And so this is Christmas,

What have you done?

Another year over,

A new one just begun…

Music flooded my ears.

A little girl standing next to me was swaying with the music, holding on to her dad’s hands behind her. Families stood behind me, humming along with the music.

I was at San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk. It was the first day of the Christmas celebration, and the last day of our Thanksgiving trip.

I watched as decorated floats floated by on the beautiful river. Each was brightly lit and had large stereo boxes lining the edges, blasting out music.

I watched as waiters bustled by behind the viewing platform I was on. They might not have cared about the festival, but everyone standing on the deck was absorbed inside the decorations.

Lights hung from the trees dangling over the river, boats covered with lighting and colors, and the beautiful curving paths, now emblazoned with accent lighting.

It was the holiday season.

The holiday season, in my opinion, is a time to be happy, a time to forget all the complex things in life, and drop down to the basics.

Here, everyone was smiling. I couldn’t see a single person working or typing on a Blackberry or anything of the such; everyone was grinning from ear to ear, everyone was watching the parade; everyone was very happy.

It was truly a marvelous sight.

—-

The on-water parade was soon over, and the scene quickly changed from a loud and rowdy scape to a more quiet, almost romantic area.

People dined on the riverside, enjoying whatever it was they ate, being served by waiters standing nearby. Everyone seemed to be enjoying both sides of the area: the passerby walking around them, and then on the other side, the tranquil river.

As my dad and I walked further down, it got even more silent, until there wasn’t a single soul around us. We walked out onto a small peninsula into the river, where a few benches were, and sat down.

We watched in silence.

A few boats went by, a family or two walked by, but other than that, it was almost lulling and silent, except for the calming swish of the water. I could probably sleep here for days.

—-

A few minutes later, my dad and I walked back to the crowded area. The difference was quite amusing; here everyone was talking and murmuring and talking.

The entire Riverwalk was lined with restaurants, more restaurants, and even more restaurants. Hustle and bustle ruled the streets. A band played in the distance.

We, however, had already had our fun. Grinning from head to toe, we climbed the staircase and walked away.