Famous Ankles

Most of the NYC Christmas decorations that you see in public are done by companies or by the City.  However, one area with some simple and effective decorations was done by homeowners (or perhaps by the cooperatives) in Greenwich Village on 10th Street.

It’s the simplest stuff that is generally the best.  In the above cases, it’s just branches from evergreens (there’s a place selling Christmas trees just up a block and they lop off branches for this upon request – I know ‘cuz I saw them doing it).  There are some decorative touches, but that’s all.  I know some of them had lights intertwined in the branches, but I wasn’t there at night so I don’t know the effect.

I never noticed anyplace that’s decorated like the suburban houses where the homeowners go wild with Christmas stuff.  I have to admit that I’m happy about that.  Of course, it’s hard to compete with the Rockefeller Center tree and Macy’s windows.

-H

Christmas Eve was a day that I did a lot of wandering.  My habit on that day, and on Christmas Day, is to wander about and wish people a Merry Christmas.  It’s fun, unexpected by the recipients, and is almost always welcomed by them.  I get a lot of “Merry Christmas” responses, but it is usually the more boring “Happy Holidays”.  I can’t believe people actually say that.

Anyway, I was down in the West Village and ran into a place that is not very “Christmassy” at all:  Tiles for America.  I’ve seen it many times, but it really touched me on that day simply because things like Tiles for America remind you of things that should be remembered.

It is a very simple set up.  There’s a parking lot with a chain link fence around it.  On the fence, people have put up decorative tiles centered around 9-11.  The display covers the fence along Seventh Avenue and Greenwich Avenue.

It is an amazing thing to read and quite heartbreaking.  The tiles with hearts below are some of a handful of ones dedicated to young children that died that day.  They are apparently children on the planes.

But this one is the one that caught my eye.  It reads “Sometimes I still think I might see you and get a chance to say goodbye.”

I am generally pretty cynical at such items and I don’t really know if this is a true statement from an affected person or a poetic truth from someone who wanted to express themselves.  Nevertheless, I think it speaks for all of those people who were affected.

-H