Tis the Season

There is so much to see and do around this time of year in Philadelphia - especially if you are new to the city and seeing it all for the first time.   I imagine my posts over the new few weeks will include lots of holiday activities and today marks the first one!   I really can't get enough of the sights and sounds that accompany this time of year, so we are going to take in as much as we can before we are exhausted and someone starts bah humbugging.

Hubby had to go into the office on a Sunday today so we tagged along and saw a few of the sights that Philadelphia has to offer.   We took the advice of a few local friends and started with lunch at Reading Terminal Market, where you can at one time be both excited and overwhelmed by the vast array of vendors selling and tourists eating.   It is a landmark that has been around since 1893, so you just gotta see it.  And or course, sample some of the food!

After we fueled our tanks, we popped into the Macy's, which is located in the historic Wanamaker building and features a huge organ that is used for concerts twice a day.   It is pretty cool hearing an organ play while doing a little shoe shopping.  But today, we came to see the light show and then to visit the Dicken's village.   The village comprises of 26 scenes from the Dicken's classic A Christmas Carol and spans over 6,000 square feet.  And at the very end is good ol' Santa.   Here is a video recorded by some random gent, but does a good job of showing you the last few minutes of the lights and just how large this Macy's really is!

Hubby then headed off to work, so the girls and I made our way to the Comcast Building for their Holiday Spectacular - which is movie that displays on the  3’ x 25’ Comcast Experience video wall in the Comcast Center lobby, which is the world’s largest four-millimeter LED screen with incredible resolution that’s five times that of an HDTV.    My pictures do not really capture how cool this wall really is so check out the video I linked out to so you can see for yourself.    The best part, according to A & M, was when they made it snow indoors with some fancy bubble machines.  

It was a great day and we are just getting started exploring how PA celebrates the holidays!   We have stuffed lined up every weekend and through the New Year.  I hope I can make it :) 

Photo op at the entrance to the Dicken's Village

one of of the scenes - Ghost of Christmas Past

HDTV wall at the Comcast Building