Here I am in front of one the tallest Christmas trees I have seen. Where else would I be except in Las Vegas, capital of " over the top" in everything?
I do love all the decorations I see here at this time of year. I make ceramic ornaments myself, and enjoy these holiday traditions.
Christmas comes around the time of the winter solstice, December 21, marking the longest night and shortest day of the year. The Romans would celebrate with a feast called Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, the sun god, and decorated with evergreen boughs. Other ancient cultures saw this greenery as symbols of everlasting life and also used them around this feast time.
Germany started the Christmas tree tradition as we know it back in the 16th century. Belief has it that Martin Luther first added lighted candles to the tree, inspired by the stars. What really made the difference was in 1846, when a sketch of the English Queen Victoria, with her German prince and their family, around a decorated tree was then published. What was done at court became the fashion everywhere. It soon crossed over to America. Nice of my namesake to start such a lovely tradition!
Here I am back in the wonderful world of ping pong, or table tennis as it is also called. An art of a different form.
I went with my friend who entered the US Open Tournament, held in Las Vegas, Nevada in July. It is called the Open because people come from all over the world to attend. There is even prize money, but mostly it is trophies in the different competitions. Players get rated depending on cumulative victories, and events are based on these categories. Ratings go over 2000, which means a seriously good player. I am a beginner, but like any sport, it is beautiful when done correctly.
I met and practiced with students from China, who are here attending top US universities. The Chinese hold ping pong in high regard, and a top player in their country is like a rock star here.
All of this held in the background of one of the most surreal cities in the world, Las Vegas. I often wondered which venue was the most unusual, and in its own way, artistic.
Was it the grace and motion of the players, or the people I viewed in that city? Will it turn up as a piece of art form in my future? How can we know what will stir our creative muse.
