Dreams come true...a Cinderella Story

Happy New Year's Eve! The new year is almost here and I'm on the south campus of Rancho Los Amigos at the site of the Downey Float Association.

The float is done and ready to make the 20-mile trip to Pasadena for the Rose Parade. The theme for the parade this year is "Dreams come true." Downey's float design is based on the Cinderella story called "The Glass Slipper." A beautiful collection of flowers and seeds.

Tomorrow, I will share a few more pictures of the Downey princesses.

Clearance!

Another sign that Christmas is over is the post-Christmas sale, and the resulting traffic at the malls.

"Buying something on sale is a very special feeling. In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me. I have a dress that I paid so little for that I am afraid to wear it. I could spill something on it, and then how would I replace it for that amount of money?"
~Rita Rudner

I'm melting!

Today, I took down my Christmas tree. I'm not the only one, as I noticed while driving around Downey. I liked the look of this tree, with its "snow" dripping onto the surrounding asphalt.

Apparently, this isn't the first year I've noticed these discarded trees. Downey Daily has just celebrated its fourth anniversary, and in looking back, I came across this one that I wrote four years ago: Christmas is really over.

In these four years, I've learned more about Downey than in all the years previous. Thanks for making this journey with us!

The fabulous Esquires

Today we were at a friend's wedding. Both the bride and groom and many of their friends are into swing dancing. So, they arranged to have the Esquires play at the wedding. The Esquires play big band swing music. And, they play it well.

The Esquire Music Foundation was established in 1967 as a non-profit training program to teach young musicians how to play authentic dance music of the "Big Band Era." The conductor, Downey resident Eric Brundin, was fun to watch. Check out their website here.

The reception started with swing lessons for everyone. What a fun experience!

We danced the night away...some of the dancers were amazing and the rest of us just had a great time. I was personally inspired by the little girl in the first picture. She danced to every song.

"Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance"
~ Dave Barry

The Glass Slipper

The construction is done. Starting today, there are five days left to transform this bare frame into the beautiful Glass Slipper float envisioned by designer Thom Neighbors for the 2014 Rose Parade on New Year's Day.

Lots of volunteers were already busy covering surfaces. It's messy work, but everyone seems to be having a great time.

Christmas traditions II

Yesterday, I shared some of our Christmas day traditions. I thought, today, I would share some of our "day after Christmas" traditions. The first is having the last piece of apple pie. Sometimes you have to pass up other leftovers just so you'll have room for it.

The second tradition is trying to fit all the wrapping paper and gift boxes into the trash containers by trash day.

What are some of your "after Christmas" traditions?

Christmas traditions

It's Christmas.

One thing I've learned over the years as people from other families have been added to join in our family traditions is that their families have some different traditions. Our family begins Christmas day by going to church at 6:00 am for a service that helps us focus our attention on God's gift to the world, Jesus. One way we do this is to light the Advent candles.

Then we go home and open our other gifts. I love seeing my loved ones' faces as they open the gifts I gave them.

The bright star of Bethlehem

Nativity scenes tell the real story of Christmas. It's really not about fighting traffic and buying bigger and better presents. It's about the humble birth of Jesus.

This particular nativity is a beautiful representation. It was awarded the "Best Religious Display" for the Downey home decorating contest.



"Christmas in Bethelem. The ancient dream:  a cold, clear night made brilliant by a glorious star, the smell of incense, shepherds and wise men falling to their knees in adoration of the sweet baby, the incarnation of perfect love."
~ Lucinda Franks

Anticipation

I know I've shown you this scene before (here and here, to list a few), and undoubtedly I'll show it to you again. It's one of my favorite Downey Christmas scenes: the nativity scene at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It's not Christmas morning yet, so there's no baby Jesus in the manger—just Joseph and Mary, waiting.

'Twas a few nights before Christmas

Christmas Eve is just two nights away. I've been enjoying my Christmas tree for a couple of weeks now.

But not everyone decorates early. Home Depot was doing a brisk Christmas tree business this afternoon. And for a kid, the excitement of picking out your very own tree is the same, no matter when you pick it out.

When do you get your Christmas tree?

Mayor's Award, Area 4

The city of Downey is lit up this year with Christmas lights. This house was amazing. It was the winner of the city of Downey's Mayor's Award for Area 4. The yard was covered in "snow" and there were lighted decorations everywhere. There was even a live Santa sitting in a "sleigh."

As we drove around Downey, it had me wondering how it came about that we started putting lights on our homes.

Did you know that it was Thomas Edison who started it all? It seems that Edison wanted to find a way to market his incandescent light bulb. He decided to use his invention to add to the Yuletide festivities. He strung up lights all around his laboratory building so that railway commuters could see them. I'm sure he never imagined the global phenomenon he started back in 1880.

"Christmas is the season of light."
~ Anonymous

Winter wonderland

Tonight in my search for interesting Christmas decorations, I ventured into north Downey, where I discovered what looked like the perfect gingerbread house come to life.

This house won the Downey Holiday Home Decorating Contest Winter Wonderland award for Area 4. Every line and curve is outlined with lights. There's a cute display in every window.

Even as I (and numerous other carloads) admired it, I couldn't help but think about the amount of work that went into creating this winter wonderland!

Last days of fall

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, which means it's almost winter. The winter solstice is this Saturday at 9:11 p.m. our time.

The trees are a sure sign of the end of fall, for which I personally am grateful. Every fall the tree next door to me drops its leaves, which then, because of the natural funnel effect of my property, get blown into my backyard. For a couple of months each year, I'm sweeping up leaves that don't even belong to me. I look forward to December 21st each year.

“I like these cold, gray winter days. Days like these let you savor a bad mood.”
Calvin (Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes)

Oakland (Los Angeles) Raiders

Flying a flag or banner outside your home has become quite popular. It's a way to announce your favorite season, your favorite emotion, or your favorite sports team. This Downey resident is obviously an Oakland Raiders fan. Not only is this banner visible each day, but there is a decal on their truck and in a front window.

The Raiders started in 1960 as the Oakland Raiders. They moved to Los Angeles in 1982, and then moved back to Oakland in 1995.

But either this fan hasn't heard that the Raiders have moved back to Oakland or they are hoping the Raiders will see the error of their ways and return to the fan base here in Los Angeles.

"The silver and black may have another home, but the Raiders will always belong to the people of Los Angeles."
~Ice Cube

The lights of Naples

Every year we try to plan a trip to Naples, Long Beach. It's about 15 miles south of Downey and it is an amazing haven for beautiful houses along canals intended to be like Naples, Italy.

The houses are incredible and most are lighted up and uniquely decorated so that as you walk along the canals, you are treated to a vision of lights and a variety of decorations from the elegant to the silly. It is a tradition among our friends and family to walk the canals and enjoy the amazing variety.

The best of the best

The Mayor's Award in the Downey Home Decorating Contest is the most prestigious award, the best total display in each area. This is the Area 3 Mayor's Award winner.

I didn't count them, but I'm pretty sure there were 101 Dalmatians.

What a nightmare!

The winners of this year's Downey Holiday Home Decorating Contest were announced last week, so I thought it would be fun to check out some of the winners.

The city was divided into four areas. The were lots of possible categories, including Best Use of Lights, Best Lawn Display, Most Energy Efficient, and Santa's Workshop.

In Area 3, this house won the "Best Overall" award, with its characters from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Christmas music

Every year we are treated to Christmas carols by the Warren High Marching Band and Color Guard. It's a great tradition for them to visit the neighborhoods around Downey.

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."
~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Christmas displays

Downey is full of houses that decorate during the Christmas season. Everything from lights on the houses to blowup snowmen to moving toy trains. When I was a kid back in the early 60s, my mom made a life-size Santa standing next to a replica of Sputnik and put it on our roof next to the chimney. She made Sputnik out of a 4-f00tt diameter balloon and papier-mâché. She made a frame for the Santa, covered it with papier-mâché, and then painted both. For its time, it was the talk of the block.

This house certainly has an impressive display of lights and animated objects.

There are also those who decide to display a simple reminder that "Jesus is the reason for the season."

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.
Isaiah 9:6

Living decorations

I've seen this house on Quinn Street in past years and decided to go back to see what it would look like this year. I met Bob, who told me about the history of his decorations. He adds new things each year to keep his display living.

The pink and white light ribbons around one tree are for his sister, Kimberly, who died of breast cancer ten years ago. The red, white, and blue light ribbons are to honor our troops. Green, red, and white light ribbons were to honor his mother-in-law, who died Sunday in Mexico.

Bob says he'll be done completely by this Sunday. Go by and say "Merry Christmas" to Bob.

Finally...the Jolly Snowman

In addition to the tree lighting, Santa, and hot cocoa, there was snow and a snowman!

Of course the line for the kids to get into the snow area was crazy long, but there it was for all to play in. I watched for a few minutes as some of the smaller kids worked up their nerve to dive in. This little guy didn't seem to sure of himself.

"Snowmen fall from Heaven....unassembled".
~ Anonymous

More than just tree-lighting

The annual tree-lighting celebration is about lots more than just lighting up the Christmas tree. No Christmas celebration would be complete without Santa on hand to hear Christmas wishes. Of course, the tiniest kids are really more interested in that beard!

The event is also an opportunity to celebrate the kids in the community. Several kids' groups sang Christmas songs for the entire crowd. These Girl Scouts performed a great rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

More tomorrow...