orcatown

Seattle Dresses for the Holidays

As with all major cities in the U.S., Thanksgiving marks the date that the holiday decorations are put up around Seattle. Supposedly Seattle has more atheists than any other major city, but that doesn’t seem to crush the Christmas spirit.

Even in our shadiest neighborhood (which is saying something) Pioneer Square, they’ve pulled together some Seattle-scrappy decorations, tree sweaters. I don’t really know what the point is, but I think they’re adorable. I like to think of someone watching episode after episode of Alaska: State Troopers while knitting tree sweaters for Occidental Park.

They get chilled. They get chilled.

This weekend was full of holiday-ness. I made pie and brownies on Wednesday evening in order to get everything ready for Thursday evening, when we had some friends over for Thanksgiving dessert. I would have loved to have hosted Thanksgiving dinner, but we don’t actually have a table. We did make Thanksgiving dinner for ourselves, but the highlight of the day was skyping with our families. Kai carried his iPad around our parent’s house and did an animal safari, trying to locate all the pets.

It's not a holiday without a tubby Siamese! It's not a holiday without a tubby Siamese!

There were decorations spread all over the old part of town, they were old fashioned, pretty, and understated.

I like the trash on the bench right next to the open garbage can. An Oscar the Grouch Christmas! I like the trash on the bench right next to the open garbage can. An Oscar the Grouch Christmas!

The Market has started putting up decorations as well, and the tourists are out in full swing. This means that walking through the market to get from point A to point B takes about four hours and an emergency supply of water.

Christmas spirit, feeeeeel it. Also, this picture doesn't illustrate the crowdedness enough. Picture 1,000 more people. Christmas spirit, feeeeeel it. Also, this picture doesn't illustrate the crowdedness enough. Picture 1,000 more people.

My favorite decoration was the pig sleigh.

Slightly less aerodynamic than reindeer. Or reindeers, as they say in Michigan. Slightly less aerodynamic than reindeer. Or reindeers, as they say in Michigan.

Friday night we went to see a comedian, which was ok. Chris liked it, so there you go. Last night was fantastic though, Chris got tickets for dinner on a boat that went through Lake Union and Lake Washington.

Christmas Boat! Christmas Boat!

So the Christmas boats are a tradition in Seattle, they start out at either the South Lake Union docks or the piers on Puget Sound. One boat has a choir on it as well as other guests, and another serves dinner and follows the choir boat. We got to sit at a table as if at a restaurant, but the boat sailed around the Seattle lakes.

Chris is excited about buffets. Chris is excited about buffets.

I was thrilled because in addition to a view of the lake shores sailing by, we were facing a couple that looked straight out of New Jersey. Big, self-centered guy who spent half the time with his drunk head on a table and his buzzed partner in an extremely short, tight, dress. It was very entertaining to watch as she moved from sitting right next to him to suddenly sitting across the table from him. I like to think she left him while he was in the portside bathroom and went and got a cab to SEATAC and a flight back to Newark.

I love people and the stories I make up in my head about them. I love people and the stories I make up in my head about them.

So the boats eventually circle around and then the choir sings. We went out to hear a few songs, but mostly we had fun making up stories about the other boats in the parade, many of which circled the Christmas boat.

Circling like vultures. Watch out, Advanced Boy's Choir! Circling like vultures. Watch out, Advanced Boy's Choir!

This boat was clearly up to no good. It had a very ominous aura. This boat was clearly up to no good. It had a very ominous aura.

Today we spent the day as normal Americans and went to the mall and the movies. It’s going to be a very Nordstrom Christmas for the Passics and Schetters!

We did go and the new Muppet Movie, which I highly recommend. I can’t remember the last time I had such a good time going to a movie. Loved it. If only that movie could make as much as Twilight: Breaking Dawn: Breaking the Audience’s Will to Live. Muppets are pretty amazing, and if you grew up as a devotee of Sesame Street, than you can never really accept that they are not as real as any other actors. Also, I still want to be Miss Piggy when I grow up. I figure I’ve got the blonde thing down, so I need to work on the overall awesomeness and karate.