It's not Christmas in Venice without at least a few sightings of Santa Claus..opps... make that Babbo Natale! Santa delivers gifts to good children (but of course, only the good ones) by climbing up the balconies on rope ladders. No chimneys to climb down here in Venice. Here's a selection of a few Babbo's I spotted yesterday on my walk from Sant'Elena to Via Garibaldi.
In addition to Babbo sightings, you can't help but know it's the Christmas season when you start seeing all the Panetone's stacked up in all the bakery windows.
And while this guy isn't quite the same as the other Babbo Natale's I've seen, I had a hard time passing -him by. This life size Babbo - well, at least my size Babbo (he's as tall as I am)- is standing in front of a shop on Via Garibaldi. I particularly love his fur trim jacket and hat. Fits right in with winter in Venice.
Yes, there are Christmas trees (alberi di Natale) in Venice. Not many, but you can find them. These are at the little nursery close to the Giardini vaporetto stop. Most likely you would need the vaporetto to get the tree home after buying it. Can't imagine carrying a live tree through Venice. As much as I regretted giving up having a live tree when we moved here, we did break down and by a very nice "imitation" one a couple of years ago.
I loved the red balls on this gate decoration on Sant'Elena. Note the Babbo Natale at the window ....
And finally....it wouldn't be Christmas in Venice without some Murano glass Santa sightings. This whimsical little tiny one standing only 2 inches high is in our living room. It's blown by Igor Balbi, a talented glassblower who has a shop near the Rialto market.
I loved this one, looks like he's rapelling down to the window! Brave Babbo!
And while this guy isn't quite the same as the other Babbo Natale's I've seen, I had a hard time passing -him by. This life size Babbo - well, at least my size Babbo (he's as tall as I am)- is standing in front of a shop on Via Garibaldi. I particularly love his fur trim jacket and hat. Fits right in with winter in Venice.
Yes, there are Christmas trees (alberi di Natale) in Venice. Not many, but you can find them. These are at the little nursery close to the Giardini vaporetto stop. Most likely you would need the vaporetto to get the tree home after buying it. Can't imagine carrying a live tree through Venice. As much as I regretted giving up having a live tree when we moved here, we did break down and by a very nice "imitation" one a couple of years ago.
I loved the red balls on this gate decoration on Sant'Elena. Note the Babbo Natale at the window ....
And finally....it wouldn't be Christmas in Venice without some Murano glass Santa sightings. This whimsical little tiny one standing only 2 inches high is in our living room. It's blown by Igor Balbi, a talented glassblower who has a shop near the Rialto market.
Buon Natale from our house to yours!
