The often-neglected low brass instruments took center stage at Monday’s Austin Tuba Christmas, held on the south steps of the Texas State Capitol. Over 100 tuba, euphoniums and sousaphone players played holiday songs in the hour-long concert.
The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar is a long-time Austin tradition that started in 1976 at the Armadillo World Headquarters, a music hall in south Austin. The ‘Dillo was torn down in 1980 (for good reason, I’ve heard), but the legend lives on in the lore of the city. The Christmas Bazaar has been held at several venues since then, but seems to have settled at the Palmer Events Center for the past few years.
‘I know just the twosome to find my father, the missing King,’ says Princess Lolly, of the Lollipop Woods. In a voice as light and airy as the fluffiest marshmallow, she says, ‘They’re the Candy Land Kids… courageous, clever, and ever so determined.’
Each December, design students from local colleges compete for scholarships in the Holiday Window Walk. The students work with businesses in the 2nd Street District to create holiday-themed window displays. Although the competition is now over, the decorations will remain up until after the holidays.
The Holiday Sing-along and Downtown Stroll is an annual tradition held at the Texas State Capitol. This free event follows the same basic pattern each year: local NPR/KUT host John Aielli leads the crowd in singing seasonal songs, the Capitol Christmas Tree is lit, and the crowd wanders down Congress Avenue.
Each December I enjoy walking around downtown Austin to take photographs for my annual O Christmas Tree blog entry. This year it seems appropriate that local merchant, Toy Joy, also has an entry featuring their wildly-decorated trees.
This year’s Trail of Lights was bigger and better than ever, with more food, more music, more days, more crowds, and, most importantly, more lights!
“Classic Movies” was the theme for this year’s Holiday Window Walk in Austin’s 2nd Street District. Theater design students from St. Edwards University and Texas State University decorated storefront windows in our neighborhood with scenes from famous movies. The students competed for several scholarships which were awarded in mid-December. See if you can guess the winners…
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Of all the trees most lovely.
Each year you bring to me delight
Gleaming in the Christmas night.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
Of all the trees most lovely.
Texas State Capitol Grounds
If you are visiting downtown Austin in the next few weeks, I’d recommend a quick visit to The Driskill. A special attraction this year is a gingerbread replica of the hotel itself. Gingerbread and icing are quite compatible with the tan and white exterior of this historic hotel. The gingerbread hotel is also decorated with wreaths, poinsettias, and a huge Christmas tree inside.