Hello, and Seasons Greetings from Ireland! I’ve yet to be deported! And in spite of the fact that when I thought I heard Craig say, “expense account” he was actually saying “You’re expensive, get out!” I’m still having an insanely good time. Excuse me. Of course what I meant to say was that I’m working extremely hard. While all of you are settling around the fire, or the tree, or the tree on fire or whatever, and sipping your holiday eggnog, I’m researching details for the upcoming SpyCo novella, Assignment: Dublin.

I need to tell you, reader-friends, that Dublin is a town that loves it some Christmas! I attended several lighting ceremonies, and they were amazing! Unlike my birthplace, New York City, where we make a huge deal about the lighting of a single tree, the big one at Rockefeller Center, in Dublin they celebrate throwing the switch in several locations. I managed to snap some lovely pictures at three of these shindigs.

The first was on Henry Street, where I met the beautiful Mother Christmas. I’m pretty sure some lights got turned on at some point. She was lovely though.

Mother Christmas or Máthair na Nollag, entertaining folks on Henry Street.

I also attended the Dublin At Christmas celebration on Grafton Street, where I encountered this lovely present-headed girl, who was singing, possibly to the crowd, though I’m relatively sure it was just for me.

Guess what. “Hey, can I unwrap you?” was not the cleverest thing this lovely performer had ever heard! I was certain it would win her over.

Again, I’m pretty sure that lights got turned on at some point, though I didn’t actually notice as I was fairly busy getting a little bit turned on myself.

Moving right along, at security’s insistence, I came upon the tree lighting on O’Connell Street.

The O’Connell Street tree at the moment its lights came on.

This time my camera accidentally went off in the general direction of the giant tree and I caught this shot at the moment it was lit. I was also pretty lit by this point. (Did I mention there are some lovely pubs at all of these locations?) I’m sure I was actually trying to photograph yet another beautiful Irish woman, but by this point my aim was… let’s call it “questionable.”

Kidding aside, Dublin At Christmas does an amazing job of lighting the city and entertaining the folks who flock to see the big moment.

In all honesty, Dublin is a city so in love with the holiday season that they actually have an organization dedicated to it, called Dublin At Christmas, who is the official sponsor of these beautiful displays.

So in review, (because at least one of these locations will likely find its way into the book), I fell in love with Mother Christmas, Present-head, and the wonderful city.

Now let’s hope that our ladies of SpyCo come out of their adventure as relatively unscathed as I have… thus far!