So I had a choice last Wednesday: Publish some of the photos I took when I went to ENCHANTE at night and saw everything finished and ready to go or go to a gift show associated with the National Finals Rodeo, currently in town. ENCHANTE had already been a subject of this column and I had been to a number of rodeo-related gift shows in past.

I know, I’ll do something different. I will go to a popular local casino, Green Valley Ranch, and photograph their decorations! And when I’m done, then (just maybe) I’ll gamble a little as well.

Off I go, but no decorations on the outside of the main entrance of Green Valley Casino, so I walked inside looking for the decorations. No Decorations–except (barely) at the restaurants. The Bottiglia restaurant that was partially open had several small decorations; a sign outside Hank’s Restaurant advertised a holiday dinner, and the bushes outside Green Valley’s West entrance with red berries looked appropriate. Otherwise…you would have thought it was the middle of July! Don’t the locals celebrate the holidays?

On Thursday, I went looking for decorations elsewhere.

I was invited to a FIORE luncheon at the Italian American Club and though I didn’t have a camera with me, a kind young man named Dave took a photo for me. The Italian American Club had plenty of decorations, trees in every corner, and in one corner an upside-down Christmas tree, a unique decoration for the holiday to be sure. That’s the photo I wanted from Dave.

Later that night I went with a friend to The Composer’s Room for Kelly Clinton’s show.. But first, outside, a great tree of lights had been erected—tall and stately. Behind the tree were Santa and two reindeer. And once inside the showroom, the stage piano had also been decorated. The show began, and Kelly herself wore a red sparkling outfit. She then ended her show with a skit playing–Mrs. Santa.

I’ve been enjoying this holiday season with two other shows that were all holiday. Clint Holmes show on Sunday afternoon, featuring Kelly, Antonio Fargas and a choir from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, was holiday wonderful. The Tuscany Suites Piazza Room, Sunday night, had lots of holiday decor, even on the table-tops, that was joyful for Riita Lim’s Sunday night audience.

I’m told that as a matter of good taste and respect for other people’s holiday traditions, Green Valley Ranch rarely has “Christmas decorations”. Nonetheless, I’m going to be gambling elsewhere.