photo dive bar » Christmas

Merry Merry

Jess Smith — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 13:30:48 +0000

A graphical twist for the holiday with a little squirrel love (and caroling). Thank you for your visits and meaningful comments over the past year; it has been a joy blogging with you! Now please, eat, drink and be merry!

Have a Merry, Merry Christmas photobloggers!

P.S. – If you’re struggling from Christmas fever, drop by Methanie’s blog for
a helpful hint on how to survive the day.

Can You Hear It?

Jess Smith — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:49:55 +0000

Ahhh, the classic colors and harmonious sounds of Christmas are quite engulfing these days. If you’re a grinch, you might not appreciate it, but I find the spirit truly heartwarming. If you’re curious to hear and see the likes of a New England Christmas, you need not go very far:

He Sees You

Jess Smith — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:23:05 +0000

Santa paid a visit to the little kiddies at the Essex Library to read a couple of stories and conduct an elf orchestra comprised of traditional Christmas songs. Also, he sees you, apparently all the time, so hopefully you were all very nice this year! ;D

Behind the Beard

Jess Smith — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:47:30 +0000

With great pleasure, I present to you a hilarious short film featuring an exclusive look at the second life of Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus. In this documentary, I will take you Behind the Beard to learn the inner workings of a devoted Claus couple that has strutted their stuff along the shoreline for the past forty years. Above, Santa shows me his favorite replica of himself (that drops his draws as a “special present” for you), which so happens to be sitting atop one of our seven local newspapers.

Enjoy and be merry!

Gaily They Ring

Jess Smith — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 14:11:24 +0000

Hark! how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say,
“Throw cares away.”
Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old
Meek and the bold

Ding, dong, ding, dong
That is their song
With joyful ring
All caroling
One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From ev’rywhere
Filling the air

Oh how they pound,
Raising the sound,
O’er hill and dale,
Telling their tale,
Gaily they ring
While people sing
Songs of good cheer
Christmas is here
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas

On, on they send
On without end
Their joyful tone
To ev’ry home

Ding, dong, ding, dong.

Kina Mama, the Westbrook High School Club of students with a passion for singing, performed as carolers at the Westbrook town green tree lighting. One of their traditional selections, “Carol of the Bells,” was performed with such vigor and voices that were nothing short of euphonious.

It’s Christmastime on the Shoreline

Jess Smith — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:25:27 +0000

Christmastime has struck the Shoreline! I’ve been to just about half, if not more, of my coverage area and sleepy town tree lightings this year, each of them having their own special holiday nuances. Tonight (or morning I should say) we’ll begin with a little touch of East Haven, zooming in on the wee kiddies enamored by the a tree as tall as a high rise.

❝ Chestnuts roasting by an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose…❞

‘Tis the Season

Jess Smith — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:35:25 +0000

Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. It’s lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. It’s higher thought and a greater plan. It’s glorious dream in the soul of man.

This holiday season has been more hectic than usual, but deep down I really do love Christmas time. The previous quote sums up all my reasons precisely, although I must admit, I tend to find joy in the lights and show as well (obviously). Furthermore, I do deduce that gift-giving might be slightly overrated and we should just eat another gigantic, swell-tasting turkey instead. Just a suggestion!

This ridiculously colorful photograph was taken on the New Haven Green on a rather chilly night from the bottom of a mammoth Christmas tree.

Very Maximus

Jess Smith — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:43:21 +0000

My coworker’s baby, Max, is probably the only toddler I consider eye candy. He is cutest, chubbiest, most adorable thing I have ever seen. She requested I take some shots of him for a little Christmas card spirit. Max was quite the good model – it wasn’t hard with that face! He was soon overtaken by crankiness as we began to breach upon his coveted nap time.

The pup, Austin, swiftly intervened early on, securing that his fluffiness was a spotlight of the holidays as well.

Rudolph’s Groupies

Jess Smith — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:43:43 +0000

The past weekend I spent much time in the local communities to enjoy the wholesome festivities of Christmas – tree lightings, little dancing jubilant children, historic reenactments, Santa on his giant sleigh led by horses and, of course, lines that went on for days to meet with Santa in his cabin. These girls were particularly entertaining; they were leaping up and down to keep themselves nice and toasty because sadly, it’s beginning to get a bit frigid.