Happy Christmas

I should like to wish you every best wish for this Holiday season - however you celebrate it. I will spending Christmas Day in Milton Keynes with family - and other members of our family will be joining us in the next few days. We'll see what the weather in the afternoon is like, but after Christmas Dinner I enjoy a walk around the lake.

I hope you have a great time - and Washminster will take a short break returning on Tuesday 28th December.

Christmas in London

On Wednesday I published a post about Christmas in Washington. Sadly 3600 miles separate me from that great city - at least for the moment. London however is closer - and has a lively Christmas scene. It too has a giant national Christmas tree - in Trafalgar Square.

One of the most magical places is the South Bank Centre



The website is accessible here.

Westminster is worth a visit - there is a Christmas tree close to the Clock tower (also known [incorrectly] as Big Ben). Leading off Parliament Square is the shopping street of Victoria Street. There are many shopping areas within London - but you can't beat Oxford Street at Christmas.

Ice skating rinks are now well established near the London Eye and Somerset House.

One of the best guides to events in London is "Time Out"

Christmas in Washington

I'm tempted to write about the excellent book "One Christmas in Washington" - a book which describes Churchill's visit to the US capital in 1941 for the "Arcadia" conference - to discuss with Franklin Roosevelt the strategy for the Allies. I really enjoyed reading it - and it describes key events in the development of the Anglo-American relationship.



But my intention was to write about THIS Christmas - and what's on in the Washington area.

The National Christmas tree - with nightly concerts
Kennedy Center - a host of special events - by the potomac (and Watergate Building)
Downtown market in Chinatown.

Mount Vernon - very festive at any time around Christmas, with a special "Mount Vernon by Candlelight" this weekend.

Alexandria - see here

More details about Washington events on the Washington Post website.

Oh Christmas Tree....

From the US Congress (via The Hill)



And from Parliament (sadly the 2008 tree - no videos yet of the 2009 tree)

Recess Begins

Westminster is due to finish its business today - and then go into recess for Christmas. Washminster will also be taking a break and (barring any major news developments) will not have any new posts until New Years Eve.

Have a merry Christmas - and I look forward to welcoming you back on December 31st.

Best wishes

David

Christmas with Capitol Steps

If you've been reading Washminster for some time, you'll know that I am a great fan of 'Capitol Steps' - a group who now perform regularly in Washington DC and elsewhere - but who began as a group of congressional staffers poking fun at their bosses. When I was in Alexandria during the election I discovered the office while walking to the campaign office.
Over Christmas why not listen to some of their humour? Go to http://www.capsteps.com/ and listen to Christmas numbers such as "Why's the Army Frisking Santa Claus?"; "Jingo All The Way".

Every year they do a live New Years Eve broadcast!