Baltimore in Finnish Media

Tuomo writes: Our friends in Maryland, and in particular those who live in Baltimore, will be delighted to know that 34th Street in Hampden was highlighted on Channel MTV3 news last week.:

Jouluvalot ihastuttavat ja vihastuttavat USA:ssa

Suomalaiset joulukadut hillittyine koristeineen ja parvekkeet ohuine valonaruineen kalpenevat yhdysvaltalaisten rinnalla. Lähes joka kadulla on omat koristeensa, ja mitä enemmän ne vilkkuvat, sen parempi.

Päivi Sinisalo kertoo raportissaan, että eräs Baltimoren kadunpätkistä on kuuluista jouluasustaan. Kaupunkilaisten mielikuvituksella ei näytä olevan rajaa: löytyy liikkuvia tonttuja, puhallettavia pukkeja sekä valoa jos jonkinlaista. Sähkölaskussa ei todellakaan säästellä.

Baltimoren asukkaat itse ovat haltioissaan, ja katua tullaan katsomaan kauempaakin. Maan jokavuotinen ilmiö on silti oikeusjutut, joissa riidellään siitä, mikä määrä kimallusta ja koristetta on liikaa.

And here's a translation:

Christmas Lights Raise Mixed Emotions in the United States

“Finnish Christmas streets with their understated decorations and balconies with thin light garlands are no match to the American taste. There are decorations on practically every street, and the more they blink, the better.

“In her report, Päivi Sinisalo tells us about a stretch of a street in Baltimore that is famous for its Yuletide decor. There appear to be no limits to the imagination of the Baltimoreans: motorized Santa’s Helpers, inflatable Santa Clauses, and lights of all kinds. This is clearly not the time of the year when people care for their electricity bills.

“The citizens of Baltimore themselves are delighted, and people come to have a look even from afar. However, this annual American phenomenon also brings about lawsuits in which the parties involved fight over how much glitter and baubles is too much.”

Our friends Eric and Alan would host a Christmas party the weekend after our Finnish Independence Day Reception, and part of the program involved walking over to the aforementioned street and be amazed by the display of Christmas lights people had put up. I remember the first time having been almost disgusted by such opulence bordering this side of bad taste, but then walking away with a sense of humour in the end. In fact, I looked forward to seeing the display on 34th Street! Ah to be in Baltimore...!

Too bad the report itself (and the video clip, which does not work any more due to Finnish copyright issues) serves the purpose of tsk-tsking at American excesses rather than showing a way of celebrating Christmas... :-(