Location: Antiqua Paradise (61,210,698)

Well 'tis the season to be jolly, and from what I've seen this week in Second Life, there are some folks that have worked their talents beyond expectations to create amazing and wonderful Christmas and holiday things!

With sculpty prims and folks getting really good at Photoshopping textures, we are seeing better-than-ever builds. Those textures must be getting easy, because now folks are adding entire sound scapes, tons of background details, free gifts galore, and fun things to do. I'm so impressed!

Let's begin our tour with the very impressive Macy's Christmas Day Parade in downtown New York, where you pass Grand Central Station and go under a tunnel to find the best rendition of Times Square I have ever seen. Find free stuff - beyond getting your bag of roasted chestnuts, don't miss the dumpster diving. I went diving like five times! You find awesome stuff! It had me really feeling the city groove.

Oh, and remember to try the iceskating at Rockafeller Center - you'll be amazed at the skating chops your avi has!

Location: Dacia (219, 174, 25)

Next, a Santa Workshop that is truly impressive. Not only elves working downstairs and sleeping upstairs, but I'm telling you the giving spirit is in the air here! Mrs. Claus has freebies for you in the kitchen, there's a freebie snowman avatar (a good one, too!) out front, and under the tree... wheeee! The mother load of freebie cool holiday gifts!

Awe, cute sleeping little elves, working on the night shift.

Wow, I didn't know that reindeer were that big! Of course, I'm only about 5'4" in world.

DiGi Zeta came with me to some of these places... she also did her own hunt and exploring to find some of the coolest gingerbread houses in SL. Check out her post on them at http://www.craftypod.com/?p=328. Oh, and for those folks that want the slurls to find those houses, here you go; go on the gingerbread house tour & hunt!

Hooktip (236, 122, 132)
Machhapuchhre (55, 128, 96)
Klebb (235, 103,32)
Mystery (143, 96, 22)
Dacia (219, 174, 25)

Have fun, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!