured rum on the traditional fruitcake and toughed it out in the blistering, zero below temperatures, to select just the right Christmas tree. Suddenly, I've discovered fibre-optics and developed an Eastern mentality for the excitement of the season.

I have a five foot glistener in my Tatami room, a three foot, fibre-optic fairy tree in the hallway and a fibre-optic, giggling, jiggling Santa, in the livingroom window. Oh and did I mention, the 200 or more outdoor twinklers that blink on and off, for the curious neighbours. Yes, I've gone crazy for lights.

Needless to say, Japan is an electronic world. They do not celebrate Christmas but do partake in cookies and New Years' festivities . The effect of the electrical displays are the same around the world... It's magical. In Maigaoka, if I'm not listening to Christmas Carols, I'm hanging around local alleyways, snapping picture of neons lights and experiencing ZaaArt of plugging into the season. Merry Christmas to you all.

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