Still More Christmas Places

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

I am trying to ignore all the clothing sales and continue my Christmas décor tour. I spent the Friday after Thanksgiving decorating my houseboat for the season. Saturday I got back to Christmas décor shops . I love arriving at Under the Tree Christmas shop my first stop.

It always looks so gorgeous at the doorway with the shared environment. Inside is such a selection of any type of décor, lovely trees in one area, tables with little gifts and decorations for your own tables and signs for your walls. In the next area are delicious cakes , pies and pastries for your dining tables. Wonderful foods from ham turkey, prime rib platter and all the sides with utensils are available for purchase.

Another section is filled with delightful toys for all ages. I found some parents there trying to make decisions. Moving along into the next area I found wonderful outdoor scenery perfect for winter regions and snowy areas. Upstairs there is a great choice of furniture for the season.

From the main building I walked down the path to the barn where I found little animals that any family would like to add to their homes .Check out the whole store it is just packed with so much to look at , especially the toy section. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Larsen/84/211/103

Just down the hill in front of the store is a favorite stop of mine, Tex ‘s Tree Farm. Here you can pick your own tree and chop it down!

Grab and axe and go for it. It is great fun. The trim comes with the tree when you pick it up. I chopped down a tree but did not pick it up so it disappeared into the air.

Tex has his trees growing and ready to take but he also has some other trees already set to go if you like, or wreaths. Some of the trees allow you to pick and chose what you want for decorations on it. It is a fun family activity. Enjoy! Larsen is one of the all time winter regions so dress for it! http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Larsen/81/195/103

Christmas Delights is a great place to visit if you are looking for outfits among other items. They have over 300 outfits from formal to fun in their Santa’s closet. It is dazzling! I saw that ad and ran over there first to take a look at them all. They are from some well known creators so go take a look. I have to make a decision about a couple and will be back after I decide. Some cute holiday jewelry is also available there.

Outside one is surrounded by trees garlands, wreaths to choose from. Mickey and Minnie Mouse in their red oufits either standing or moving around for those who love these and other characters from comics and stories. For those who are prim conscious by necessity some 1 prim animations of Santas and other characters of the season. They impressed me with their cuteness! They also had some nice dances on sale for 50L and I grabbed a couple. There is a wealth of garlands on the wall here, some sparkling. On sale is a choice of two radios that are transferable with 20 Christmas stations available. Nice gift idea! Great place to just wander and check out all the décor. I saw some awesome skating figures for your pond.

If you want to try some skiing there is a hill to climb and a saucer rezzer along with skis . Grab a free set and also a saucer to take with you for the whole winter season. Below the hill is a great skating pond with skate balls for singles or couples. I saw some awesome skating figures for your pond. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gen/102/164/27

There are so many markets and shops full of seasonal décor I hope to get to a few more and then will get to more Christmas places you might like to visit that may have some shopping but more sites to just roam and take pictures.

Gemma Cleanslate

More Christmas (And Thanksgiving) Shopping

 

by Gemma Cleanslate

 

 

As I continued my travels in search of Christmas décor for your region or your home I came across a lovely display of Thanksgiving tables and décor at Botanica Holiday Store. I found sit down dinner tables and buffet tables with delicious treats. Balloons and wall décor, carpets and even a bakery counter. If you are looking for any of these stop over then go on to check out the gorgeous décor for Christmas.

Outside I found wall baskets of plants, wreaths, more than one carousel.

The exhibit hall is chuck full of all kinds of items to brighten your home with light and sound. A brass band is playing Christmas carols. Tall trees. poinsettias, and garlands are available. Look up and see the hanging mistletoe and other hanging décor.

Stop by the ice sheet skating if you need a good size pond. Mr. and Mrs. Claus are out there surrounded by penguins, gnomes and even a polar bear. Grab the free iceskates and join them on the ice. There is a race track game that will put your score up on the board. There are teleports available to take you to other Botanica sites for other types of plant decorations.

If you wish you can climb the stairs and stop in to have your hair done. Farther along the walkwayis a wonderful music shop with harps and old fashioned instruments that has a great sale of music boxes for 99L going on. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Blue%20Moon/182/233/23

I went over to the 8th Annual Christkindl Market & Advent Calendar 2022 . Divia’s Design and here too is a wonderful skating pond for you. Christmas stall circle the pond offering a huge variety of décor. Nativity scenes large and small, Santa balloons that circle in the air above, doll houses , Christmas shelves either empty or filled with baubles, are a few of the items I saw. If you want a chestnut roaster to grace your skate pond you will find it here.

Need a cozy winter cabin all furnished? There is one here for guests or for vacation on your winter parcel.Great price too.

I love the rotation Christmas Pyramid music box that comes in three sizes as does one of my favorite decorations, the Christmas globe! You know I bought one, I just can’t resist globes. There are some wonderful Welcome signs for your properties also. Take the long walk around to all the stalls so you don’t miss any of the possibilities for new decorations. If you join the group you will find a load of gifts in the Old Barn behind the skating pond. Here is your entrance. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wildwood/130/32/22

Do you love freebies and really inexpensive décor as much as I do? If so stop over at MiChIGaN's ShAcK! WINTER SALE. For group members there are great deals and a lot of freebies.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Michigan%20Cove/132/109/1702

Gemma Cleanslate

 

Reader Submitted: Club Cutlass and Club Zero Gravity

 

By Rita Mariner

Club Cutlass and Club Zero Gravity, go almost back to the founding of the Sunweavers Group, 15 years ago.  We had control of about 95% of the sim. So it dawned on us to create a couple of hangout spots, for the Sunweavers.

Since the theme of the sim was pirates, we had a pirate ship, in the harbor, and Club Cutlass was located inside, the fort, overlooking the harbor. Kind of leading to Club Cutlass always being an open air club.

We then installed Club Zero Gravity, into a nearby ravine, covering it over.  Shockwave Yareach then created anti-gravity belts you could wear, allowing you to dance, while floating in mid-air, or prancing on one of the planets or moons.

After getting tired of the restrictions imposed on mainland, we opted for a private estate. I believe we put Club Cutlass floating over our new estate of Buccaneer Bay. But this time it was an Aztec style castle. It remained as such for a few years.

 

Club Zero Gravity was setup, on Sunweaver Space.  It was a huge sphere and inside the tables floated around. I am not sure if we ever got it on line, as we were always tinkering with it.

The next reincarnation of Club Cutlass was like the ELO album cover, the round doughnut, It was designed and built by Indio Quinnell.  Then after a while, there was a disagreement over the club with Indio as to ownership. We simply replaced it with the current Steampunk Pirate Airship.

 

As time passes and technology improves and attendees keep growing in numbers. We have opted to upgrade current airship to a new improved, design.  More room, even for Dragons!  So even after 15 years Club Cutlass and even it's sister club Club Zero G, still have it where it counts!

Rita Mariner

Various Halloween Places

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

It's Halloween, and people across Second Life are "getting their spook on." While traditionally an American holiday, more people across the world are adopting it to some degree. For kids, the holiday has changed somewhat over the years from kids playing pranks on neighbors, to going door to door dressed up in costume chanting "trick or treat" after some of the pranks got not so harmless, to more parents opting to take their kids to Halloween parties instead in response to a few sick people hiding dangerous items in candy. For adults who are kids at heart, there's always been the chance to dress up in costume. 

 

And here in Second Life, the holiday allows residents to go wild with their looks, and those who already don't have much of a problem occasionally changing their looks to go truly wild. 

And you can do more than just look wild. There's various Halloween-themed places around Second Life. The Destination Guide lists over a hundred.

Among them was Castle Dracula, from Prehistorica, "Journey to 1890s Transylvania in search of the missing Jonathan Harker. Explore the colossal castle of Count Dracula in search of his journals, meet the Count Himself, and do try to stay among the living...if you can."

 

"Castle Dracula: A Gothic Horror Experience is a massive, immersive narrative-driven haunt unlike any other, 14 years in the making, and open to the public from October 2022."

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fort%20Nowhere/21/240/1401/

Some established places got a new look. Inspire Space Park has long been known as a must-see place in Second Life, one which we wrote about early in our history. Not representing any location in real life or science-fiction, it's more of a cosmic dream in which one can dance among the stars. Lately though, part of the area has been sporting a slightly new look, a spooky one for the season. the "Dark Alice in Wonderland."

 

A dark, twisted realm has descended upon Inspire Space Park. Inspired by the Dark Alice in Wonderland with a Burtonesque flare, make this Halloween fun and enchanting! Visit for an exciting Alice Madness that's sure to be Spooktacular! Be sure to explore the park and discover all of the hidden wonders! 

 

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shinda/79/200/1559

 

 Belliseria has it's "Trick or Treat" event. Get a HUD and Candy Bucket at various locations, such as Millbank (205/38/23). The bucket is not to carry, but to rezz at any house in Bellisseria. 

Go around the Linden Home continent, and look for the glowing pumpkin-like candy buckets. Touching one when close enough is another point on your HUD. Sometimes in Bellisseria group chat homeowners with buckets will post SURLs of their places.

 

 Some of the Linden Homes have been quite decorated. 

Also in Millbank is the Linden and Moles' haunted neighborhood. Plenty of spooky sights and scary sounds, such as screams and the sounds of crashes and chainsaws.

Keep an eye behind you though. Not all the scares there come from the Lindens.

 Twice a year at the Abnormality sim is "The Guild," formerly known as the "Gacha Guild." The place has numerous items for sale, notably Halloween-themed ones.

There weren't any "must-have" avatars that I heard about, such as the Spirit Fennec and the Chibi Noodle Dragon in the past. But there was the Halftime Hunt that went live in the middle of the month. One would get a HUD and a light and then start searching.

The object was to look for weird flowers in a suburban neighborhood with a dark spooky feel. You could come back the next day and find them over again, and exchange the points for prizes.

 

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Abnormality/128/128/1756

 

 A post-apocalyptic place can be scary in itself. But what if you add ghosts? This Halloween, the Deathlands is offering "The Haunted Bunker Hunt."

The backstory involves "Ghostly Gene," the lone occupant of a military bunker who survived the nuclear blasts, only to zombify and fall apart. Your quest is to go in, and brave the monsters and other ghosts in the rusty old facility. Bloody footprints and handprints give clues on where to go and touch.

The object is to recover all of Gene's bones so this one lost soul will be at peace, which are kept track of on the HUD. The reward for winning is a Deathlands-style adult bed from Goddess Creations (which is appropriate for a post-apocalyptic land as eventually the land heals and it's time to repopulate).

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Paradise%20Kingdom/88/35/22

 

 

At Mieville is "Haunted Nawlins."

 

 No, that's not a player, but a (friendly) NPC.

 

 Besides the spooky sights, there's a Trick or Treat game in which you can wear a free HUD or a deluxe one that offers some bonuses. Look for houses with lighted porches and knock on the doors to get points, which can be exchanged for prizes at the French Market. More information can be found here: https://lfxnawlins.blogspot.com/

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mieville%20Poe/128/128/23 

 

 Taking a look at Caledon Downs, there's a ghost train ride at Caledon Downs (198/41/44). 

Just touch the coffin in the tracks, and 'ol 666 will quickly arrive. Just sit down and it will spirit you away.

The ride is best viewed in mouselook. No shortage of thrills. 

There's also a ghost hunt in the area. Just get any gun that fires bullets and fire away. But be quick as the ghosts appear and vanish within seconds (contact Cynthia Farshore or Shockwave Yareach if you have trouble or questions).

 

You can keep track of scores at the Goblin Cave at Caledon Downs (123/102/31). There was also a mention of a pumpkin hunt there. The notecard gives five clues to look for the five pumpkins and get a prize for finding them. But you may not want to try for more than one per gourd.

 

And the sim itself has no shortage of spooky sights.

Farshore Field has it's own ghost hunt. You may need to be a member of the Sunweaver  group for the guns to work properly though.

Ghosts aren't exactly the best thing for an airport, hence the open season on them.  You can check out the scores in Joy Mountain at Sunlight Bay (44/55/43).

 

 The main community's beach club, the Happy Vixen, temporarily moved it's events to it's yearly Halloween Haunt. This year, it's "The House on Haunted Hill."

The place is full of spooky and creepy sights, courtesy of Jasmine Dawn.

 

 It's been the sight of many fun parties.

With plenty of fun spooky looks by some.

 

 

 

 

The house is at Purrfection Estates (207/210/2501). But not everyone can teleport directly there. For those who end up at the beach club, there's a teleport chest in the middle of the blue dance floor. Touch it to go up and enjoy.

On a final note, the Lab Gab on Thursday Oct 27 listed several places. So by all means check it out.

That's it for now. We may have time to list a few more spooky sights. For now, go out and have some spook-tacular fun. 

Bixyl Shuftan