Christmas in New York

Reporting Rai Weil

Alexander Genis: In our city they like to say: if you are bored with Christmas in New York, then you are tired of living.

There is something in this. Every year I do not get tired of enjoying the measured growth of Christmas enthusiasm on New York streets and squares. This is indeed a wonderful sight: right before our eyes, the holiday sprouts through everyday life.

These days, the city seems older than it is. The rituals of Christmas never change, and on holidays even liberal New Yorkers become avid conservatives. All honor the unwritten laws of the Christmas schedule. Therefore, let's say, in December no one is dismissed.

New York-with his fabulous windows, festive bazaars, and of course the main Christmas tree of the country in the Rockefeller Center-skillfully plays along with the townspeople and tourists who come to us from all over the world, hoping to meet Christmas where they can celebrate him with patriarchal comfort and imperial scope.

To talk with the guests of the festive New York, the correspondent of the American hour Raya Vale went to the largest and most beautiful station of America-the Grand Central.

Raya Vail: On the way to Grand Central, where tourists from all over America come, the famous Lord and Taylor store. Here, as usual at this time of the year, a crowd, many tourists. Lord and Taylor is famous for his Christmas windows, which are living scenes of folk life. A man, in appearance of 60 years, already looking, smiles, mutters to himself: “Beautiful, very beautiful” ...

John Smith: My wife and I were the first time in New York on Christmas days. Manhattan is impressive, ”he says. - We ourselves from Oklahoma. There are also prepared for Christmas, but of course there is no such scope. This can only be seen in New York. The Christmas tree on the Rockefeller Center is the largest in the world, probably the top of the sky goes to the sky. And decorated how? In general, the design is amazing. Even better than we expected. The truth people say that at least once in a life you need to see Christmas New York. The holiday in the air is in the air, on each street of illumination. And everyone's mood is appropriate, raised, friendly ...

Raya Vile: My name is John Smith's name. A trip to New York for Christmas is his birthday present for his birthday. Mary is delighted ...

Mary Smith: Today we are going to the show in the radio City musical Hall. They say this is the best Christmas performance in New York. In the meantime, the most powerful impression on me was made by a wedding at the Rockefeller Center, which we saw yesterday. Awesome sight. I even burst into tears, so everything was touching and beautiful ...

Raya Vile: Joan Hill and her husband live two hours of driving from New York. It is felt that they are rich and satisfied with everyone. At the house and stable there is own, and tennis courts, and even its own cinema. But once a year, on Christmas days, they come here to wander around the festive city ...

Joan Hill: Christmas in New York is a paradise, ”says Joan's talkative. - This cannot be compared with anything. From the scenery on the Rockefeller Center, to street performances, to stunningly designed windows, to all kinds of performances, concerts on Christmas themes ... To see all this and life will not be enough. And my husband and I spend only three days here, however, every year, because nowhere is they preparing for Christmas as in New York. What is the only laser show on the Grand Central, which we just looked ...

Raya Vile: Joana reminded me of the purpose of my journey - Grand Central. Next to the information booth are two men with suitcases. Tracking. As it turned out, from Virginia. Did they like the festive New York?

“It seems to me that Christmas here has long turned into a commercial holiday,” says the older one. “However, as elsewhere,” the second adds. - Beautiful, of course, but everything is very expensive. You need a lot of money to come to New York for the holidays. Continuous ruin, a hundred can be spent imperceptibly per day ...

Raya Vile: Two elderly ladies, one 86, the other 92, came to see the Christmas Ny from Florida.

“We just arrived yesterday,” says one, “in the first and maybe the last time.” You cannot die without seeing such beauty. Today we walked around the Central Park all day. There, too, everything is decorated around. Each bridge, every bench, every tree. They walked on the fifth Avenue, they examined shop windows, there are very interesting ones. What can I say, beautiful New York, is beautiful at all times, and especially on Christmas. And purely here is surprisingly, and the scenery is fantastic ...

Raya Vail: Alex Fitzpatrick just came to New York from Texass. She comes here every year, to friends with whom she studied at New York University ...

Alex Fitzpatrick: There is nothing better than to celebrate Christmas in New York, ”says 25 -year -old Alex. - Christmas in New York does not look like anything. As if you are in a fairy tale, and at every step some magic happens with you ... even a crowd here is some kind of special festive ...

Raya Vile: Indeed, there are many miracles these days in New York. Every half an hour in the main hall Grand Central Laser Show on the ceiling. Do not tear the eye, how beautiful. Multi -colored figures converge and diverge in the dance, disappear, huge balls appear in their place, and again the figures ... Tourists from England came to see this wonders.

Judy Feidman: We are slightly disappointed, ”says Judy Feydman,“ the scenery is not as amazing as we were told. In addition, it is difficult to find normal food. Basically, fried potatoes and steaks. And this is enough in London. But such a laser show, indeed, makes an impression ...

Raya Vile: In the next room where the New Year's fair is located, 32-year-old Sean Grissan plays Christmas melodies at his double bass ...

Sean Grissan: Christmas is the best time of the year, ”he smiles. - Nothing is more beautiful than New York in the festive season. I celebrated Christmas in Japan and Europe. Also beautiful, but not like in New York. There is also a special atmosphere, and people ... maybe I just love this city, is attached to it ... I even composed my own, New York version, the famous “jingle Bell” ... Here, listen ...

(Music - Sean is played by the Kage version of Jingle Bell ...)