It's Christmastime In the City

Photo & Text © 2012 Seattle Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

Downtown Seattle is decked out in it's Christmas finery, but I was surprised to see things have gone a bit tacky compared to years past. The tree at Westlake Center is artificial this year (after 23 years of real ones from this, the Evergreen state). The carousel a couple years ago changed out it's golden-hued incandescent bulbs for LED lights, which is a good thing, except for the unattractive cold bluish-purple light they give off--not as lovely in photos. The merchants have turned off the water feature of the plaza sculptures and draped them with ill fitting and unattractive blue cloth graphics that advertises the carousel and its sponsors (honestly, they look like poorly printed sagging bus clings). And the signage barricading the bottom of the huge artificial tree has giant lettering that adds eye clutter to already inharmonious elements. The blue banners flying above it all on poles are wordy and unattractive. More like ads than decorations. It's still all festive, mind you, just not done with the same level of design savvy seen in years past. Shoppers and kids don't mind at all. It's probably just those of us out looking for eye candy with our cameras that are finding it is slim pick-in's.