The Christmas Season in Second Life

 

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

  

          I know it’s getting on towards Christmastime in Real Life (RL) when the last of the Thanksgiving turkey is finished and Black Friday unleashes its fury on the world. 

          I know it’s getting on towards Christmastime in Second Life (SL) when my old friend inworld, Perryn Peterson, drops me a line and asks if I’d like a preview of the current year’s

Christmas extravaganza in SL!

          The Mieville Christmas event is an annual feature of a very active SL social calendar. 

          Each year has a different theme. 

          Past themes have been A Christmas Carol, Christkindlkmarkt, and the last time the River Thames froze over. 

          As usual, I kick off my own Christmas season by meeting with Perryn and getting a sneak peek at the festivities before the official opening. 

          (Significant Other adds writing Christmas cards to the list of pre-Holiday fun.)

          This year’s theme is Christmas Land!

          And, it’s a no holds barred jump into the joy, pageantry, and innocent celebration which makes up the Christmas season!

          The Christmas Land sim comprises four Lands which make up the sim along with Santa’s Hangout.

          These are Snow Land, Candy Land, Toy Land, and Lights Land.

          Each has its own unique perspective on Christmas.

          My tour begins with my rezzing into an ice palace where I meet my tour guide, Perryn.

         

Walking through the entrance to Christmas Land takes us out onto the main street.

          Multi-colored passenger rail cars line both sides of the street where glimpses of life-sized toys and Christmas decorations can be seen between the cars.

          The four Christmas Lands can be found off this main street.

          The eponymously named sims each show a different aspect of the Holiday traditions. 

          True to his customary cleverness, Perryn has ensured that Christmas Land is different from all the Christmas festivals of the past!

          New games and amusements from Miss Tailahr Winnikow are in evidence across the Lands.

          New merchants’ booths from Sebastian (AKA Sebby) Tiogar in the shape of Christmas decorations and novelties are everywhere.  (Along with merchants and their

wares to fill them!)

          Topping it all off is Santa Claus’ Hangout with his throne room and the reindeer stables. 

          (Perryn as well as several of his colleagues will be filling in for Santa this year.)

          The Advent Calendar with a different gift for visitors for each day leading up to Christmas is also located in Santa’s Hangout.

          Across the skating ring which is directly in front of the Hangout is the gacha hall where seasonal gachas can be obtained,

          Some of the new activities include customizing the snow person, snow ball fights, sledding and snowmen bowling (definitely not for the faint of heart), ice fishing, and new rides like the rising cookie ride!

          Give them all a try!

          Other highlights include gifts from the merchants (don’t forget to check the peppermint candy boxes scattered across Christmas Land), Arcadia Asylum’s marvelous freebies are

available at the Cog & Grog shop, and Moonsugah Monday’s fabulous refreshments which can almost be tasted are available!

          (BTW Moonsugah has recently moved her shop into Mieville Twain!)

          Christmas Land is a fun and lighthearted view of Christmas which can be enjoyed by everyone and I certainly recommend all to come and get into the spirit of the Holiday! 

          Christmas Land can be found here and will be open from November 27th to January 3rd.

          Come, have fun, and enjoy yourselves!

          Bring friends!

          (Snowball fights are no fun all by yourself!)

          Tell ‘em web sent you!

          (And watch out for those snowballs!)

          I’d like to thank Perryn for taking the time to meet with me and giving the guided tour!

          I’d also like to thank him and his team for another wonderful Christmas festival!

          More pictures from my visit can be found on this flicker page. 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

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I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!

 

Christkindlmarkt in Second Life

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

Clement Clarke Moore

 

          After blogging about Holidays in Second Life (SL), I seem to be on something of a roll because immediately after that I wrote about my visit to the Utopia Naked Isle Resort Winter Wonderland and now I’m blogging about Perryn Peterson’s latest Christmas spectacular. 

          Perryn is bringing Christkindlmarkt to SL for the month of December! 

A Christkindlmarkt is a German street market associated with the celebration of Christmas. Generally held in the town square and any adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air stalls.  Traditional singing and dancing are customary entertainments.

          Last year, Perryn put on A Christmas Carol which was a very realistic recreation inworld of that classic Christmas tale.  (OK, I’m biased, I like both Dickens and A Christmas Carol.)

          Perryn’s been mentioning this event for a while and I was finally able to schedule a visit with him to receive a tour of the sim. 

          I arrive at the landing zone and meet Perryn who has somehow managed to turn a couple of dreidels into a pair of earrings.  Apparently, the Mieville Weekly Theme dance is going to be more interesting than usual this week.

          Upon arriving, I’m first struck by all the lights.  It reminds me of European cities that go all out for Christmas.  Perryn tells me that light is indeed the theme for this year’s Holiday festivities. 

          Realistic light is not easy to create in SL.  (OK, at least for me it isn’t.  But, then I have trouble with matches in Real Life (RL).)  To do it on this scale takes skill.  As Perryn and I stroll through the streets and alleys of Christkindlmarkt, I notice that they are dominated by a large backdrop of a RL one.  Perryn explains that it is the actual Christkindlmarkt from Frankfurt in 2010.  The blending of the RL pictures with the SL prims and lighting effects is artistically and seamlessly done. The effects of depth and distance are very lifelike.  The sim could be seen for this technical wizardry alone.

          But, if someone were to do that then they would miss the shops, booths, and carts of over seventy-five merchants and all their merchandise.  What’s available extends from Christmas themed treats and some tricks (Like the dancing red Santa skulls) to a large variety of artwork, clothing, household goods, and a lot more. Perryn adds that there are over a “kajilion” freebies for visitors.

          Of course, Christmas is not just a commercial venture for Perryn.  He is one of the few remaining ones who remembers the traditions and joys of Christmases past. (I am another one.  Although, Significant Other says that I’m just old fashioned.) 

          For instance, there is the large ice skating rink with free skates available.  In front of Santa’s throne room (where there are gifts galore), a Christmas themed toy train that can be ridden slowly circles.  This particular piece of work was done by Wyvern Dryke, one of the creative souls who work with Perryn on his projects. 

          Further along the way, Santa’s reindeer and in their pen waiting for the word to ride out on Christmas Eve.  (Although, there appear to be three Rudolphs and the elves looked a little miffed to me.) 

          Across the street from the reindeer is a very large cup of cocoa which makes for some hilarious group pictures when Perryn cajoled poor Lenny Kenyon into joining us.  (She may never speak to us again especially after the picture (see below) gets out.) 

          As usual, Perryn ensures that food and drink are in abundance.  In front of a large dining hall with a warm and inviting fireplace, a booth serves free, hot cocoa. 

          On the outside wall of the dining hall, a large Advent calendar hangs.  Unlike traditional Advent calendars that run up to Christmas, December 25^th, Perryn’s runs to December 31^st.  (OK, maybe he’s not such a traditionalist after all.)  Each day offers a new freebie to visitors. 

          Elsewhere, strollers can have free Christmas cards made.  (I hope inworld postage is cheaper than what it currently is in the US now.)  A Christmas tree farm lies at the corner of a large street leading away from Santa’s throne.  Ambient music is supplied by Rufus Gracemount of The Arcadian Minstrel. 

          Perryn hits the right balance with the Christmas decorations.  I find there is a right way and a wrong way like most things in life whether Real or Second.  The right way is an appropriate blend of light, color, and wonder.  Look at a child’s eyes and you’ll see what I mean.  The wrong way looks like a rundown department store one step away from bankruptcy.  Sadly, there have been too many of these in America of late. 

          But to happier matters, once again Perryn has attracted the best and the brightest of SL merchants to his extravaganza.  I can’t mention all of them or this would turn into the Yellow Pages.  I call out several but mean no slight to those not mentioned.  Saraid Dalglish returns with the Mad Hattery and its creative hats.  Sanna Jupiter, a RL neuroscientist, is presenting her wares.  Cyne Christenson displays his original artwork from Sunlight Studios. 

          And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the work of Arcadia Asylum, who has returned to SL as Aley Resident, is available and shouldn’t be missed. 

          Our tour comes to an end and I thank Perryn for his time and wish him Happy Holidays.  I watch him walk off down the street as I copy down my notes.  The man seems very happy in his work.  Wouldn’t you? 

          A tour through one of Perryn’s events always seems like a whirlwind and I feel that I never do justice to it all but I hope the little that I’ve described entices you to visit.  Even if you either don’t observe Christmas or are an Ebenezer Scrooge (The two are mutually exclusive, I’m not implying anything!), drop by and see very creative and original work and a little bit of the magic!

          Christkindlmarkt will be open until December 31^st and Santa Claus himself will be on hand sometimes when he can pull himself away from his North Pole workshop. 

I’ve included a few pictures from my tour around Christkindlmarkt.  But, please go and see the sim for yourselves and have a good time!  You’ll be glad you did.       

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.    

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

  

Photo No. 1  Lenny, Perryn, and Me

Photo No. 2  View from Landing Zone

Photo No. 3  Softlight Studios

Photo No. 4  Town Backdrop

Photo No. 5  Merchants Lane

Photo No. 6  Gingerbread Shops

Photo No. 7  Santa Skulls

Photo No. 8  Christmas Train

Photo No. 9  Ice Skating Rink

Photo No. 10 Santa’s Throne

Photo No. 11 Santa’s Reindeer

Photo No. 12 Hot Cocoa!

Photo No. 13 In from the Cold with Food and Drink

Photo No. 14 Advent Calendar with Daily Gifts

Photo No. 15 Another View of the Town

Photo No. 16 Carousel

Photo No. 17 Large Hot Chocolate Cup

Photo No. 18 Seasons Greetings!

Photo No. 19 Merchants’ Carts

Photo No. 20 Christmas Trees

Photo No. 21 Merchants’ Booths

Photo No. 22 The Mad Hattery

 

STEAM 7: The Kick-off Party (and a Mystery!)

 

It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.

John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

          The Hunt has begun!

          STEAM 7 has started and will run until the end of the month.  Perryn Peterson’s steampunk extravaganza is off and I should know.  Last night I attended Perryn’s kick-off party at the Mieville Arcadia Asylum & Freebie Centre.    As usual, his flair for throwing a party and drawing a crowd that has a great time was in evidence. 

          Perryn had hinted previously of a mysterious inworld master scripter who had disappeared along with her legacy which devotees are trying to unearth.  (Can one unearth something in a virtual world?)  A party and a mystery, how could I refuse? 

          I’m one of the first guests to arrive and Perryn is there to greet me with his usual bonhomie and sartorial elegance.  (I have to ask him where he buys his hats.)  Surrounding us is a world that I don’t typically associate with the worlds of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells.  A grim, urban dystopia looms around us.  I feel like I’m in a Hollywood back lot for a Mad Max movie.  A police cruise sits at the curb with its lights flashing.  I’m not sure why there’s a flying saucer with little green aliens carrying in an unconscious guest, but, hey this is Second Life (SL).

          Yep, just the kind of place that I’d expect Perryn to select for a kick-off party!  Now, here’s where it gets fun and mysterious.  This sim represents the reconstructed body of work of one of the great builders of SL’s Golden Age.  None other than arcadia asylum herself.   

          Perryn had made a quick reference to this when we’d last met.  Tonight, I’m introduced to the whole story.  (Now, don’t worry, this story’s about the STEAM 7 kick-off party.  But, I can’t just ignore this.  Perryn chose this location for a reason.)  Perryn introduces me to Prof. Grey (AKA brian61 landar).  He is a dapper, scholarly looking gentleman dressed as I would expect of someone who looks like he’d just stepped out of a Vernes novel.  Prof. Grey has been charged with telling me the story of arcadia asylum. 

          Prof. Grey and I walk through the arriving merchants and hunters who are dancing in the streets led by Perryn himself.  Prof. Grey begins to tell me about the legend of arcadia asylum.  Seems that back in the day of early SL, she was quite the scripter and also believed all objects should be free or as close to free as possible.  Then one day for reasons that are still unclear to me, arcadia decides to unload her fairly hefty body of work and leave SL.  Gone.  Done.  Except (There’s always one isn’t there?) that she purportedly has several alts and keeps an eye on things inworld.  Some of her friends may know who she is and when she’s on, but if they do, they’re keeping mum about it. 

          OK, now I love a mystery just like everyone else.  This one is cool even by Real Life (RL) standards.  But it gets better.  Seems that many people inworld either knew arcadia or of her work.  They formed the Arcadia Asylum Recovery Group (AARG) and have been reconstructing her work inworld.  Mieville Arcadia Asylum & Freebie Centre is the result of that labor of love.  (Except for the flying saucer, little green aliens, and the ruined building next door.)  A plaque in front of a pawn shop (Hey, I keep saying the Great Recession is hurting SL!)  I get the sense of a lost civilization being resurrected from the dust. 

          Prof. Grey and I visit several shops and an exhibit displaying arcadia’s work which, BTW, is all free.  Yes, free.  Check it out.  In the hall, only photos of her work can be shown because they are too big to be displayed.  This woman definitely knew how to build ‘em! 

          When looking at arcadia’s work, attention should be paid to the detail particularly the textures.  She made many herself.  Her work is functional whether it’s an armoire or a subway car. 

          Prof. Grey also takes me to an exhibit of arcadia’s work which is on the sea bottom.  The environment is completely different from what I’d seen on the street topside.  The fish, plant life, and other objects show the true creative range of arcadia.  Unfortunately, this exhibit will be taken down after the party.  (I do have a link to a picture of it with Prof. Grey below.) 

          After surfacing, we make our way back to the street party which is now becoming riotous. Unfortunately, between all the older scripts which are processor intensive and all the guests, lag is a killer tonight.  I’ve already been bounced a couple of times.  Perryn is known for bringing the house down with his parties but he’s really outdone himself this time. 

          I thank Perryn and Prof. Grey and leave.  The party is still going full blast as I make my way out. 

          If the kick-off party is any indicator then STEAM 7 should be great.  It’s under way now and starts at the recently renovated Laughing Gryphon House in Mieville Doyle Victorian Steampunk sim.  The theme this time is “Time & Space” honoring H. G. Wells.  Participating merchants will try to incorporate this concept into their gifts to the hunters.   

          Speaking of the merchants, Perryn estimates that there will be about one hundred and forty for STEAM 7 including some hunters like Glorf Bulmer who are now merchants themselves.  Several dozen merchants are new to the Hunt which Perryn believes is a real plus to the increasing popularity of the Hunts.  From the Laughing Gryphon the hunters will first visit the shops of two other Hunt organizers, JoseDiego Silverspar and Wyvern Dryke.   

          I encourage everyone to go to STEAM 7 and enjoy themselves.  Meet the merchants and other hunters.  I guarantee a good time will be had by all.  I hope to see you there as I’ll be covering the Hunt. 

          Finally, I will be returning to look at arcadia asylum more closely, both her life and work.  And, maybe, just maybe I might be able to meet her!  If you read this arcadia, I’ll do an interview on your terms.

As always, I’m grateful to all for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.

Below are a few pictures of the places I visited for this story.  Please go yourself and look at arcadia’s work.  Pictures, especially mine, do not do it justice. 

  

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

     If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

Photo No. 1 STEAM 7: The Hunt Poster (with credit to Tattoo Lane)

Photo No. 2 Laughing Gryphon House

Photo No. 3 Perryn Peterson

Photo No. 4 Mieville Arcadia Asylum & Freebie Centre Street Scene

Photo No. 5 Mieville Arcadia Asylum & Freebie Centre Exhibit Hall

Photo No. 6 Arcadia Asylum Commemorative Plaque

Photo No. 7 Arcadia Asylum Wanted Poster

Photo No. 8 Mieville Arcadia Asylum & Freebie Centre Freebies Centre

Photo No. 9 Mieville Arcadia Asylum & Freebie Centre City Mission

Photo No. 10 Prof. Grey Under the Sea

Photo No. 11 The Aliens Have Landed!