Mini-Challenge 238: Holiday Spirit

sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins
edited December 3, 2016 in The Dgrin Challenges
Since it’s December, I’d like to make this challenge season-appropriate. The entries should reflect the spirit of this time of year, however you see it. Naturally the entries are not limited to the celebration of Christmas – representations of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other sacred or secular season-appropriate (Dec.-Jan.) celebration are invited. Feel free to include pictures of public events or private celebrations (food pictures welcome!!!), whatever each would like to share. It would also be lovely to have a short description/caption to go with each picture.

This Mini-Challenge will end on Sunday, December 18 at 8am Pacific Standard Time (17:00 Central European Time).

OUR UN-OFFICIAL GENERAL RULES
  1. Have fun sharing and seeing what others share!
  2. The host supplies a topic and you post 1-3 images. The host judges the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and is not eligible to enter.
  3. The 1st place winner then chooses the next topic, judges the winner and then passes on the baton to the new champion.
  4. Any photo you’ve taken is eligible, regardless of when taken or camera used.
  5. Any amount of post-processing is allowed. However, it is helpful if you list your camera and lens along with your photo.
  6. You may comment on other contestant's images. If you want someone to leave you some critique or criticism, just ask within your post.
  7. The winner has up to three days (72 hours) to begin a new mini-challenge, or the honor goes to the #2 finisher and so forth.

Guidelines:
  1. Enter 1-3 photos and put them in a single post.
  2. Either embed your image in the thread or, if you must, supply a link to it. Keep in mind, however, most people don't want to click to open photos hosted elsewhere (i.e. on your website).
  3. Also try and resize your photos prior to posting so they're sized appropriately for viewing without having to scroll (~800 pixels on the longest side works best.)
  4. Give each image you enter a title.
  5. Enjoy discussion with members about their images, don't let this just be an entry thread!
  6. When quoting a post change the IMG urls to a 200x200 size picture so it is clear your post is feedback and not another entry. (see here for help)
  7. Don't be hesitant, share'em and enter!
Mini-Challenge pointers:
  1. Upon winning a mini-challenge round your first step is coming up with a new theme, and start a new thread using the same format as others have used.
  2. Make sure to notify the admin of this thread to update the main thread links with your entry thread.
  3. Feel free to watch the thread as it grows or wait to the end time and look at all the entries all at once.
  4. After the time/date has passed, then officially close the thread with a single post notifying everyone of the fact.
  5. After you're finished judging start a new thread (again use the prior formats) and post your Winner and runners-up, it is important to have runners up incase the winner does not show within the 72hr window.
  6. PM the winner with this info above and let them know they have 72hrs.
  7. After the 72hrs and the winner does not show up, notify the next runner-up and post a message on the Winner thread of the fact.
  8. Remember, if you're the Winner, you run the show.

Here are some examples (which, since I live in Bavaria all are Christmas-themed):

Lighting the sparklers on the tree - Christmas Eve in Tirol.
20131224_027_DMC-G5-X2.jpg

Augsburg on a foggy December evening.
20111124_118_DMC-G1-X2.jpg

Augsburg Christmas Market with the town hall in the background.
20121212_351_DMC-G3-XL.jpg

Decorations for sale at at one of Munich's Christmas markets:
20151205_061_DMC-G5-XL.jpg


The church nearest my apartment all dolled up for Christmas:
20120106_001_DMC-G1-XL.jpg

Comments

  • BMW KurtBMW Kurt Registered Users Posts: 229 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2016
    I'm getting some entries ready! I was surprised to see the Augsburg shots. I lived there for two years and loved it. Wonderful Christkindlmarkt!

    Edit: I just noticed you live in Augsburg.
  • grandmaRgrandmaR Registered Users Posts: 1,942 Major grins
    edited December 2, 2016
    Here are my entries

    1. Holiday table
    W3xPrY605nRGWctFvaUVxceKFQoPHVKfSY_140YTNIYpBkdSAx70CtF-99wuiL2lR_QevNxRc3LtiuQ=w4519-h2542-no

    This is the dining room in Maison Olivier at Longfellow Evangeline State Park in St. Martinville Louisiana

    2. Toy Soldiers
    AaqJaXybhSxDQdyfinmL7lKMlLbFfKgyfUc_ke1t9a2HMeCPra3R1yu2qqJeAKA-xB55GN8z1Q8MaAI=w4519-h2542-no

    The Christmas decorations at a bank in Miami

    And from the past
    3. Sledding
    vWvXnsXXhocPDRwiXvjekRrj2pQswj5Fksyl6gjJeuUsc9oLWcnFgZB7eRcwHqP9Oc3Wcf0SqirEX5U=w4519-h2542-no


    My children in 1967 being pulled on my old sleds by my husband. We lived in Florida then - they didn't see much snow -and were visiting my parents in Baltimore.

    And one from even farther in the past which is not my photo and therefore not for judging - my father's photo of our Christmas tree in 1948. We had the bubble lights - the long thin lights that when they heated up, the liquid in them would bubble. I'm on the right side in the picture and my sister is on the left.

    QOPpYFg0uvzBugHooFM9cW3JdU6MCGPJwXdoMoQi7T6aIfubimC3mDptgnOie-_lpPpwvsyZeWXEfGM=w4519-h2542-no
    “"..an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." G.K. Chesterton”
  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins
    edited December 3, 2016
    @ GrandmaR: thanks for being the first to enter. This is exactly what I was hoping for.

    @ Kurt: I'm glad to hear you have good memories of Augsburg - I've lived here for going on 19 years and am very fond of my adopted home. Looking forward to your entries as well.
  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited December 3, 2016
    Wonderful subject, Sara!

    Also wonderful exemples and entries so far clap.gif
    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins
    edited December 3, 2016
    I'm glad you like the theme Tatiana - can't wait to see your pictures!
  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited December 3, 2016
    I'm glad you like the theme Tatiana - can't wait to see your pictures!

    I'll try to equal yours :)
    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator

    This is a great theme. I hope to see loads of images.

  • pegellipegelli Registered Users Posts: 8,756 Major grins

    1: The holy mother and her baby

    2: Everybody relaxed during the holidays

    3: Christmas cake

    Pieter, aka pegelli
    My SmugMug
  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    Hi Pieter, thanks for the entries! Judging is going to be fun.

  • pegellipegelli Registered Users Posts: 8,756 Major grins

    @sarasphotos said:
    Hi Pieter, thanks for the entries! Judging is going to be fun.

    I hope so too, looking forward to more entries. It's a subject that everybody will have some photo's for I would think.

    Pieter, aka pegelli
    My SmugMug
  • BMW KurtBMW Kurt Registered Users Posts: 229 Major grins
    edited December 7, 2016

    We use real candles on our Christmas tree. (Please don't tell my insurance company!)

    Our Weihnachtspyramide.

    The Frau choosing that perfect tree.

    Not an entry. But Sara might appreciate this shot.

  • sapphire73sapphire73 Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 1,942 moderator

    Great challenge, Sara! We have been doing a lot of traveling lately but I am hoping to contribute some photos a little later.

  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    Hey Kurt, thanks for sharing your memories. This is fun!

  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    @sapphire73 said:
    Great challenge, Sara! We have been doing a lot of traveling lately but I am hoping to contribute some photos a little later.

    Looking forward to your entries, Gretchen!

  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    @BMW Kurt said:

    Not an entry. But Sara might appreciate this shot.

    I love it!

  • grandmaRgrandmaR Registered Users Posts: 1,942 Major grins
    edited December 8, 2016

    So nice to see this picture
    Can you keep this running without scorching the blades? If you looked at ours, you'd see that we cannot.

    (and it only took me six tries to figure out how to put the picture in the comment. I'm sorry but I just can't muster up the energy to quote)

    “"..an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." G.K. Chesterton”
  • BMW KurtBMW Kurt Registered Users Posts: 229 Major grins

    @grandmaR said:

    So nice to see this picture
    Can you keep this running without scorching the blades? If you looked at ours, you'd see that we cannot.

    (and it only took me six tries to figure out how to put the picture in the comment. I'm sorry but I just can't muster up the energy to quote)

    Yes, this one is quite old and sometimes sticks. We put one drop of vegetable oil on the base and that seems to fix it. Also the angle of the blades needs a little adjustment now and then. This one was made in the Erzgebirge when it was still part of the DDR. It was a gift from my wife's aunt that lived there during that time.

  • EaracheEarache Registered Users Posts: 3,533 Major grins
    edited December 12, 2016

    Merry Christmas Sara! Grinners too!
    All of these images are from San Diego's jewel of a city park - Balboa Park.

    Each year, a large and colorful display of Poinsettias - a traditional holiday favorite here - are installed in the Botanical Building...
    I love the colors, which range from the familiar deep red, to almost pure white and many shades in-between.

    Author Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss (Cat in the Hat etc.), was a favorite son and long-time resident of San Diego.
    For over 30 years, his story of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' has been staged in the Old Globe Theater, with fun decorations on the outside of the theater.

    I thought these Christmas lights in the Park needed a little kick :) !!

    Not an entry... just wanted to show the range of colors of the Poinsettias!

    Eric ~ Smugmug
  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    Thanks for entering, Eric!

  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins

    Here are my entries:

    1. Winter wonderland at Bellagio, Las Vegas

    Crowded place

    1. Christmas Day at the church in Collingwood, Ontario

    1. Winter holidays decorations on the Canadian Parliament building in Ottawa

    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    Uh-oh, I can see that the judging is getting more and more difficult!

    Glad to see you entered, Tatiana!

  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins

    Thank you Sara, it was a matter of selecting them... :)

    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • sapphire73sapphire73 Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 1,942 moderator
    edited December 18, 2016

    We've had a lot of illness here so I wasn't able to get out to take some fresh photos. But here a few older photos - just for fun. Two from Bruges and one from Charleston. Wish I had a tripod when I was in Bruges!

    (1) Glimpse of the Christmas Market in Bruges, Belgium (late Nov. 2015)

    (2) As Night Falls in Bruges (late Nov. 2015)

    (3) Christmas Tree of Holiday Lights in Charleston, South Carolina, USA (standing inside the tree and looking up)

  • sarasphotossarasphotos Registered Users Posts: 3,822 Major grins

    Thanks all for the great entries - the challenge is now closed. Results will be posted tomorrow.

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