Christmas in NYC: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

If you watch Christmas movies, they give you some romanticized ideal of what it’s like in New York City (NYC) during the Christmas season. Let me give it to you straight about NYC during Christmas. The Christmas season is the busiest time in NYC.

Last year was our first Christmas here in NYC. We tried to experience as much as we could but we also discovered the truth about the season here and some of the things no one tells you about the Christmas experience.

The main thing I will tell you is that the crowds are ridiculous during Christmas. The Christmas season is the time that NYC has the most tourists. There are just blobs of people everywhere. Popular locations such as the Rockefeller Christmas Tree, Times Square and Bryant Park Christmas Market are jam packed. If you have never experienced it, you will not be prepared for what it is like.

You won’t be alone roaming the streets enjoying the sights while sipping hot chocolate. You had better have it in a sippy cup.  There are long lines everywhere. The line for FAO Schwartz Toy Store wraps around the entire block and once inside your path is determined by the crowd.  

The mass volume of people really takes the magic out of what people assume Christmas in NYC will be. We went to the Bryant Park Winter Village when it first opened and moved around with ease but when we went back after Thanksgiving it was so crowded that we could barely get around. Viewing the window Christmas displays at Macy’s were ruined by masses of people taking selfies.

The movies also lead you to believe that it snows here during Christmas. Let me break it to you that NYC also does not have a white Christmas. It isn’t snowing during Christmas. In fact it rarely snows in NYC until January. It is cold and rainy but rarely does it snow during this time.

If someone asked me if they should visit NYC during Christmas I was advise against it. It’s just not the dreamy experience you think it would be.

If you are still hell-bent on spending Christmas in NYC, here are a few tips which might help you navigate it better:

• Visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree very early or very late to avoid the mass of crowds.
• Don't overbook your itinerary.  Don't try to do too much each day.  
• Take advantage of subways.  They will be crowded too but much better than trying to drive around or walking long distances.
• Bring your patience.  You will need to be ready to wait and deal with people.
• Book things you want to do ahead of time and before you even arrive to NYC.  Popular shows like the Radio City Rockettes sell-out quickly.  
• Always be aware of your surroundings.  Criminals will take advantage of the crowds so take precautions to safeguard your wallet and valuables.

Come if you must but be prepared.   

Football Friday Night: Week 12

All of my teams have qualified for the playoffs! 

Warner Robins rallied for a 34-33 win over Perry, Clinch County defeated Atkinson County 38-7 and Villa Rica was off.

The playoffs. 

This season the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) decided to use a computer ranking system to determine playoff qualifiers and seeding instead of the top four teams in each region qualifying. I do not like this computer ranking system. It basically renders regions and region standings useless. Basically, here's how the Post Season Rankings (PSR) works:

The PSR is a mathematical formula that considers winning percentage (WP), opponents' winning percentage (OWP) and opponents' opponents' winning percentage (OOWP)....yes, I'm already lost on this last one. This ranks each team in each classification with the top 32 teams making the playoffs.

I don't like it. I would really like to go back to region playoffs and region champions going to the state rounds.

Let's take a look at my teams:

WARNER ROBINS 34, PERRY 33
Warner Robins has had an odd season. They have been routed in many of their losses but have won some thrillers too. In the game against Perry, they trailed most of the game. On third-and-8 from the Perry 11, Chandler Dyson connected with Daylen Kirksey with 1:50 left for the win.

Warner Robins (6-4, 4-2) finished 3rd in the region.

Next: Friday at Jefferson

Jefferson finished the regular season (8-2, 5-0) and is ranked #6 in the PSR. This will be the first meeting between the teams. Jefferson has won seven straight games after opening the season at 1-2. This is Warner Robins' 16th straight playoff appearance. They lost in the second round last year 64-0. This is also Jefferson's 16th straight playoff appearance. They have lost in the state finals the past two seasons.

CLINCH COUNTY 38, ATKINSON COUNTY 7
The Panthers left no doubt against winless Atkinson County. Traviian Miller threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Kamarion Johnson had four catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Next: Friday vs. McIntosh County Academy

Clinch County (7-3, 4-1) won their region and is the #15 seed in Class A. The Panthers will host McIntosh County Academy (5-5, 2-2) which finished #18 in the PSR.

Clinch County is 11-4 in their all-time series against McIntosh County Academy. They won their last meeting in the first round of the 2023 playoffs 38-14. The last time McIntosh County Academy won in the series was in the 2016 state semifinals where they snagged a 24-8 win.

VILLA RICA - bye
The Wildcats had a bye week after finishing their regular season two weeks ago with a 45-32 win over Cedartown.

Next: Friday at Cass

Villa Rica finished 6-4, 2-4 and is ranked #26 in the PSR. In the first round they will play Cass (8-2, 4-2). They lost to Cass 31-21 earlier in the season. Villa Rica leads the all-time series 11-5. They have never met in the playoffs. This is Villa Rica's third straight playoff appearance. They were eliminated by Thomas County Central 55-14 in the second round last year. This is the sixth straight season that Cass has made the playoffs. They were eliminated in the second round 21-7 by Benedictine.

My Relationship with Jesus

My life with Jesus has evolved over the years.

I do not have a dramatic story to tell you about my conversion.  I grew up in church and at some point I received salvation at an early age.  Some would say that I cut my teeth on the church pews.

In those early years, I viewed Jesus as a strict disciplinarian with a lot of rules.  I confused Jesus with the teachings of our church and my dad’s rules.  I saw Jesus as a distant father waiting to be disappointed when I didn’t measure up.

I then went through a period in my life when I was obsessed with finding my “calling”.  It was this grand mystery I felt like I had to find out exactly what God wanted me to do with my life.  It was a very frustrating quest.  I tried a lot of things during that time but never found out what my calling was.  

Now in my later years, I have come to view Jesus as my friend and someone I can relate to even though it is quite difficult to relate to someone who never talks in an audible voice.  I have learned to take time to listen and sense what Jesus is saying to me instead of me doing all of the talking and having a long list of things I want Him to do.  I don’t always get it right but I have done better with taking time to hearing His voice.  It takes work.  It isn’t something I can do without focus.  

I don’t use elaborate words or King James English when I am taking to Jesus, I talk to Him just like I was talk to you.  Many times I don’t even use audible words.  It takes practice.  Like I said before, I don’t always get it right.  It is very challenging to discern His voice from my own.  I try not to get discouraged or disappointed when I mess it up, I just keep working at it.

I’m not one of these people who go around saying “God told me…” and use that as some attempt to coerce anyone to do something.  I don’t want to be like that.  I just want to have a personal connection to Jesus without the pretenses or assumptions that it will make me some supernatural person.  

Does my view of my relationship with Jesus make me perfect or better than those who don’t believe?  Absolutely not.  I still mess up and have times when I have to ask forgiveness for something I did wrong.  That’s part of being human.  Talking to God doesn’t mean I am God.  I still fail but I don’t give up.

Let me tell you this…having a relationship with Jesus doesn’t require you to be crazy or preach to people.  Just be kind to others and love them.  We don’t have to hit people over the head with our Bibles.  Look for ways to be good to people and show kindness.  Our world is angry but we can be the light to them.  

I can’t tell you how to be or convince you that my view of Jesus is right.  You have to figure that out for yourself.  He’s not asking you to be a preacher.  He just wants a relationship with you.