"Happy Christmas, my Lady!"

For Christmas this year we decided as a family to spent our money and time together on a day trip to San Francisco.  We pondered where to go, and what to see.  Our lovely neighbor, who yearly travels on a charter with friends, shared her experience at the Dickens Christmas Faire along with her newspaper from London, which encouraged us to give it a go!  So, jolly well, we did!!! 

Every year after Thanksgiving, a portion of the Cow Palace in Daly City travels through time arriving at London town during the Dicken's era.  Players in costume and character, perform, sell their wares, and celebrate the beautiful giving spirit of Christmas!  On stages through out the exhibition, live enactments offer frivolous fun.  Skits, songs, dances, & jugglers engagedly took us to another place in history.  This did not appear laborious for them, even though we chose to go on the day before the end, when the energy and passion for a stage run loses energy and steam.  No, these folks were really enjoying the moment!  And so did we!


I could give you a blow by blow review, but that is not my purpose. (Though the Turkish coffee in Golden Square deserves an honorable meantion.)  As my husband and I rested near the roasted chestnut vender, we noted how our daughter and her friend had truly entered interactively in the occasion, like so many other guests, dressing up on period clothing.  When we were their ages, in the 60's and 70's life was different in America.  Dressing up as Hippies and protesting, any and everything, was the role play of the time.  Today, it isn't unsual to see youth and adults alike, step into fantastic alter egos.  The gray headed actors, along with college students, even mother and child duos make up the troupe of actors participating in this event!  Christmas here is about the fellowship, and the activities are relational.  Games, dancing, art lessons, dressing up, hand-on crafting booths, and of course, eating and drinking are the communal focus of the holiday celebration.  It was quite appropriate our adventure to commemorate Christmas, away from gifting, would land us at the Dickens' Christmas Fair! 

As we dined at Red Robin in Fairfield on our trip home, we discussed our costumes for next year.  Our newest annual jollity will be visiting London town, via the bay area.  



As they say in Old London,

 "A Happy Christmas to all!"