Here in the Blue Mountains the boughs of Leura’s main street avenue of cherry trees have been decorated for Christmas in a unique manner. Admittedly the seasonal creations have created some controversy, but I love them.

They seem to suit Leura’s trendy, boutique shops and are quirky and funny. Goodness knows we need something to lift our spirits. Bushfires are creeping ever closer, there is no sign of rain and now there’s a heatwave looming

On a purely practical note, since only one half of each elf and Santa appears, the overall cost of the decorations may have been correspondingly reduced by fifty percent. Now that makes financial sense doesn’t it?

TWINKLE TOES
HE’S A BIT SKINNY…. BEEN TO THE LOCAL GYM NO DOUBT.

I was amused to spot Santa’s sack marooned in one of the cherry trees. Probably full of champagne filled chocolates and designer clothes for toddlers (only joking Leura) .

SANTA’S SACK

I suppose I should state here that I’m not a resident of Leura. No no, I’m a proud, long-term resident of Blackheath, a slightly less posh village located a bit further ‘up the hill’. However, we have cherry trees too; yes indeed…. and baubles on the boughs! Mind you, they have been hanging there since last year. Well, if you’re onto a good thing, stick to it eh?

Baubles in the boughs at Blackheath.
CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR ROUND IN BLACKHEATH!

Here in beautiful Blackheath we have gone for something far more traditional in the shopping centre. Balls on old-fashioned tinsel, suspended under the shop awnings. Do you know what? I believe we had something similar hanging in my primary school classroom in the 1950s.

There’s just one hitch. My environmentally aware friend Rosie has pointed out that tinsel is very bad in landfill. Apparently it takes a thousand years to break down. Well, I guess we will just have to keep hanging them up forever, like those permanent baubles on the Wentworth Street cherry boughs.

Hanging from the shop boughs.
TINSEL TOWN

Crikey, look at this, our bloomin’ Postie’s bike has that same gold tinsel. I wonder if it would sport half an elf in Leura? Dear me….note the mask, in an effort to cope with the smoke.

WHERE ARE THOSE CARDS FOR NUMBER 24?

Maybe the whole decorating scheme needs a re-think. Hmm, we could go for something with an Australian flavour. I doubt dear little Blackheath could run to anything as spectacular as the decorations in Sydney’s Strand Arcade, but I do approve of their May Gibbs’ gumnut theme.

Gum nuts and leaves in Sydney's festive Strand Arcade.
May Gibbs would be delighted.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL….STAY SAFE!

By the way, if you would like to read more about the wonderful May Gibbs, CLICK HERE

Leave a Reply

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.