¡Pura Vida!
See all my Christmas Cards from Costa Rica since 2014!
Nature as Art Photography!
Merry Christmas from Costa Rica
Christmas ’22 at CITY MALL
The closest shopping mall to me is City Mall in Alajuela across the highway from the San Jose Airport, the largest mall in Costa Rica and second largest in Central America (Panama has a bigger one). Like all malls everywhere, everything is more expensive than at little local stores, but it is still popular, especially with the younger generations! I go two or three times a year for things I can’t get anywhere else and to see the new Christmas decorations. I went last week for my annual photo wall calendar by CR Photographer Pucci in the big and wonderful bookstore “La Librería Internacional” and some Avery Labels at Office Depot. 🙂
Christmas ART SHOW! – Plan now!
I will be one of the participating artists in this year’s “Just in Time for Christmas ART SHOW” in Atenas, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica.
Mark your calendar now! Just 1 month from today!
Weekend of 9-11 December
Hotel Colinas del Sol, Atenas
- Friday, 9 December, 3-8 pm — Jack, Piet & Syl Music at 5 pm!
- Saturday, 10 December, 10 am to 8 pm — Poison Dart Frogs Band at 5 pm!
- Sunday, 11 December, 10 am to 4 pm
“Nature As Art” Photo Gifts
- FREE Photo Book “Retired in Costa Rica” to first 39 customers who purchase anything, even a greeting card! 🙂
- FREE Gift Boxes for the first 6 books purchased!
- Wall Art: “Float Mounted MetalPrint” to brighten any home! At below my cost!
- Selected Photo Books at below my cost with first 6 sold receiving a free gift box!
- Real Photo Greeting Cards (blank inside) only $3 or CRC 2,000 each! With envelopes! And they are frameable too! Send some pura vida!
- Limited Misc. Items: 2 Photo Calendars 2023, 3 tote bags, 1 Toucan T-shirt XL, 1 Toucan Mouse Pad – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! 🙂
Read about the other Artists at JIT for Atenas!
See you December 9-11!
¡Nos vemos del 9 al 11 de diciembre!
¡Pura Vida!
I Moved Christmas to the Garden
Before I left on my Christmas trip to Uvita, I planted this year’s Poinsettia in my garden to possibly give it a longer life outdoors! As a specially created with light/darkness houseplant it will not continue to grow in the garden but is a nice temporary addition of color! Just one more joy of living in the tropics! 🙂
My Flora & Forest Galleries
¡Pura Vida!
Christmas Eve Sunset
¡Pura Vida!
Merry Christmas!
My Christmas Treat
Tomorrow morning early I fly Sansa south to the Palmar Sur Airport south of Uvita and then back north by car to Uvita where I’m doing a repeat visit to the Hotel Cristal Ballena (Hotel site link) on a hill overlooking Uvita’s Whale-watching bay on the Pacific Coast (feature photo & one below). I will not be quite as active as I was on my last trip there: 2019-September 13-21–Cristal Ballena, Uvita (link to my trip gallery). The photos from then will show you what a wonderful place it is to just hang out at the hotel and hike in their private rainforest not to mention all the nearby sights! December-February is the time for Humpback Whales from South America to be there, so I might get to see & photo one! 🙂
And here’s just two of the wildlife I photographed from my room terrace last time . . .
Continue reading “My Christmas Treat”Supermarket Christmas & More!
They usually have a nativity, but for now just this tree and laurels around the entrance.
My 2021 Christmas Photos Gallery
¡Feliz Navidad!
How Costa Ricans Celebrate Christmas . . .
The family that does “Two Weeks in Costa Rica” blog/newsletter has an article about what Ticos do during the holidays which is also “Summer Vacation” from school for all ages with graduations the middle of December and the start of new school year in February. Thus lots of “family vacations” during this time, especially the week between Christmas and New Years when many businesses and factories, etc are closed. The beaches and mountain lodges are full of Ticos that week! Everything is already festive by December 1 with many decorations up and special meal preparations started. Read about it in the Two Weeks guy’s article:
Christmas And New Years In Costa Rica: A Festive Time (“2 Weeks in CR” Blog Page)
Some of My Earlier Posts on CR Christmas . . .
Attending a Tamale-Making Class en Español 2017
This Year’s Mall Christmas Trees 2021 Blog Post
2019 Christmas Trees here
2020 Monkeying Around on Christmas Eve at Arenal Observatory where I will be again next Christmas or 2022. Good lodges like this one are booked solid for Christmas a year ahead. I just made my ’22 reservations.
Birds & Tapir – A Perfect Christmas!
Christmas in Costa Rica 2018 (including a cute TV ad)
Madrigal Renaissance Christmas Banquet 2018 (all expats)
2017 Atenas Christmas Parade – one of the best!
Well . . . too many to list them all! You can do a blog search on “Christmas” for more! 🙂
My 2021 Year in Books Read (Goodreads page).
Merry Christmas! – ¡Feliz Navidad!
¡Pura Vida!
Tree Ornaments?
Or Palm Berries? The row of various little palms I planted nearly 7 years ago as a privacy shield by my bedroom & office windows have created their own Christmas Ornaments just in time for the holidays! 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Mall Christmas Trees
City Mall, Alajuela, Alajuela, Costa Rica at San Jose Airport — Photos of two of their Christmas Trees that have been up for weeks!