Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas in Second Life


At Christmas, all roads lead home.

Marjorie Holmes

          As I wrote in my last story, I’m rushing around inworld visiting places that will soon be closing down for the year.  With today being Christmas Eve, I wanted to see several Christmas sims before the Holiday. 
          Juggling Real Life (RL) Holiday activities, I managed to get some time in Second Life (SL) to TP into a few Christmas sims and drop by some friends’ places done up for the Holiday.  (While this was going on, Significant Other]s eyes were rolling believing that most people have enough trouble dealing with the Holidays in RL let alone adding in SL.) 
          I randomly select three Christmas sites listed on the SL Destination Guide (OK, maybe it wasn’t a scientific sampling, I went for the names that sounded appealing.)  and head off on my Holiday jaunt. 
          First, I TP into 2012 Christmas Town.  A good crowd of other celebrators is about and lag doesn’t appear to be bad.  The setting is an urban area feted out for Christmas. 
          From here, I head off to Christmas at Calas.  Again, there’s a fair sized crowd of merry makers about and no signs of lag about.  (I guess the lag Grinch is off somewhere else today.)  This sim is an appealing country winter scene fitted out for the Holidays. 
          My last pick from the Destination Guide is Christmas at Winter Holiday Village  which is a small village suitably done up for the season.  As with my last two stops, people are celebrating and lag is nowhere to be found. 
          After my random pass through Christmas sims from the Destination Guide, I head off to visit the homes of several friends who make a point of decorating for the Holidays.  (Unlike me whose Nowaki home looks about as Christmasy as well, you get the idea.) 
          I’d read that Lindal Kidd had done up her tropical home for the Holidays so I dropped by at her home at Masocado to check her handiwork out.  As I tend to come and go in SL at odd RL times, I wasn’t able to meet Lindal or anyone else when I arrived. But the decorations were beautiful and fun to see.  If anyone can make the tropics look like Christmas it’s Lindal!
          Next, I’m off to Christmas at Jamaica Inn to check in Hibiscus Hastings’ and Janey Bracken’s handiwork with their Christmas decorations.  As usual, they’ve done a beautiful job from the crèche to the Santa Claus scenes.  (If you drop by make sure to check out the Christmas shop!)
          My next stop is Holiday Fest in Tribute City which I’ve written about earlier.  SL’s answer to Venice had been done up in classic Christmas style.  (OK, RL Venetians might have other opinions but I like it!)  Jessii Warrhol was about so I got to wish her a Merry Christmas.  Many other residents were in evidence as I wandered about. 
          Finally, I TP over to see Arik Metzger’s Lovecraftian opus dedicated to Christmas which I recommend to anyone looking for something a bit different for the Holidays. 
          This has been a bit of a whirl wind tour for me.  I wanted to see some of the Christmas sims before the Holiday and when they begin to close down.  I wish I’d taken the time to spend more time there with friends but this sounds like a project for the New Year.  (More on these in a later post!)
          The spirit of Christmas is alive and well in SL.  Even when the sim does not have a direct tie in to Christmas, trees, wreaths, lights, and other decorations are very much in evidence inworld.  (Even when there is a very real culture clash not to mention aesthetics.) 
If you haven’t already done so,I also suggest that you drop by to visit Perryn Peterson‘s  A Christmas Carol which will also close on December 31st. 
          But Christmas isn’t about the decorations, the glitter, and gifts.  Christmas is about our humanity to each other and reaching back to our homes.  While I would never suggest that SL should supplant RL when it comes to home, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with saving a little home for SL and our friends there.
          Merry Christmas everyone!                   
          Below are links to a few pictures from my visits.  They give a sense of what they’re like.  But you really have to see and experience them for yourselves.
As always, I’m grateful to all for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.
I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

     If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life
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Photo No. 1  2012 Christmas Town

Photo No. 2 Christmas at Calas






 

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