Christmas at Harvey Nics, Edinburgh.

amazingly colourful and lavish windows.  6 huge windows, each a different theme, and the ones above hung and lit a different colour. the stuff of dreams. i can remember when i was manager of a jewellery shop - the cheaper 'fun' sort, not the posh sort - noticing when people were feeling the financial pinch, they tended to splash out on cheap colourful fun jewellery. i wonder whether living in a western affluent society a general need is felt for fantasy, where perhaps those in less afluent societies, who tend to have to rely on their own entertainment, and make do with less, dont need to rely so much on large stores to supply them with imges of fantasy - they can create their own. 

am i talking through a hole in my head? i dont know. i am just wondering about it all.  the harvey nics display caught my attention, and then i began to question what i was attracted to and one thought led to another.

one of my best christmases was when we lived in the borders, no tv, no shops and lots of snow. no central heating, just one open fire, and lots of adventures into the woods and dumps and various places looking for wood to burn and digging up ancient bottles. midnight sliding down a snow covered slopy field on trays, making food and having a few pals in from round about, telling stories in the round, wading thigh deep a couple of miles down the road to the pub while pretending to be intrepid explorers with strange names (i wont go on), playing pool and being given a lift back in a landrover.  and christmas went on for at least a week. we were snowed in for much of the time.

i think most people i knew then tended to make a lot of stuff themselves, more self reliant.

so here is another picture - no fancy ribbons and tinsel - just an old ugly building which is empty, where some bright spark has had the idea to print other people's thoughts about the city.  plain and simple. you notice it or you dont, so it is in a way hidden by the fact that there is no bright colour or flashing light to make sure you see it.

i like that.

my eyes are still attracted to the bright harvey nics windows - reluctantly - i have to admit - they are quite well done.

so just to end, here is one more!