RonnieAdventures: RonnieAdventure #0549 - Bellagio Conservatory 2022 Christmas Arrangement

Picture by Kolohe

Bellagio Conservatory's 2022 Christmas Arrangement is titled Gingerbread Dreams, A Holiday Confection because gingerbread is used extensively in the displays. I did not stop to count them, but according to the Bellagio the Arrangement contains 15,000 gingerbread men, 2,000 peppermints, and 500 chocolate hearts on the large gingerbread cottage. The cottage contains 800 pounds of faux white frosting. There is a sign in the Conservatory asking visitors not to eat the displays!

Other Conservatory decorations include 140,000 Poinsettias, 13,250 white carnations, and 18 giant gingerbread and mirror snowflakes. The nutcrackers in front of the cottage stand 14-feet-tall.

Picture by Kolohe

On the north side of the Arrangement there are three large eggs that were inspired by Faberge. (Eggs are symbolic of hope and purity.) Inside of the center egg is a 5-foot-tall gingerbread house.

Picture by Kolohe

A total of 4,800 roses were used to make the four giant poinsettias,

The Arrangement's focal point is a 42-foot-tall White Fir Tree from Mr. Shasta in California. Tree decorations include 10,000 lights and 8,700 ornaments. There are an additional 41 other white fir trees in the display that contain a total of 100,000 lights.

Picture by Kolohe

A model train runs around the tree and this year the front of the train is equipped with a point-of-view camera. Monitors are located at several locations in the conservatory so visitors can see the forward view as the train circles the Christmas display.

Picture by Kolohe

Surrounding the 42-foot-tall tree are five model shops and a chapel. Smoke can be seen coming from some of the chimneys.

Picture by Kolohe

Included in the Arrangement is a winter picture that is made completely of flowers and other plant materials.

On the south side of the Conservatory, Santa's elves are busy making presents and hanging decorations while polar bears play nearby.

Picture by Kolohe

The hotel lobby always has nice displays that complements the Conservatory Arrangement.

Picture by Kolohe

BONUS PICTURES

On December 17, 2022, Carter and Ada were married for time and all eternity. I really hate the cold weather, but I would not have missed the wedding for anything.

After the wedding and reception, everyone went home and crashed - including Sophia's cat. On the way back to Las Vegas I took a few pictures in the new Salt Like City Airport passenger terminal. It is really a nice facility and it was decorated for the holidays. There were Poinsettia plants throughout the terminal.

Picture by Kolohe

ANOTHER BONUS PICTURE

Ashley and Randy were at out house for Christmas and we enjoyed chocolate covered strawberries from Sheryl H. Then, the old grandparents had to show the young-ones how to play cards.

Picture by Kolohe

Remembering December 2002

When digital cameras were first made available to the public, I paid $40 for one that took really poor quality pictures without much resolution. I knew I would probably be using my Canon Single-Lens Reflex FTb film-camera for a long time.

Then, in December 2002, Kolohe said she wanted to get me a new digital camera for Christmas. I assured her that it would be a waste of money because I would probably never use it for anything except a boat anchor.

She gave me a Sony digital camera anyway and assured me that the picture quality from this digital cameras was substantially better than previous digital cameras.

On Christmas Eve we were with Heather's family, so I decided to taka a few digital pictures to pacify Kolohe. The first picture was of Andrew and the second picture was of Carter. I could not believe the quality and resolution of the pictures. Before we went home, I had taken 83-digital pictures and forgot about ever using my FTb camera again.

Santa gave Andrew a model rocket, so on Christmas day we went out into a vacant field and launched it for the first time.