How do you add cheer to the end of the year in an open-air, stroll-by, feel-the-festive-spirit way?
By creating a free-to-see series of pop-up artworks that have plenty of local cred.
St. Helena did just that as December 2020 approached. Several shop owners and wineries added colorfully decorated wine barrels to their walkways and driveways, all to bring some cheer to a season that needed all the cheer it could get.
They're on display through the day after New Year's Day, but if you're sticking to home this season, you can admire them from afar, all while planning a future visit to the endearing and enduring Napa Valley town.
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St. Helena
From Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to traditional trees, the painted wine barrels of St. Helena added delightful sights to the final month of 2020.
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Warmest wishes, on behalf of Gillwoods Cafe, add charm to a coffee cup-style barrel, complete with whipped cream and a candy cane.
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"Home for the holidays" has been a theme for so many, and this pretty wine barrel shares the important message.
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Pennyweight, the pretty paper-and-lots-more store, is framed by two nicely lit barrels.
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Pups have an important place in the St. Helena way of living, so it is no surprise to see a cute dog illustration on this Fideaux wine barrel.
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Heart, love, and good cheer was seen in so many of the barrels' whimsical and meaningful paintings.
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Local wineries got in on the gleeful way to greet the season.
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We wish we were there, too, dear St. Helena.
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But cheers to seeing you in 2021. May your celebratory spirit, seen in these beautiful barrels, last well into the new year and beyond.
