Denver, Colorado has the Christmas spirit! Every year major buildings in the city are lit during the Grand Illumination ceremony, following a long history of Christmas lights in the city.
Every Christmas the City and County Building is lit with a fantastic array of 600,000 LED lights. There is a long history behind the lighting of this building, which I detailed on a prior post--click here to read. (All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge for easier viewing if clicked on)
It is always inspirational to see the Nativity scene on the steps of the City and Country Building.
This year Denver's newly renovated Union Station was also beautifully lit with LED lights!
Do you see the train in the branches of the 35 foot tall Douglas Fir Christmas tree outside?
There is a magnificent Christmas tree inside the station, decorated with beautiful ornaments in a vintage theme. We visited the station a few times this year to shop and dine at the restaurants inside. It is a wonderful place to meet friends and relax at the station's numerous chairs, tables, and benches, while in Denver.
Many of Denver's buildings and hotels are beautifully decorated for the Christmas season and my husband and I enjoyed strolling around the city to see them. Our weather has been very mild so far this year, so it has been pleasant to enjoy the city when we have the opportunity.
There is free ice skating at Southwest Rink at Skyline Park if you have your own ice skates, otherwise, there is a low fee to rent skates. The 16 Street Denver Mall is well lit and full of stores to shop in for holiday gifts, with free bus service going back and forth along the streets. The annual Chrsitkindl German Market is very popular with residents and visitors to the city, click here to read my post about the market this year. It always looks like Christmas on Larimer Square, with the lights strung across this premiere Denver location for upscale boutiques and fine dining.
The very best part of the 2014 Christmas season has been spending time with our grandchildren! Our littlest grandson was in a pre-school Christmas pageant, our oldest grandson had a birthday, and our granddaughter went to a Santa Claus breakfast with us! They keep us busy and happy and we are looking forward to sharing Christmas Eve and Day with them!
There were many other things I wanted to share about the Christmas holiday here in Denver, but it will have to wait until after the big day! Come back to my blog soon to see the Colorado Governor's Mansion decorated for Christmas and some special recipes I made for the holidays.
Wishing you all a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Very pretty! Denver is all decked out for the holiday. Enjoy! Merry Merry!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos, Pat!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing and...
have a lovely Christmas! ♥
Pat, what a treat to see all the beautiful decorated buildings in Denver.. So many pretty trees and ornaments.. The lights are my favorite part of Christmas..Great post and lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and your family!
These are so colorful and fun to see. Hubby had a virus last week and I the week before so we have not been out to see the Christmas lights. Therefore it was nice to see these! Have a wonderful Christmas together.
ReplyDeleteDenver looks very festive for the holidays. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family!
ReplyDeleteHi Pat,
ReplyDeletethat's nice! You won't see something like that around here.
By the way, we are back home and I'll send your package tomorrow.
Ioana
The illuminated buildings are amazing Pat, I'm glad you shared them.
ReplyDeleteI love our family gatherings at Christmas and send wishes for a splendid time with yours.
Merry Christmas, and thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.
As always a treat to visit you here!!! I especially like the pictures of Union Station. I remember the times we met the train there to greet my grandmother when she came to visit!!! Merry Christmas!!! Cathy
ReplyDeleteThough I have visited Denver several times, never has it been in December. I am missing out! It is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe buildings in the city are fabulous! I love the different colored lights and the train station is my favorite! And what fun you're having this year with your grandchildren. They are a fun age for sharing the excitement of the holidays! Merry Christmas my friend!
ReplyDeleteWow, Pat, that's a LOT of Christmas lights! So pretty and festive! Best part is being able to spend it with those precious grandchildren!
ReplyDeleteBuon Natale e tu!
Blessings,
Roz
Beautiful as usual...I always enjoying visiting your blog!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and colorful Christmas decorations in light.
ReplyDeleteDenver looks like a beautiful place over Christmas! Thanks for taking us on the 'lights tour'.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat, I love that Nativity. Hickenlooper tried for 8 years to get rid of it! The current mayor grew up in Denver and he knows the older black community would beat him with their cast iron skillets and bibles! He never talks about removing it but that is all we heard from Hicky! I am glad it is still here. Nothing says Christmas like the birth of Jesus Christ! Have a Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat, It looks like someone had the same bright idea in Denver and Melbourne - love your lights too!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas
Wren x
What a beautiful Christmassy post Pat. I love seeing Denver through your photo's. Merry Chhristmas.
ReplyDeleteRiet
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteDenver knows how to celebrate Christmas! I love the nativity and the colored lights. And, I was delighted to spot the train on the branches of the Union Station tree.
Merry Christmas and Happy Blue Monday!
Dear Pat, wishing you and family
ReplyDeletea beautiful and happy Holiday. Your Town is really decorated better than our town. They put up an ugly lobster trap tree
every year. Well it has been in the 20's for shopping this week. Christmas Day Rain and in the 40's. Can you believe Nov. 1st we had a blizzard and 3 ft of snow. God bless you all.
yvonne
Denver's Christmas lights are really impressive. They've really done it up right that's for sure. Your grandchildren must be in Santa heaven.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas as well Pat.
Sam
You are so lucky to be able to spend Christmas with your grandchildren. Enjoy it. The Denver decorations look great and what a good idea to renovate the station into a nice place to be.
ReplyDeleteThe buildings look very neat lit up with color!
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed seeing such lovely lights. Thanks for sharing. That is some very awesome work.
ReplyDeleteHello, Hope you are having a wonderful December and will have a blessed Christmas… This is such a joyful time of year for so many—but it’s also the time when others experience a deep loneliness, and struggle during the holidays for many reasons. SO—today I ask you to stop what you are doing for a few minutes and say a prayer for someone you know who might be experiencing a hard time now… OR—better still, send them a card or give them a call. It will mean the world to them.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures from Denver. What a gorgeous city at Christmastime. Love all of the colored lights.
Is the next upcoming grand baby going to be a boy or girl? Do they know yet? After 2 boys, I wanted a girl. BUT--since I had another boy, I was happy since, by then, I KNEW how to raise boys... ha
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Hugs,
Betsy
Wow, Denver looks magical! I have to say, Los Angeles doesn't quite look so festive :/
ReplyDeleteHave a great one, Pat!
Beautiful, stunning lights! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWow, everything is just fantastic! I love all the lights and the beautiful trees. It's really magical. It is nice to see the Nativity in a public space too. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your Christmas with your family. Blessings.
ReplyDeletePam
The city is so beautiful with all the cheerful colored lights. I enjoyed seeing your grandsons and granddaughter enjoying the season. Your grandgirlie looks perfectly at home and content on Santa's lap. = >
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos. love those lit up buildings ...so pretty and cheerful..
ReplyDeleteA city well-lit. And the colors are so attractive. Happy Christmas!
ReplyDeleteEven as I was born and raised in the Denver area, I cannot remember making the trip to see the City and County Building lit. As a child though, I do have the fondest memories of my aunt and uncle taking me and my little brother downtown to wall 16th Street to see the animated Christmas displays in all of the department store windows, back before the 16th St. mall and when all of the now defunct department stores were still in business. I also remember a time when the city didn't have the money to light the building, so local TV stations ran fund-raiser selling Christmas cards of previous lit years to raise money to keep the lights on. Your photos are gorgeous. I am glad that you put them up for everyone to see our beautiful city lights.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots!
ReplyDeletenice shots! always nice to see xmas around the world :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an impressive way to light up the town for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderfully festive! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLooks like it is worth walking round the city to see them
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful shots, my dear Pat !
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours, have a Joy-filled Time <3
With much love
Dany
Wow! What fantastic lights! Merry Xmas from Sicily. xx
ReplyDeleteWe love Denver, very lovely! It is very early here, but I wanted to be sure and say Merry Christmas to you. My left arm is still not pain free and it is causing numbness down into left hand and so I will be copying and pasting this message for my blogging friends, but did not want to leave anyone out of this greeting, coming from my heart to your own. We have a blog draft in the works for publishing on Friday and then a hope and a prayer that the New Year will be good to everyone~
ReplyDeleteVery pretty and wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHad been to Denver once. What a lovely place.
Merry Christmas.
So beautiful! Wishing you much joy in this season of love.
ReplyDeletewishing you and family a beautiful Healthy New Year.
ReplyDeleteyvonne
Pat, a belated Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing the lights and love seeing the pictures of the grandlittles. I hope you had a glorious Christmas with your loved ones!
XO,
Sheila :-)
Denver is beautiful! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDelete