santaclauscar

And why shouldn't funeral parlors have the Christmas spirit? It IS there big time of the year what with drunk driving and the increase in suicides. Merry Christmas and pass the pills.

But serioulsy tho, to get to that place in Pasadena is real easy.

Just go around to the southeast corner of 610 and head out 225 EAST.

Exit the Beltway and turn right.

Stay on the feeder road Past the Taco Caban stay in right lane as you are almost there.

Go past Pine St and slow down.

Directly across from the Toll Booth turn right onto Sycamore. Go two blocks and turn right onto Lilac. Park and enjoy.

The Winter Wonderland…

Thanks for playing,

Rev Bryan aka Papa Claus

O.K. Time to get serious. Here's the lists:

Best Christmas Displays

1. Foley's Downtown

2. Highland Village

3. Four Oaks Place

4. River Oaks Shopping Center

5. Exxon Building (downtown)

Christmas Grinches

1. Pennzoil Plaza

We need to rank the first list, and add to the second one.

FOLEYS?!! Poo on them ever they replaced the window displays of all the Santas from around the world. I really liked that for some reason.

Also in the Best list you did not mention my car. If i knew how to post a photo I would. Otherwise you will just have to take my word for it.

Anyone wanting directions to the site in Pasadena just let me know and I will send it to you. Merry Freaking Christmas. There I said it.

That holiday greeting goes out to ALL my friends. the Jewish ones, the Buddhist ones, my wonderful Hindu nieghbors, all my Muslim brothers and especially all my agnostic and pagan Bros and Sisses. And look, saying Merry Christmans publically and the world keeps spinning, commerce continues to thrive, babies being born, taxes being collected. Huh, guess it really can't hurt to wish someone Merry Christmas. Up Yours Grinches!! And get a grip.

Uhm, new meds should be arriving any day now.

sounds like fun

Did any of you actually make it out to the reinactment? Someone from the list came out for the light cruise sunday night but we lost them in the first hour.

They may have been afraid to go to the second stop.

But if you still have the directions I really think you should go check out the site in Pasadena. Absolutely amazing. beyond belief. Stunning and festive.

Papa Claus

You may not want to invite nmain access to your "heavy equiptment", he may take you up on it.

Now, now, TJones, that sounded slightly judgemental and as we all know that type of thinking is not acceptable in the fair minded realm of architecture.

Judge not, lest ye be made part of a class action suit.

But seriously, I am going to go against better judgement, I do that a lot, and invite the bunch of you wild cats to join me on Sunday, Dec 11th, as I lead a caravan of art cars and others around the city to see MY favorite lighted houses and neigborhoods.

Just join us at Dan Electro's in the Heights around 7pm. You can arrive earlier and enjoy the New Birth Brass band that plays there every sunday. They be the real deal.

If you are interested in seeing these remarkable holiday homes email me so I can make sure i have plenty of itineraries.

yours in illumination,

Santa Car

nmainguy suggests santaclauser lay off the cheap scotch laden egg-nog, the crack cocaine and turn in for a long winter's nap-and keep all heavy machinery away from him.

Hey Nmainguy, I got your heavy machinery. OK, not even sure what that meant.

But seriously (ok hardly ever) I ain't got time to nap. Things to do, like rehearsals. Come to Warrens this wednesday the 7th to see my annual presentation of a Historical Reinactment fo the Bombing of Pearl Harbor starring 40 or so Santas. Bring the kids, I said it was historical. 9pm at Market Square or come an hour early and watch the santas play at Warrens. Wear a suit and join them. They may not even recognize you.

I do realize I may have been a tad harsh on some of ya but seriously its the holidays. If we take them too seriously you end up being one of those folks on Fox news where the neighbors go on and on about how you seemed like a nice person but kept mainly to himself.

Lighten up and Raise some hell. It Freaking Christmas time. Ho Ho Ho

uhm, how often does someone get kicked off this forum?

no reason, no reason.

Lights in the Heights isn't TOO bad. Still a tad of a yawner for me. The best part is the group of drunken Santas that tend to crash it each year. Listen to their song lyrics. heh heh

And I don;t know why they call them Ugly at uglychristmaslights.com. I would be Proud to have any of the houses on Ugly Lights to be my Neighbor. Jeez, what country are youse guys from anyway? Russia? China? CANADA?!!!

Me? I am an American. Red, White and Blue flashing twinkling lights American. With glow in the dark Madonnas and a Rudolph whose nose lights up.

If any of you would like to join my free tour next week of great Houston sites then email me for time and location. bring the kids, the grandparents and all enlightened individuals.

get it? enlightened? Bwaa haa haa. God I kill me.

Papa Claus

Added to the Calendar.

"classier vibe"?!!

Do you not know what holiday this even IS?

Classy my red suited ass. We got a supposed savior being born in a barn (historians actually put his birthday somewhat later, march i believe). A old guy in a Red suit, being slung around the world by deer.

Garland, reefs, pinecones, chocolate, tacky gifts, kids begging for presents, panhandlers wearing santa hats (God I love that!) We Cut down literally THOUSANDS of live trees to be then stood in your living room covered with your old crap from past years.

I mean, this is THE holiday for kitsch. Kick classy to the curb Brother, Its our time to shine. We may not be your classy but we are colorful classy and certainly not boring.

You also may wanna leave the 'tude at home when ya go check out the neighborhoods off of Scott and Yellowstone. They got the Spirit. Although something tells me you would never be found in that neighbor hood after dark.

GOD I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS.

Bwaaa ha haaa.

I mean, Ho Ho Ho

Santa

I personally think they are tacky, but that's me. A white light Christmas tree has a more classier vibe than the colorful lights.

Shepherd Park Plaza?!!! You have got to be kidding? BOR-ING!! Block after block after block of white lights. I get it, Its meant to look elegant but everything looks the same. Again....BOR-ING. For some true diversity go check out the streets just off of Yellowstone and Scott St. WOW!!!

Shepherd Park Plaza always out does itself. It is between Ella and Sheperd north of 43rd and south of Pinemont.

There is a house just off of Memorial outside the Loop on Holly Rhode Ln. Its the fourth right heading out past 610. Its a dead end and I am betting he is really irritating ALL of his neighbors.

Plus the neighborhoods off of Yellowstone and Scott St are really great. Not boring like Oak Forest. White Lights, I get it. over and over and Yawn. Add some color Oak Forest.

And the very best is in Pasadena at the corner of Sycamore and Lilac just off the Beltway. It is truly truly awesome and has a huge miniature holiday themed train exhibit.

Tell em the art cars sent ya.

Rev Bryan

I've been thinking about how Houston decorates for the holiday. Many buildings go all out with huge light displays like Foley's, or that development over by the Galleria that's always lit up light a winter wonderland. Sometimes even skyscrapers get into the act. Some years the Williams Tower has a Christmas tree lit on on its sides. I remember at least one year the (now) Fullbright Tower downtown had one made of red and green lights on the southern face. It was pretty cool.

So, what I'm looking for is a list of the best and worst holiday displays. And by worst I mean real Grinches. Buildings that are high profile or have high profile tenants who don't decorate for the holiday or do a really crappy job at it.

Over the next few weeks keep your eyes open and tell me the best and worst buildings. We'll compile a list and put out a press release for the holidays. Who knows? Maybe we might be able to shame some of these buildings into the spirit of the season.