New Year’s week is an exciting time, full of new beginnings and exciting possibilities. The weekend after New Year’s day is customarily the time when the festive lights and decorations of the holiday season are taken down. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had holiday lights all year? (see more photos and text below)
I figure today is probably my last chance to share some of my favorite holiday scenes that I have not had the chance to post yet. I chose photos from one of the biggest displays in the area I photographed, The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree (bottom photo) and from one of the smallest towns I visited that was decked out for the holidays,(shown at top of post) the small town of Clifton, Va., population of 282 at the time of the 2010 Census. I also included a photo taken of a model of the U.S. Capitol take at the popular U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, a model made entirely of natural plant materials.
Still need to see even more holiday lights? Please check out my post on the light show at Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, Va.
The photo above is of a life-size nutcracker outside a shop in Clifton.
I hope your holidays were everything you wanted them to be and that the brightness and cheer from the season will stay with you for the entire year.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, Rob.
I hope you will enjoy some of the other Weekly Photo Challenge post than have run on WordPress this week that can be reached using the links below:
- My.Vivid.Visions | Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning of Lotus
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Rooktopia
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Flickr Comments
- Beginning (Weekly Photo Challenge) | Icezine
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning | Chittle Chattle
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Ese’ s Voice
- Weekly Photo Challenge: beginning | MyBlog – solaner
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Uncle Spike’s Adventures
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | The Ambitious Drifter
- WPC: Beginning | Books, Music, Photography & Movies : my best friends
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning | Just Snaps
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning – Joy and Woe
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | A mom’s blog
- Photoworld 3-1-14 | ~~~ nur ein “Klick” ~~~ ein Kompendium
- In the Beginning There is Love….(WP weekly photo challenge) | Daily Observations
- Fear of Pontius Pilate Insults My Intelligence | Bumblepuppies
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Hope* the happy hugger
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Beginning | Joe’s Musings
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | scillagrace
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning | Stephen Chapman
I See Beauty All Around 
WOW Rob! The Capital and tree made me teary. I love our Country. Yes I wish we kept lights all year round.
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I do too. there was some report on the radio yesterday that the monday after the New Year’s weekend is one of the saddest days of the year. I think if we just kept the lights on for another month or two, people would be in a better mood.
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Mine are still on and my home is still decorated : ))
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good deal!
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I think so , thanks Rob!
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Oh, I would so love to go to DC at Christmastime!! Such excellent shots! I just love watching, A White House Christmas on TV too. I think it’s on HGTV…not sure though
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I think it is on HGTV too barb. This season was especially nice because it never got that cold.the day I photographed the Capitol Tree is was 70 degrees! (something I like to think about as the temperature takes a nose dive tonight- we are not used to the frigid weather like you have up in Minnesota)
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70 degrees??? No fair! What a perfect Christmas in DC, that would have made a great trip for my family. Maybe next year. I’m telling ya, we’ve taken our kids to DC a few times…best trip ever!!
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its a great place to be for the holidays, but the weather this year was extra nice!
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Oh so colorful and festive. Looks like such a great place to spend the holidays. Lovely photos.
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it is, lots to do all over the area between Thanksgiving and New years
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These are gorgeous pictures. I wondered where Clifton was. I am on the opposite end of the state, near the Tennessee and North Carolina lines. I went to school at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee State University with a girl from Vienna.
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Hi Joe, sure, Clifton is in Fairfax County, probably about half hour or so from Vienna. Thanks for the nice comment, Rob
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Up until last year I had a cousin working for the VA that lived in Arlington. We went up to visit in 2010 and visited many of the monuments, the National Zoo, Arlington and some of the Smithsonian Museums. I love the area.
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its a fun place to be, you never run out of things to do or places to take photos
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I really want to go back when the Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom.
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It is a blast. I shot sunrise at the cherry blossoms for the first time this past spring. 530AM and there must have been at least 100 photographers. It was quite a scene.
Lots of room to get some great shots, I think I had to get up at like 430 am or something but it was well worth it.
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A very colourful reminder, thanks for sharing. Having spent the good part of Saturday storing all the decorations, I can’t help but agree with your idea 🙂
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Lovely reminder of the festive season and the image of the Capitol and Christmas tree is wonderful.
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