Christmas Tree Petition Debrief

[alexander.benson]

Hi everyone,

Following the petition my mother Patricia circulated regarding the Christmas decorations in the Westview lobbies, she wanted to share her thoughts now that we have seen the result; you can find her letter below.

Dear neighbors,

The result of our petition is here.

For context to this letter, I encourage you all to visit the lobbies of Island House. After seeing what was installed in our lobby, I went there myself because I wanted to understand Ms. Chusid's point of view.  As we share a management company with them, you may be aware that their fixtures are of the same "Norwegian Woods" design as ours from last year.  In their building, with spacious modernized lobbies, their larger displays have been effectively upgraded to that of a traditional Christmas tree: with at least 6 trees that are 7 feet tall, the addition of lights, ornaments, and a small pointed star of Bethlehem at the top create excitement for the Christmas to come.  In my opinion, the effect is very good, particularly on the 555 side.

Unfortunately, due to the architectural constraints of the current Westview lobbies, we were never going to achieve the same effect in our own building by reusing the previous years' fixtures.  "You cannot put lipstick on a pig".  The sparse branches, unlit star and few lights in our lobbies cannot compare.  I had hoped for the return of the traditional Christmas trees of years past, which work well in the space we have.  However, it appears these new displays were purchased and now part of the property of the management office, and will be with us for years to come.  In other words, we are stuck with them.

To her credit, Ms. Chusid heard the desire from some of the residents to have a traditional Christmas tree.  This year's decorator showed thoughtfulness in her innovations--borrowing some Christmas elements, as a good artist would--so the overall impression is a nice aesthetic.  However, this is still a "winter scene", not true Christmas.

Where are examples of the latter?  Visit the Rivercross lobby, or look inside Dr. Resnick's office; take a tour through the buildings in Manhattan Park and others on the Island and you would understand what I mean.

To a Christian sensibility, something is lost in the community spaces of Westview.  I go back to the argument that, to a person of the Jewish faith, not just any chandelier of seven candles cannot replace the Menorah for the feast of Hanukkah.  For each holiday, there are visual elements that are essential to their religious significance.

If the Westview lobbies are not enlarged and modernized by next year, as it was done in Island House, maybe Ms. Chusid will see the wisdom of setting up our traditional trees, recovering the spirit and meaning of Christmas for us all.

To all my friends and neighbors--Christian and not--who supported the petition, I thank you with all my heart.  It was a good and valiant effort!

To one and all Westview residents, be well, and my best wishes to you and your family.

Patricia Arzac