What's Santa up to in Gibraltar?

since december rolled over, the grocery shops here in Gibraltar have been bursting at the seams with people. on top of the cruise ships that visit daily and the tourists crossing the frontier, the locals are also out and about doing their holiday shopping. now, i've done my shopping waaaaay ahead more than anyone (precisely to avoid the crowds and the endless waiting at the check-out counters) and am done decorating the house as well with my handmade christmas so i am finding myself amused and bemused as i indulge in one of my favorite past-times: people-watching :)

soooo. you wondering what's Santa up to in Gib? here he is, in one of the toy shops in Main Street. welcoming shoppers and tourists alike, especially the little kiddos. (personally, i think he looks a bit pissed off and are those vise-grips for hands? hhmmm)

every year, the Santa's Grotto visits Gibraltar. it is a drive run by a charitable organization where children can see Santa and sit in his lap and of course take their pictures with him. as i was coming towards their booth in Main Street however, i noticed that the greeting above their stall is missing the letter "M" (Erry Christmas one and all! hhmmm)

i was just about to wrinkle my nose when as i was nearing it, i saw that the very important letter "M" was just lurking on the side :) *sigh of relief*

these boys in the re-enactment parade never fail to troop down Main Street in full regalia and bagpipes. last saturday, they were playing Christmas songs all through-out adding a most festive air to a cool December day.

couldn't resist taking a close-up of the holiday socks and the oh-so-masculine kilt :)

everywhere in Gib, Santa has also been seen climbing up windows carrying a bag-ful of gifts. here he is accompanied by the three wise men... climbing up the same house but in separate windows!

in Spain, the "Dia de los Reyes" or the Three Kings Festival (the 6th of January) is just as important as Christmas itself so kids get extra gifts too!

because there is more Spanish influence in Gib than British (even if they are a British territory), they also celebrate this very important holiday :)

adding flair and style to the festive season are these colorful hats that are just perfect for your Michael Jackson impersonation at your office Christmas party :)

"..you know i'm bad, i'm bad, you know it....who's bad?" -- love, Santa