What I discovered was quite different, but in the end no less Christmassy.
Shopping is an absolute free-for-all frenzy here. You fight your way through narrowed aisles and crowded lines only to hunt down overpriced items. And God forbid your store doesn't have what you're looking for. Because that means you have to drag all your bags with you onto the subway where you will be consequently bumped and prodded by everyone else's bags and boxes. Eventually, I gave up and settled for expedited shipping and online shopping. In the comfort of my own home, I sat by the lights of my little tree and sipped cocoa on my couch. Cozy as could be.
But those beautiful banks of snow you can forget about. By hour four, they've turned into brown slush. What's more, the areas between the sidewalks turn into full-on booby traps. Oh they may look like concrete, innocently shining with rain. But one step into it and you're ankle-deep in freezing cold water. You learn to cautiously tap your toes against every surface like a cat batting at a tub of water.
On one of these fine days, I went out for lunch and battled three sidewalks in the blizzarding sleet just to get a sandwich. Just before embarking on the last one, this old black woman and I eyed each other warily. We were of course hoping we'd both make it across. But if one of us happened to fall, it better be the other one. As we precariously tip-toed and zig-zagged our way across the street, we finally both found solid purchase and sighed a simultaneous, "Whew!" As our eyes met again, we laughed together knowingly (and with no small amount of relief). Kindred spirits in the spirit of a New York Christmas, we went on our separate ways.
I always wondered where in the hell people get their Christmas trees here. But like with garbage, old TVs and used mattresses you find them where everything else is - on the sidewalks. I used to love going out to the little tree farms set up in our neighborhood in Georiga. Walking among the stands, finding the perfect one. So I was horrified at first to learn that they'd be stacked up on the streets on every Duane Reade, Rite-Aid and CVS street corner. But it actually wasn't horrific at all. Every few blocks you're stunned by the beauty of naturally snow-flocked trees. And a wave of fresh pine scent floats around you as the slimmed sidewalks force you closer to other people. And though people still won't say Merry Christmas, they will smile warmly at you. After all, Christmas in New York may be a mess...but it's our mess. And it can be quite charming when it wants to be.
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