The Best—and Worst—Things About Brooklyn During the Holidays
Lauren Beck; associate editor, The L Magazine
I take the Jay Street train to work and walk through the MetroTech Center every day. They really deck that place out. First a tree appears the day after Halloween. Then you see a bunch of lights being strung around lamp posts and wreaths all throughout November. Then comes a ton of red bows. They don’t turn the lights on and reveal the final product until the day after Thanksgiving, though — I’d like to commend them on that restraint. Passing through and seeing everything lit up is really the kickoff to the holidays in my little world. They pump Christmas carols out through outdoor speakers too — all the classics like “Frosty the Snowman.” It’s all very “traditional holiday mall decor meets real-life snow globe.” It’s difficult for me to not get caught up in the season, for at least 20 seconds to and from work five days a week.