And Just Like That, It's Looking A Lot Like Christmas In Carroll Gardens And Cobble Hill

It always amazes us how quickly our lovely Brooklyn neighborhood makes the transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  The turkey leftovers were barely tucked into the refrigerator, the last dishes washed and put away, when the first live trees made their appearance on Court Street and Smith Street.

On every block throughout Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill, people started to decorate the front of their brownstones and strands of lights twinkled from stoops and windows by Sunday evening.

This is the start of one of our favorite seasons here, despite the cold and the occasional snow.

Have you decorated your home yet?  Have you already bought a tree?

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Christmas Trees, Holiday Decorations And Carolers Appear In The Neighborhood

Christmas trees for sale at the corner of Smith and President Streets

Decorating a lamp post on Atlantic Avenue

Christmas carolers spreading Holiday cheer on Atlantic Avenue

The Thanksgiving turkeys were hardly carved and consumed when the attention shifted to Christmas all around the neighborhood.  Christmas tree vendors set up shop, garland and ribbons were wrapped around lantern posts and most festive of all, groups of carolers in beautiful "Dickensian style" attire delighted passers-by with Christmas songs along Atlantic Avenue on Saturday afternoon.
They were part of the Goode Times Carolers, a group of professional vocalists.





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Join Members Of Community Board 6 At Annual Holiday Party

Members of Brooklyn Community Board 6, which represent Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Red Hook, the Columbia Street District and Park Slope, are inviting others in the community to join them at Red Rose Restaurant next Monday to celebrate the Holidays. Below is more info on the celebration:

"Here's a chance to come together as a community, to share some food and frivolity in a casual, social environment. That's right - no minutes to take, Robert's Rules of Order are suspended, and the only thing on the agenda is having fun!This year's event will be held on Monday, December 19th from 6-9pm, at Red Rose Restaurant, 315 Smith Street (between Union/President Streets), in Carroll Gardens. It's only $30 per person for savory, delicious snacks and soda. There's also a cash bar.We keep the price down to make this an affordable night out for everyone. And if we do clear anything above our cost, that money is used to help support our 501(c)3 organization, Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc. It's our Friends group that pays for this monthly newsletter, and supplements our community board's meager operating budget.In order to keep us going another year, we would be grateful if you would consider making a year-end contribution on top of the party cost. Feel free to round-up to $50, or $100, or whatever fits your budget, and bring your check made out to "Friends of Brooklyn CB6, Inc." to the party with you, or mail it to us at 250 Baltic Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. As a non-profit organization, your year-end contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.We hope to see you at the party, because it wouldn't be a party without YOU. Feel free to bring family, friends and neighbors too."

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Trinity Pipes Stop By To Bring Some Holiday Cheer

I love Holiday traditions, and listening to the Trinity Pipes caroling through Carroll Gardens is fast becoming one of my favorites.  On Friday night, the group met up for the fifth year in a row to carol through the streets of Carroll Gardens to bring some cheer to the neighborhood. Their tour brought them right in front of my house, were they treated me and my neighbors to their beautiful voices.  

The Pipes are all former members of Trinity College's a cappella group, who independently moved to Brooklyn and reconnected here.  Since last year, they have gained a few members and a canine mascot.
Thanks, so much, guys. You are great. See you next year, I hope!

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Transit Garden On Smith Street Looking Mighty Festive

(photo credit Maryann Young)

(photo credit Maryann Young)

(photo credit Maryann Young)

Perhaps you have noticed that the Transit Garden at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place has been aglow in festive holiday lights in the past few days.
Last Saturday, the Transit Garden volunteers who tend to this lovely urban oasis, hosted a tree lighting party.  As in years past, it was a fun event, complete with hot chocolate, baked goods, caroling and holiday cheer.
If you would like to become one of the Transit Garden volunteers or would like to support a great neighborhood group , please contact their web site here.  The Transit Garden is also on Facebook here. Read more

A Very Merry Time Was Had By All At The Carroll Park Tree Lighting

Santa with Vince Mazzone and Dr. Mike Polanski of the Court Street Merchants Association

When the switch was flipped and the colorful lights were turned on, there were audible oohs and aaahs escaping from all the kids assembled yesterday evening for the annual tree lighting in Carroll Park. And when Santa Claus seemed to appear out of nowhere, well,  the little faces lit up. 

Later, the kids got a chance to greet Santa personally, receive a free toy and drink hot chocolate and munch on candy distributed by elves.

The event always seems to mark the beginning of the Holiday season in the neighborhood.  It is organized by the Court Street Merchants Association, with the help of Friends of Carroll Park.
'Twas truly festive. Read more

Happy Holidays To You, To You And To You...

The gaslight in lit

The parlor room is decorated

my mother's trio of angels have been taken out of their box

the Santa ornament

and the Nutcraker are hung on the tree

and the table is set for Christmas.

I am spending a few days with my family.

To all my friends and readers,

Have a wonderful Holiday season.

Meet you back here in a few days?

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A Moment In Time: A Moment Of Calm

Everyone seemed to be rushing by her during this busy Holiday season, but she sat quietly on a bench on Court Street, enjoying a coup of coffee.

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Mulchfest 2011: Start The New Year Green By Recycling Your Christmas Tree

Yes, of course we are still a few days away from Christmas and your tree still looks fantastic, but soon enough, those branches are going to droop and those needles are going to fall. That's when you will have the chance to start the year off green. Simply take your tree to one of the New York Park's Department's MULCHFEST locations and have it chipped. And don't forget to bring a bag, so that you can take some mulch home with you.

Chip in! Mulch your tree! Help NYC grow!

Bring your holiday tree to a designated city park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city!

Join the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation , the New York City Department of Sanitation, and GreeNYC to recycle your Christmas trees into wood chips. These wood chips are used to nourish trees and plants on streets and gardens citywide. Or, take home your very own bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree .

Last year, close to 24,000 Christmas trees citywide were recycled. Please help us top this number!

This year, MulchFest will take place on January 8 and 9, 2011. Parks will host 35 chipping sites and 35 additional drop-off locations: 70 sites in all!

Please remember to remove all lights and ornaments before bringing the tree to a MulchFest site. Biodegradable bags will be provided if you wish to take some free mulch home. Mulch is available at the sites marked with an asterisk (*) below.

Want to volunteer at MulchFest? Register to join the GreenTeam and MillionTreesNYC volunteer group.

MulchFest Locations In Brooklyn

Location	Address	Service
The Amazing Garden*	Columbia Street at Carroll Street	Chipping
Cobble Hill Park*	Verandah Place & Clinton Street	Chipping
Coffey Park	Dwight Street & Verona Street	Drop-off only
Fort Greene Park*	Washington Pk. & Willoughby Avenue	Chipping
Green-Wood Cemetery	25th Street & 4th Avenue	Drop-off only
Hattie Carthan Garden*	Across from Von King Park: Lafayette Avenue & Clifton Place	Chipping
Lincoln Terrace Park	Buffalo Avenue between East New York Avenue & Eastern Parkway	Drop-off only
Maria Hernandez Park	Knickerbocker Avenue & Suydam Street	Drop-off only
Marine Park*	Avenue U & East 33rd Street	Chipping
McCarren Park*	Driggs Avenue & Lorimer Street	Chipping
McGolrick Park	Monitor Street & Driggs Avenue	Drop-off only
Owl's Head Park*	Colonial Road & 68th Street	Chipping
Prospect Heights Community Garden*	252-256 St. Marks Avenue	Drop-off only
Prospect Park*	Third Street at Prospect Park West	Chipping
Prospect Park Circle*	Parkside Avenue & Prospect Park Southwest	Chipping

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Carroll Gardens Christmas Countdown: Deflated Santa

Santa,

Deflated,

On Clinton Street.

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