Photos By Gail

A few months back, I found myself in Staten Island for an art show and decided to squeeze in a little window shopping on my way back to the ferry. That’s when I wandered into a gift shop so heavily decorated for Pride that I thought I’d stepped into a rainbow vortex — in the best possible way. Front and center was what I can only describe as a Pride-themed Christmas Tree, and honestly, it might be one of the most joyful things I’ve ever seen.

This technicolor wonder was absolutely loaded with ornaments — dozens of rainbow treasures of every shape imaginable. In the top photo alone, you can spot whimsical rainbow baubles, blown-glass Pride flags, and bright hearts emblazoned with mantras like “Love Is Love.” There was even a rainbow Santa holding court among the branches, because why shouldn’t Santa be fabulous?

Every color of the rainbow was represented, not only through the ornaments but also through decorative ribbons and garland that wrapped the tree like a technicolor hug. The deeper I looked, the better it got: I spotted individual Christmas balls featuring the likenesses of icons like Madonna and RuPaul, plus a few saucy ornaments that added a wink of grown-up humor.

I neglected to write down the name of the store (rookie mistake), but I’m so glad I snapped a few photos to remember this gloriously gay holiday masterpiece. May your season be merry, bright, and — most importantly — fabulously queer. Have the gayest Christmas, ever!