Holidays Are Here!

Watch the video to fly among the branches of our Christmas tree!

A Walk-In Wonder

Now that the holiday season is in full swing at Castle in the Air, I can reveal to you the wonderful project we've all been working on. The picture above might look like a vintage postcard, but it's actually a walk-in tableau! You and your friends and family are invited to bring your camera to Castle in the Air and snap a holiday scene in front of the card, or step inside and pose in the wood-framed window in front of our snowy backdrop. Visitors who remember our Mermaid Grotto photo booth from early last year say that this one is just as grand -- come see for yourself!

Revealed!

Huzzah and Hooray! The Grand Transformation is complete and the Winter Wonderland is revealed! We burned the midnight oil, as well as a bit of dawn oil, putting the finishing touches on two floors of holiday ornaments, decorations, and treats. The gnomes were especially helpful, probably because we didn't have our fairy-hunting exhibit this year. And even though they don't have much use for metal pins, I hereby award our resident brownies the fairyland equivalent of the Blue Castle Badge for all their hard work throughout the year keeping our shelves tidy and labeled, with everything in its place. Organization pays off -- it helped us create our Wonderland that much quicker this year!



Castle in the Air has been through the Grand Transformation nine years in a row, and I've got to say that this year's holiday display is the most amazing one yet. We have so many new wonders to share with you, and for the first time ever, two floors for you to explore as you get ready for your holidays.

Here We Go!

Holiday Haps on Fourth

Castle in the Air isn't the only place on Fourth Street to undergo a Grand Transformation for the holidays. In fact, the street itself turns into a winter wonderland with activities, treats, and visits from Santa. We'll be posting notices for the different happenings as they draw near. Here are a few starting this weekend.










Extended Shopping Hours
Beginning Monday the 21st, many shops will begin staying open until 7:00 pm to give you a chance to enjoy Fourth Street into the evening.

Holiday Street Lights
Beginning this Friday at dusk, Fourth Street will be aglow with thousands and thousands of colored lights. It seems the display gets bigger every year, and it turns the street into an even grander place for an evening stroll.

Free Cocoa and Hot Cider at Chocolatier Blue Patisserie
Just a few doors south of Castle in the Air (at 1809A Fourth Street), Chocolatier Blue Patisserie is one of the newest additions to the neighborhood. We're often stopping by for their scrumptious chocolates and tarts. Also starting this Friday, you can visit them between 4:30 and 7:00 each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening to enjoy live music and a complimentary hot cider or cocoa.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Whatcha doin'?" It's a fairly common question at Castle in the Air, especially among the staff. There are at least two qualities I would say we all share here at the shop -- our own artistic expertise and a curiosity about each others' work. So it's often the case that we collaborate on projects, especially large ones around the holidays. Sometimes it's planned, and other times it grows out of that simple question: "Whatcha doin'?"

Take the holiday wonder John McRae's been putting together for us. (I promise I'll tell you what it is soon. I know, I'm dying to tell you too, but I'm kind of enjoying the suspense!) When he realized that it needed a wintry backdrop scene, he asked if I could pitch in. Of course!

So here's one more tantalizing glimpse at what we're putting together. It will be up in the store after the Grand Transformation this Thursday. But until then, you can find out more by dropping by, peering over our shoulders, and asking "Whatcha doin'?"