Holidays from around the World at Your Doorstep
By Chrysoula Economopoulos
The holiday season is here… time for some holiday cheer!
Washington can’t typically claim snowy landscapes peppered with sleigh bells ringing, children sledding, and extravagantly decorated storefront windows. But it does offer something that few places around the world can offer: a microcosm of holiday celebrations.
Beginning in late November and throughout December, several foreign embassies and the U.S. government celebrate the holiday season each in their own festive way.
AMERICA, AMERICA!
The U.S. National Christmas Tree on December 4, 2008, during the 2008 Lighting of the National Christmas Tree Ceremony.
Why not kick off the holidays with a good old American tradition – visit the National Christmas Tree on the White House’s Ellipse (aka. the south lawn). The tradition began under President Calvin Coolidge in 1923 and has come a long way, baby: This year’s tree is the most energy efficient and brightest in history, powered by LED technology. If you missed the lighting ceremony on December 3 – fewer than 10,000 tickets were available by lottery – the tree will stay up until January 1, featuring free nightly performances (downloadable program in PDF) and other activities.
The National Christmas Tree will soon be joined on the Ellipse by the National Chanukah Menorah on December 13, with a special lighting ceremony that day at 4:00p.m. A quick drive down the street to the Capitol Building’s West Lawn (Constitution & Independence Avenues), the Capitol Christmas Tree will be lit on December 8 at 5:00p.m., with the ceremony open to the public.
ROYAL NORWEGIAN EMBASSY
For the 13th year in a row, the Royal Norwegian Embassy decks the halls with a Norwegian Christmas at Union Station, featuring a 32-foot Christmas tree and train exhibit, as well as a series of events and concerts in various venues around the city. Visit Union Station (50 Massachusetts Ave NE) between December 3, 2009-January 3, 2010.
EMBASSY OF CANADA
This Saturday, December 5, the Embassy of Canada (501 Pennsylvania Ave NW) hosts its Winter Gala. From 8:00-9:00p.m., guests will sip complimentary champagne then watch the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 10:00p.m. Tickets go for $75 (includes music, hors d’oevres, cash bar), with proceeds benefitting the Government of Canada’s United Way Campaign. R.S.V.P. is required – email Kandice.Zeman@international.gc.ca. Photo ID required for security entrance.
EMBASSY OF GERMANY
Celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall and get your holidays in gear with the German Embassy’s Black Tie Holiday this Saturday, December 5 (limited space remains), hosted at the embassy (4645 Reservoir Rd NW). The gala’s theme is “Saluting 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall”. Festivities kick off at 7:30p.m. and include music from the band Suspicious Package at 9:00p.m., include an open bar, German holiday food and desserts, a Berlin Wall presentation, DJ, and dancing. For additional information and to purchase tickets ($70/ticket), see the ThingsToDoDC.com site.
EMBASSY OF SWEDEN
The Annual Swedish Christmas Bazaar will take place on December 5 at the House of Sweden (2900 K Street NW, Washington), the building that is home to the Swedish Embassy and a number of other organizations. The bazaar begins at 11:00a.m., offering traditional Swedish baked goods, crafts, crystal, textiles, food, books and more. The event culminates with a Lucia procession at 5:30p.m. Suggested donation: $2 at the door.
Santa Lucia After Dark Ball is next up for Sweden on the evening of December 12. Also taking place at the House of Sweden, this “holiday cocktail gala and celebration of lights” will feature the Singco Rhythm Orchestra, an open rooftop winter bar serving glögg, Swedish hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and images of Swedish winter landscapes and the aurora borealis. Tickets start at $40 (general admission).
EMBASSY OF FRANCE
Eiffel Tower, Paris
La Maison Française (4101 Reservoir Rd, NW, Washington), the Embassy of France’s cultural home, will host “Holiday Party in Paris 2009!” on December 11 from 7:00p.m.-11:00p.m. Guests will be transported “passport-free to Paris for an evening of celebration, effervescence, and early holiday shopping” with a silent auction, Parisian-inspired buffet, champagne, live music and DJ beats. Tickets available for $60 ($30 tax deductible) at InstantSeats.com.
RUSSIAN EMBASSY CULTURAL CENTER
On December 19, the Russian Embassy’s Russian Cultural Center (1825 Phelps Place NW) beckons you to “add a unique touch to your Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanzaa celebrations this year… with a unique Russian experience – without ever leaving the District.” Russian food, cocktails, film, a special “Nutcracker” ballet presentation, diplomatic greeting, and late-night DJ are all on the evening’s roster of the center’s Russian Evening and Holiday Nutcracker Celebration. Tickets and additional details are available through ThingsToDoDC.com.
D.C. Gift Guide
Hills Kitchen owner Leah Daniels models the D.C. and U.S. Capitol building cookie cutters she designed.
By Elisabeth Grant
It’s December already? Ahh! Wait, don’t panic, ProjecTravel is here to help. Read on below for some distinctly D.C. gift ideas to bestow upon your friends and family. From items that are overtly D.C. themed, to more subtle options from around the district, hopefully this post will help you mark someone off your list.
D.C. cookie cutters
The holidays usually bring cookies in the forms of snowflakes, snowmen, stars, and ornaments. Shake things up this year by baking up some cookies in the shape of D.C. or the U.S. Capitol building. Leah Daniels, owner of Hill’s Kitchen, designed these specialty cookie cutters herself after recognizing a need for them. It seems D.C. was lacking representation in the cookie cutter aisle as well. See her modeling them at her store next to the Eastern Market metro in the photo to the right.
D.C. Metro Shower Curtain
Whether you ride the metro every morning, or just for special trips into D.C., plan your route while you wash your hair with the Izola D.C. Metro Transit Map Shower Curtain. This 72″ x 72″ vinyl beauty is an exact replica of WMATA’s system map, legend and all. And if D.C. metro-related gifts are just what you’re looking for, see the excellent list of metro-y gifts on the Unsuck D.C. Metro blog’s D.C. Metro Holiday Gift Guide.
White House Christmas Ornament
Each year the White House Historical Association puts out a new White House Christmas Ornament. This year’s ornament commemorates Grover Cleveland’s presidency, detailed in the 2009 White House Christmas Ornament Historical Essay. Or, if the Clevelands’ Christmas isn’t your cup of tea, check out the past collection of White House Christmas Ornaments (since 1981). If you give your grandma the 1995 edition it’ll be our secret.
If you’re looking for a present that doesn’t say “D.C.” quite so loudly, here are a few other options.
Museum Gifts
Besides having great cafeterias, many of the museums in D.C. have really excellent gift shops where you can buy D.C. related items and other unique gifts. About.com has a decent list of D.C. museum gift shops, many of which you can shop with online. For instance, purchase a fabulously stripey tie based on Gene Davis’ 1964 painting “Black Grey Beat” from the Corcoran Gallery of Art Shop, a Shakespeare tissue box from the Folger Shakespeare Library, or a watch camera from the Spy Museum Store.
Downtown Holiday Market
Beginning tomorrow, Friday, December 4th, shop the Downtown Holiday Market at 8th and F Streets NW. For twenty days you can shop from noon to 8 pm, perusing 180 exhibitors‘ wares. Chose from antiques, ceramics, clothes, accessories, collage, crafts, and more. At this veritable street fair you can also partake in food (falafel! Korean BBQ! mini donuts!)and a number of performances.
Give Back
The holidays are often as much a time for giving back as they are for giving gifts. So perhaps this year instead of getting something for the person who has everything, consider giving a gift to a D.C. foster child, volunteering at D.C. Central Kitchen or Greater D.C. Cares, or donating to Food and Friends.