Philadelphia during the holidays

The global hype during the holiday season inspires people to get together in small and safe social environments this year, taking precautions due the pandemic. The city of brotherly love is one of the best places to be during the holiday season. Aside from the usual decorations and the multitude of stores that you can explore with appropriate face coverings, during the holiday season there are booths in front of city hall, an ice skating rink, and an overall ambience that captures the winter spirit.

Walking around the center city in a mask actually proved to be quite useful in preventing the cold air from entering my nose. Philadelphia also proves to be a great place to reconnect with people. I saw plenty of people call out to one another, their eyes open wide and their greetings full of energy and cheer.

At night though, the city really comes alive. There are green and red lights encompassing city hall, skaters have a good time as they slide across the ice in circles, and the large Christmas tree is finally illuminated. The apartments caught my eyes at night, as they are decorated with Christmas trees, lights, and colorful decorations near the windows. People came outside to enjoy the evening vibes as restaurants filled up with people at spread out tables, and pedestrians greeted one another.

The Christmas village may be closed now, but the overall holiday spirit persists and walking around Philadelphia for some fresh air can invoke new positive energies in people discouraged or unmotivated from the monotone way of life in completely indoor isolation.