Christmas tree

We have a Christmas tree outside our building, just with lights, but it sure makes the area seem nicer and lighter these days. 

The lights were switched on on the first Sunday of Advent - and they will be lighting until after New Year. 

On the eve of the first Sunday in Advent

The evening of the lighting of the tree (aka the first Sunday in Advent) it was cold.. it was so cold that walking around the tree singing had to be done to some energetic songs so that people could get warm again. (Gløgg didn't really help much, I'm afraid..)

The next day.

The following days were warmer. Which is quite evident in the picture above. The grass is green - and on our balchony, the spanish margerits (spanske margeritter, the flower) have been green and growing - mid-december.. but in summer they almost died of the heat. Figures..

Light bulbe.

I tested some filters on my camera phone. One of the light bulbes on the tree was the lucky "victim". 

Quite interesting to see the result from the different filters. 

Black and white. 

Nice glow.

More blue'ish feeling?

Old-fashioned?

Finally! Last night it started to snow! This morning the ground was covered, the roofs of the nearby buildings were white, and the cars parked along the street and in the parking lot were also covered in a soft, thin layer of snow. The whole world suddenly seems cosier, warmer and lighter - as if hope suddenly returned to the otherwise dark and gray world of November and December. 

The tree, photo taken 18.12.2014.

It sure beats rain and not seeing the sun for ages (or so it seems). The sun is absent today too, but the pureness of the snow helps lift the mood. 

The veiw from my office today, 18.12.2014.

There's even snow downtown. Not much, but enough to lighten the view. As you can see from the photo taken from my office window. Someone claimed yesterday that it would snow last night, and that it would stay until after Christmas Eve. I'm not quite sure it will, but we will enjoy it while it lasts.