In 2010 on the day after Thanksgiving, something unusual happened: I willingly ventured into Boston to see the Christmas decorations, particularly the gargantuan tree at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Since nothing about the shopping frenzy or crowds typical of that day appeals to me, I can't explain how the idea ever popped into my head.

The part about checking out the city dressed for the holiday makes sense. Of course. Sign me up. Choosing to do this on the Friday of the long Thanksgiving weekend defies logic.

Even more unexpected, my husband came with me. I'd have thought pigs would fly first.

Only once before had I braved the day-after-Thanksgiving mob scene. It was in Chicago, my home city, to admire the windows at Marshall Field's (sadly, now Macy's), followed by lunch inside at the Walnut Room. Once was enough. Don't get me wrong; the windows are great. So is the Walnut Room, and I adore Chicago decked out in its holiday finery. But not on that Friday.

The 2010 Boston adventure was different in that it involved my camera. I thought it'd be a fun challenge to photograph the massive Faneuil Hall Christmas tree - the tallest in New England that year.

I didn't know it at the time, but that outing was the beginning of something that quickly took on a life of its own. Ultimately, it became The Christmas Project, now in its 15th year.

Part cityscape, part landscape, part street photography - and 100% festive - the idea is to capture the sights of the season, from simple to elaborate, in various locations.

When it comes to picturesque Christmas scenes, it's hard to beat New England. There's Boston, of course, where this project began, but the entire region is filled with quaint, historic old towns that look in winter as though they might have been lifted from Currier and Ives lithographs. I covered a lot of ground just in the first couple of years working on this. Portsmouth, Exeter, Hanover, Manchester, Concord, Greenland, New Castle and North Hampton in New Hampshire. (Probably more that I'm forgetting.) York, Portland and Kennebunkport in Maine. Salem, Rockport and Gloucester in Massachusetts. Newport, Rhode Island.

Then came New York City. And of course, Chicago.

After relocating from the Northeast to the Intermountain West, though, the Christmas Project got much trickier, with subject matter in short supply. Not only are there often great distances between towns, but far too many municipalities are rather lackluster when it comes to decorating. Actually, that's being too kind; quite a few don't decorate at all. Scrooge lives.

I took care of Salt Lake City right away. But then what?

Clearly, the net was going to have to be cast further. In some cases, much further. Places like Seattle, Denver, Victoria in British Columbia and Québec City.

And so it has continued.

This season, I opted for a return engagement in Chicago. A few years ago the Botanic Garden unveiled a big seasonal light show which I hadn't yet seen; that was the primary draw. (Check out last week's post for some images I made there.) In addition, I assigned myself the task of finding and capturing new subject matter and/or reinterpreting scenes already familiar to me. I prowled around both the suburbs and in the city.

The small towns of New England featuring charming holiday vignettes with the lovely feeling of yesteryear are wonderful, and I've found quite a few enchanting suburban displays in the Chicago area, too - but there's something truly special about Christmas in the city. Millions of lights, everywhere. Big. Bold. Spectacular.

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style...

Following are a few sights from Chapter 15, this year's edition of The Christmas Project:

Pioneer Court Christmas Tree and the Wrigley Building

 Veterans Park in suburban McHenry, Illinois

 Navy Pier

 Santa captaining his sightseeing vessel on the Chicago River at Michigan Avenue

 Clock Tower on the Wrigley Building, rear view, from Illinois Street

Water Tower and Pumping Station (on opposite sides of Michigan Avenue), both of which survived the Great Chicago Fire

 Historic Pumping Station, decorated for the holiday

 Christmas Tree standing at the Wrigley Building

Full disclosure: not every location works out. Once on site, I've passed on a few for one reason or another. There have also been some technical glitches, like when I showed up in Gloucester, Massachusetts only to discover the lobster trap tree lights were on the fritz that night. A similar mishap occurred in Boston after I'd slogged through rush hour traffic to shoot the trellis at Christopher Columbus Park. The lights never came on because the timer wasn't working.

Nothing compares to the colossal bust otherwise known as Las Vegas, though. None of my advance research painted an accurate picture of what to expect. Maybe the Grinch made a run through town ahead of me, stripping the place of anything that looked remotely like Christmas. I kid you not; there was absolutely nothing worth shooting. Though the Christmas Project that year was a big disappointment, the primary objective of the trip was to work in Death Valley, a place that has never let me down. All was not lost.

Soon the planning for 2025 will begin. I've got some ideas; we'll see where I end up.

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!

In Local News

A Win for Nature and Wildlife
Last week Wyoming's governor signed an agreement approving the sale of a 640-acre parcel of unprotected land located near the little town of Kelly (population 136) to Grand Teton National Park. Price tag: $100 million. It was looking like the land was destined for private development, so this was a big win, if the sale closes. It's contingent on a decision regarding Bureau of Land Management acreage in the southwest portion of the state. It ain't over 'til it's over...

The parcel is located within an important seasonal migration corridor for pronghorn, mule deer and elk. It features spectacular natural scenery and lies within the park boundaries. Development there would be completely beyond the pale.

Funds for the purchase were raised from the Grand Teton National Park Foundation ($38 million), while the Park Service secured $62 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The proceeds will be invested in Wyoming schools.

Recreation Update
In Grand Teton National Park, Teton Park Road (the inner loop), Moose-Wilson Road and the road up to the summit of Signal Mountain will open tomorrow for winter recreation i.e. cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. Teton Park Road will be groomed three times a week, weather permitting.

If you'd like to snowshoe with a Park Ranger, that program kicks off on January 7th and will run through the middle of March on Tuesdays and Fridays. To make a reservation, call 307-739-3301.

Yellowstone's winter season began last Sunday. Access the park from the West Yellowstone entrance for oversnow recreation. Roads are groomed daily.