Dec 2, 2010

19 Festive Lights - Signs of the Holiday



Festive lights on Dundas and Yonge in downtown Toronto. The tree lights actually changes color from white to blue, blue to white. I tried to capture the transition between the two lights as you will see in the first and second set of three photograps. The polar bears are simply white lights, beautiful eh.

I am often conflicted this time of the year although struck with the wonder and beauty of the transformations welcoming in the holiday. I am of two minds. One I love to see the lights signaling the coming holiday, the anticipation of meeting friends and family catching up on old times being introduce to new additions and eating good food and magnificent black cakes. However on the other hand I am appalled by the excessiveness and waste. How it seems that the focus lean more toward "things" than the quality of how we live and are living as human beings. Then I say to myself, ‘Self, get a grip, loosen up your panty strings and stop being so uptight,” and while I do to a degree I vacillate between the two feelings that reside alongside each other. They dwell in the same place occupying the same space in my mind. It is what keeps me humble, grateful and mindful because I know the flip side to it all is some going hungry, not having adequate housing, and proper clothing. So I celebrate tempering it with humility and reverence.

I will keep adding more festive lights as I encounter them around the city for your viewing pleasure so please come back often and let me know what you think..

19 comments:

  1. Good Day…We are alike. Love the festive decorations. But the stress many are feeling
    with the need to spend…spend…spend…for happiness. I’m all for family and friendly get togethers. Just Sup Together and it is all good. I guess it is because we have been humbled and enjoy life’s simple pleasures eh…Happy Holiday’s Greg

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  2. The photos are lovely. What a sight to see all of that in person. I would love to do so.
    I agree with your thoughts on the holiday season. We seem to forget that we are celebrating the birth of Christ and not a gift giving occasion.

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  3. The lights changing from Blue to white is really pretty, and that's an innovative tree shape :P. I had those kinds of thoughts once when we were at a fair ground, but yes, at the end Ii just thanked God for his provision.

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  4. A very happy festive season to you and your dear ones! Sharing with those less fortunate is what the festive season is all about. The more we do that, any thought of excess should go away as we spread good cheer and renewed hope that everything will turn out alright. Those polar bears are quite lovely! - vijay

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  5. I love the city lights. I hope to make time to go into town and see the Boston Common and Gardens all dressed up.
    I've never seen Christmas lights quite like the ones in your photos. Thanks for sharing. I hope I get to do the same soon.

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  6. The Festive lights are beatiful specially polar bears lights are beautiful as same time make me think how we could save them from a melting ice land?
    It is time to thinking of poor people to how we can given them to helps this special times.
    Thank you for your E-mail.
    Michiko

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  7. Wonderful to see you again and so glad you are here in Blogger. I enjoyed seeing the Christmas lights..they are far and away more beautiful than I have seen around here.

    Also I share your feeling about what Christmas has turned in to.

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  8. very pretty thanks Rhapsody love Herrad

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  9. Love the xmas lights Rhapsody
    I will come in again
    xxx
    Bye the way what do people call you for short

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  10. Hi,

    Your photos are lovely and cheered up my day.

    Sometimes we have to spend without worrying about too many things because we also need a break from our normal daily routines and stressful days.Festivals come to relax and refresh us. It is true there are millions of suffering people in this world.You can surely do something about it but not at the cost of sacrificing a good time with family and friends on festival days.Enjoy yourself.

    Best wishes,
    Joseph

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  11. Beautiful thought Rhapsody and the last line was very touching.The top pcture is very much like a Hindu God Ganesh.Nice pictures.As someone put it in the comments festive occasions are not only for enjoyment but also for sharing.

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  12. Wow,I love those decorations, very pretty. Thanks for sharing.

    I just also want to thank you for visiting my blog and your gracious comment. Have a blessed week.

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  13. KaΛηΣπεραααα....Hellooo from Greece and ΣτάΛες στο ΓαΛάΖιο team...very nice your blog!!!
    Come with me in ΣτάΛες στο ΓαΛάΖιο....Best wishes ..LoVe and Light with you...καληνυχτααααα

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  14. Wow, these pics are beautiful.
    Interesting point you make here, I kinda feel the same way and I actually wrote something along similar lines on my latest blog post... having plenty and wasting vs not having anything at all.

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  15. The lights are very pretty and interesting.

    I totally understand where you're coming from about being torn per the excess that often comes with Christmas celebrations. It can be quite overwhelming and sad.

    But like you said that awareness is a blessing because "it is what keeps me humble, grateful and mindful." That's a beautiful thing.

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  16. ohh what a beautiful decoration, your city looks lovely :) i wish you an amazing year of 2011 filled with lots and lots of Love, Health and Prosperity in all... take care bella

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  17. Wow, these are beautiful! Great gob taking the pictures rhapsody.

    We should get together for dinner one night. What do you think?

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  18. Very beautiful photos - these and the previous ones. Several years on in the city but barely get around...

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  19. I feel the same way. Torn between the two. Of course if I had my way cars would be illegal and we would be using horses again. Farms would be more important than factories. We wouldn't be crowding, eating or killing off every animal on Earth and everyone would have a similar dwelling to live in that would be solar (or wind) powered. We should of given our need for gas up decades ago and we wouldn't be waiting for the nuclear diasater in Japan to kill us slowly but surely. The ocean would be healthy and the life in it bountiful. I could go on and on but I know this will never happen and it's much too late now. Most of my friends just "don't want to think of these unpleasent things" which concludes how sad things really are. Still, we must keep going until the end. We only have one life to live and it's not a soap opera for sure! Take care! ♥

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