Online Santas unprecedented demand: A Georgian Christmas and New Year

Georgian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7. However, Santa Claus appears bearing gifts on December 31, New Year’s Eve, in Georgia.

The Financial newspaper in Georgia reported that Santa businesses in the country are devising more creative ways to improve their business due to the diminishing interest in Santa Claus by Georgian children. Santa calling businesses in Georgia say that over the past 2-3 years, their businesses have been waning.

This year, Santa businesses have hired mountaineers and artists to perform Santa roles—such as climbing up buildings and homes. The service at about USD$100 includes Santa coming down from the top of the house and giving children gifts right at their window or balcony. When Santa businesses first started in Georgia, in about 1996, they only had snowmen (the traditional Georgian Christmas character), then they introduced rope-dancers and Santa—door-knocking Santas. Most Santa services cost about $40-$50 and can be accompanied by other artists, such as Spiderman, Pepi, Musketeers, and acrobats. Students are typically hired for these positions. Santas can perform for 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the client. Clients include parents, companies, schools and kindergartens.

This year, to add creativity, not only can parents hire door-knocking Santas, but climbing Santas are also available. However, the number of orders is low—less than 50 orders to date. Orders are likely to increase in the week before New Year’s Eve. Surprisingly, the businesses say, the traditional Georgian snowman is not in demand this year.

Online Santas, however, are on the increase. According to techcrunch.com the number of Santa downloads has reached 41 million this year (over the last 6 months of 2010). In 2011, this number is expected to increase to 100 million. Doesn’t it seem not like Christmas …

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Comments

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog