"... The Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day"

It may sound Grinch-tastic, but I'm not much of a Christmas fan. Nothing's wrong with the sentiment of the holiday. I just haven't really had "the Christmas spirit" since I went away to college *cough* years ago. Yet I do seem to enjoy the effort and merriment that goes into other people enjoying the season.

Maybe it's because I'm simply the type who finds joy in seeing others' joy. Or maybe I can't help but marvel at the ingenuity some put into creating this sense of wonder all for sake of Christmas. And there's no better place to witness that ingenuity and joy than in New York City in December.

So once again, this Hoosier in Tri-State braved the winter autumn-like temperatures and became a tourist -- for the sake of familiarizing myself with my new surroundings, of course. *cough* And I permitted myself the opportunity to take in what makes the city so hypnotic to so many around this time of year, every year.

And maybe there is a part of me that feels some of the "Christmas spirit" deep down. I mean my favorite Christmas films are Scrooged with Bill Murray and How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey, two tales about people who think the season is insincere and overly materialistic, but somehow come around to seeing the beauty and warmth of the holiday just in time. ;-)

So without further ado, here's just a few (read: 19) pictures of my stroll around Herald's Square, 30 Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue then back to Herald's Square in one nippy afternoon in NYC. And as usual, feel free to click on the images to get a larger look at the details.