December is my favorite month of the year. The climate of renewal, the anticipation of starting a new cycle, all the hidden friends and end-of-year meetings that help us reunite with those who really matter – and sometimes with those who don’t matter either – make this month a special time for me, but that’s not all.
I also love the colorful lights decorating the entire city, the Christmas tree, the fake snow everywhere, buying gifts, stuffing our faces with food for dinner and the fact that we have two huge parties in just one week (although I’m not New Year’s fan) are some of my favorite things about this time of year. You can say it’s cheesy and I don’t care.
Those who also seem to love this era are the Americans. There, they promote competitions between neighbors to see who has the most decorated house and several famous artists record Christmas-themed songs to liven up the party. It’s not the same here, where every year we have to hear Simone singing “So it’s Christmas”.
I already knew all of this when I traveled there, but nothing prepared me for the amazement of hearing Elvis singing “Blue Christmas” in April, while I was trying to decide whether to eat lasagna or ravioli in the middle of Little Italy. This thing is so serious there that, in New York, they even have stores specializing in Christmas items that open all year round. Yes, I said it: stores that are open 365 days a year selling nothing but Santas, snowmen, cookie figures and glittery balls.
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Don’t ask me how this venture can be sustainable, the fact is that Christmas in Little Italy (133 Mulberry Street) boasts of being the first Christmas store to open 12 months a year and has been steadfast in its purpose for years. There, you will find more than 1,200 square meters of all the Christmas trinkets you can imagine.
In the basement, the store maintains a lively walkway called “Grand Santa Station”, with thirteen scenes of Christmas celebrations in famous spots in New York.
The place also has a cafe that serves some typical treats for this time of year, as well as gelatos and hot and cold drinks.
If you like to put a lot of effort into the tree, it might be a good idea to buy some things for next Christmas, whether it’s your trip to New York, as it’s unlikely you’ll find similar decorations in Brazil. And even if you’re not a Christmas spirit freak, it’s worth stopping by quickly during your visit to Little Italy. After all, let’s face it, this is an unusual attraction to say the least. Even more so if you go out of season.
Attention: It is not a good idea to travel to the United States without international health insurance, as hospital costs there are very high. Read here how to find cost-effective insurance.
