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The season of lights.

  • Dec. 6th, 2009 at 2:17 AM
MeFearMe
paterson_si

So, this is the time of the year when the old part of my beloved city resembles a fairy-tale. Christmas/New year's light appeared a couple of days a go and while leaving the office today (yes, it was Saturday and I was working, dammit) I made a little stroll through the heart of the city. It was packed with people, becase tonight is the St. Nicholas night. It's one of the three good men we know here and the origins of St. Nicholas can actually be traced back to early 1800's here. He's the man that brings presents (of course), but... here's an extra. If kids haven't really been good last year, he can also bring them a tiny rod to tell them they should do better. I have to say I really enjoyed this tradition when I was a child and it was really deeply rooted here, way before Sprite, Fanta and Coca Cola brought their own favourite creature into our lives. And shops.




  • Current Location:Home
  • Current Mood: happy happy
  • Current Music:Sugababes - Easy

Comments

( 72 comments — Leave a comment )
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eloquentwthrage
Dec. 6th, 2009 01:18 am (UTC)
Jealous!
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:20 am (UTC)
Yes, yes, I know. :) Because this is a pretty little city to live in. :)
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(Deleted comment)
paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:21 am (UTC)
Well.... my ipod wanted me to listen to Overloaded: The Singles Collection. :)

Also cheap pop is okay sometimes, right?

Right?
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putzmeisterbear
Dec. 6th, 2009 01:47 am (UTC)
Planets and galaxies, I love it!
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:22 am (UTC)
Yes, it's this year's theme. Looks nice. :)
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(no subject) - putzmeisterbear - Dec. 6th, 2009 06:06 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 10th, 2009 01:29 am (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - putzmeisterbear - Dec. 10th, 2009 04:54 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 11th, 2009 10:34 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - putzmeisterbear - Dec. 11th, 2009 11:27 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 11th, 2009 11:28 pm (UTC) - Expand
estudioso
Dec. 6th, 2009 01:51 am (UTC)
what a beautiful city. wanna go soon!
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:23 am (UTC)
You'd enjoy it. :)
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cajuncountry
Dec. 6th, 2009 01:58 am (UTC)
Way nice!
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:24 am (UTC)
It's a beautiful time of the year. Oh, the pics you would take..... :)
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(no subject) - cajuncountry - Dec. 7th, 2009 02:35 am (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 10th, 2009 01:30 am (UTC) - Expand
wooferstl
Dec. 6th, 2009 02:00 am (UTC)
i miss xmas in Europe...it's so much cooler and traditional, not plasticky like in the US. Happy Nicholas Day/Night!! Leave out your best boots!
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:24 am (UTC)
Yes, it's not all shopping spree madness, that's why I even like it now and then.

Boots full! :)
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(no subject) - gorkabear - Dec. 6th, 2009 02:12 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 6th, 2009 03:13 pm (UTC) - Expand
dan4behr
Dec. 6th, 2009 02:15 am (UTC)
Festive!!

Makes even old scrooge me want to go out and enjoy the evening and shop amongst the Christmas glitterati...
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:25 am (UTC)
Oh, you can just walk around, sip vin chaud and enjoy roasted chestnuts. :)
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inbhirnis
Dec. 6th, 2009 02:29 am (UTC)
Lovely!

Is that where the three bridges come together?
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:25 am (UTC)
It's THE spot, yes! :)
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tkn1114
Dec. 6th, 2009 02:38 am (UTC)
A-ha! So there is Santa Claus where you are after all.

IDEA: How about a FYFF Santee Tomash pix? ;-.)
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:26 am (UTC)
Well, we have Santa Claus, yes, of course. But in a different way. And he doesn't look like Coke bottle. :)

I might skip FYFF posts for a while. :)
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? - tkn1114 - Dec. 7th, 2009 12:16 am (UTC) - Expand
jeremymlad
Dec. 6th, 2009 02:42 am (UTC)
IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVE IT!!! *cry*

I loved the two times I got to experience Miklavž. I remember one day going into the building where our church was at the same time as an old lady who lived in the same building, and she was carrying an armful of gold- and silver-painted twigs. As we walked up the stairs my companion started conversing with her about the holiday and the traditions and the twigs and he asked her what they do with the twigs, and this little old hunched-over lady looks at him like he's a moron, and says, "Se tepamo!" with an unspoken "DUH!" which I interpreted as, "We hit each other!"
Which I found endlessly amusing, thinking of this little old lady and her little old husband in their little old apartment, whacking each other with the silver twigs. What a holiday!! :D
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:27 am (UTC)
See? That's how we are! :)
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(Deleted comment)
paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:28 am (UTC)
Yes, luckily masters of our city know that less is more sometimes. :)
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e_ticket
Dec. 6th, 2009 06:33 am (UTC)
OMG so pretty. :)
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inbhirnis
Dec. 6th, 2009 09:08 am (UTC)
I highly recommend a visit!
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(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 6th, 2009 10:28 am (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 6th, 2009 10:28 am (UTC) - Expand
cajoje
Dec. 6th, 2009 08:06 am (UTC)
Total evil face in the puddle.
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 10:28 am (UTC)
YAY you noticed it! :) So there's bad in every good! :)
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(no subject) - tilia_tomentosa - Dec. 6th, 2009 11:04 am (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 6th, 2009 03:08 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - tilia_tomentosa - Dec. 6th, 2009 03:14 pm (UTC) - Expand
tilia_tomentosa
Dec. 6th, 2009 11:05 am (UTC)
I miss Ljubljana.
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 03:10 pm (UTC)
Ljubljana misses you.
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(no subject) - tilia_tomentosa - Dec. 6th, 2009 03:16 pm (UTC) - Expand
tilia_tomentosa
Dec. 6th, 2009 11:15 am (UTC)
Somebody had imported the Russian "Grandpa Cold" (best translation I can think of) folk character into Bulgaria and even translated his name into Bulgarian. He was just the Russian version of Santa Claus, but he was associated with New Year instead of Christmas because the soviet-type communist rulers wanted to get rid of religion.

Now Bulgarian children receive gifts on Christmas as it was before the communist era.

We do celebrate St. Nicholas' Day here basically by having some fish dish. It's more of a celebration if it is somebody's "name day".
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paterson_si
Dec. 6th, 2009 03:12 pm (UTC)
We also had and still have Grandpa Cold. So there are three good men functioning now. St. Nicolas or Miklavž, Grandpa Cold or Dedek Mraz and Santa Claus or Božiček.

Oh, the presents..... :)

Fish dish?
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(no subject) - tilia_tomentosa - Dec. 6th, 2009 03:16 pm (UTC) - Expand
(no subject) - paterson_si - Dec. 10th, 2009 01:22 am (UTC) - Expand
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