Deck The (City) Hall!

The lobby at Vancouver City Hall has received a Christmas makeover.

In a Nov. 30 email to city councilors, City Manager Eric Holmes reassured them that any changes in holiday decor from last year was either donated or is on loan, and volunteers provided added labor. And, in a sure sign of the city’s belt-tightening, Holmes wrote, “Finally, we switched to imitation greens so we can reuse them for years to come.”

Since I didn’t see how City Hall was decorated last year, I’m just left wondering if these nutcrackers are new.

I assume they are, because in his reply-all, Councilor Jack Burkman wrote, “I didn’t know they made Christmas Nutcrackers that big!”

Those soldiers would crack some mighty large nuts.

Facilities manager Tim Haldeman said the city spent $4,500 on holiday decorations; another $10,000 worth of decor, including the nutcrackers, are on loan.

“The compliments from the public and our tenants have been very positive,” Holmes wrote to councilors. “In particular, tenants on the 5th and 6th floors have expressed their specific appreciation for having a professionally managed building as they bring clients in for holiday appreciation events this season.”

Most of the decorations do look very nice, but the mavens take exception to such heavy-handed flocking. White trees in general we cannot support, and so this tree is well-suited for its spot in a corner:

And, OMG IS THAT PART OF THE OLD APPLE TREE?

Just kidding. That looks healthier than the Old Apple Tree.

Now, just so we don’t come off as total snobs, here’s the extent of Christmas decor in the newsroom. Marissa and I decorated our little area (Erik Hidle sits between us, poor guy, so he had no say in the matter. Sue Vorenberg, who sits on the other side of Marissa, went along with it, even though she didn’t seem too excited.)

We just put up a string of lights along the tops of our desks and a few things to make us smile, such as Tinsel Tim the bird pen:

Sue promptly had her dinosaurs attack Tim:

And we each have a stocking:

I mean, forget City Hall, with their volunteer designers and on-loan decor. Isn’t this the most festive workspace you’ve ever seen?

Sadly, this will inevitably be the cheeriest spot in the newsroom. We leave the real decorating to other departments. Those elves in Creative Services always show everyone else up.