每到了快十二月，在新北市政府都會有長達一個多月的聖誕節主題活動，會有各式各樣的裝置藝術，遍布在市民廣場、站前廣場、萬坪公園及板橋火車站等地，把這一帶妝點成充滿著歡樂氣氛的城堡，也是聖誕節最潮的打卡熱點之一，不過，對於住在周邊的居民而言，就是一場惡夢，因為每到了晚上都會有很多慕名而來的人群，把附近擠得水洩不通，但是對於有在做生意的店家而言，是個可以輕鬆賺錢的好時機。
我不是每年都會去那邊看看的，今年是剛好有朋友很難得碰面，他們需要搭火車離開，想說趁機去那邊看看，體驗一下聖誕氣氛，而當我們的聚會結束後，他們要搭火車的話，也較為方便，話不多說，我們就朝著那裏出發，到的時間還早，但是在廣場上，已經有個小小的市集，賣著各式特色小吃，串燒攤的老闆，還穿著日式風格的服裝，主打純正日式風味烤串，及大阪燒、鯛魚燒、章魚燒等日式小點心，最近的天氣真的好冷喔！喝冷飲的話，會感覺到全身都凍住了，越喝越冷，而賣熱飲的攤位，生意超級好的，買熱飲的人群總是絡繹不絕。
到達晚會現場時，人潮更是洶湧，表演舞台附近更是人山人海，我和朋友正好收集附近的幾個聖誕樹，可惜的是，時間相對較早，聖誕樹還未點燈，話說當下，主聖誕樹突然亮了，不過，其它的樹還要晚些，才會點燈，我們趁機逛逛附近的攤位，這些攤位，只有少數的攤位賣食物，大部分的攤位都是些遊戲攤，提供一些像是射飛鏢、棒球九宮格、彈珠台之類的小遊戲，不過，這些遊戲攤生意超級好的，不少父母都讓孩子們去體驗這些遊戲，就連旋轉木馬這類的大型遊樂設施，也是一堆人在排隊體驗。
至於晚會，則是散播著宗教平安喜樂的表演內容，畢竟這算是聖誕節主題活動之一，也是教友每年的重要聚會活動，活動是各教會合辦的，所以，並不是我一開始以為的演唱會形式的表演，而是分享耶誕佳節的歡樂與喜悅性質的演出，不過，撇開那些宗教意味太重的表演活動，整場活動倒是熱鬧非凡，讓人們在這樣寒冷的天氣中，也不覺得那麼冷了。
Every year, as December approaches, New Taipei City Government hosts over a month of Christmas-themed activities. The area around Citizen Square, Station Front Plaza, Wanping Park, and Banqiao Train Station is filled with all sorts of art installations, transforming it into a festive wonderland. It’s one of the trendiest spots for Christmas selfies. However, for the nearby residents, it’s more of a nightmare because every evening, massive crowds gather, making the area incredibly congested. On the flip side, it’s a golden opportunity for local businesses to make easy money.
I don’t go there every year, but this time, I happened to have a rare meetup with some friends who needed to take the train afterward. So, we figured we’d check out the Christmas vibe there, and it would be convenient for them to catch their train when we wrapped up. Without further ado, we headed over. We arrived early, and there was already a small market in the square selling all sorts of snacks. There was a skewer stand where the owner dressed in Japanese-style attire, offering authentic Japanese skewers, along with snacks like okonomiyaki, taiyaki, and takoyaki. Lately, the weather’s been freezing! Drinking something cold makes you feel frozen to the bone, so hot drinks were in high demand. The stalls selling them were doing booming business, with a constant stream of customers.
By the time we reached the main event site, the crowd had grown even bigger. Near the performance stage, it was absolutely packed. My friends and I decided to check out the Christmas trees nearby. Unfortunately, since it was still early, the lights on the trees weren’t on yet. Then, all of a sudden, the main Christmas tree lit up! But the other trees were scheduled to light up later. While waiting, we wandered around the stalls. Most weren’t selling food—only a handful were. The majority were game stalls offering activities like dart-throwing, baseball grid games, and pinball machines. These game stalls were incredibly popular, with many parents letting their kids try them out. Even the carousel-type attractions had long lines of people waiting for a turn.
As for the evening performances, they focused on spreading the message of peace and joy, fitting for a Christmas event. After all, it’s an annual gathering for churchgoers, organized by multiple churches. It wasn’t the concert-style show I initially imagined but rather performances sharing the happiness and blessings of the Christmas season. Setting aside the parts that felt overly religious, the event was lively and festive overall, making the chilly weather feel a lot less cold.
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