Announcement: SL Christmas Expo Registration Now Open

 

It isn't just Linden Lab getting ready for the Christmas season a little early. So are the people behind the Second Life Christmas Expo. Earlier this month, they announced registration was open for bot special event sponsorship and merchant registration. 

 

This year's theme is "A Nutcracker Christmas." The event itself, which raises money for the American Cancer Society, runs from Friday November 27 to Sunday December 6. 

 

EOTB: Applications Being Accepted For Christmas Shop And Hop

 

It's still mid-October, and Halloween isn't for almost two weeks. But already Linden Lab is getting ready for the Christmas season. On Friday in the official Second Life blog, the Lab announced they were accepting applications for stores in this year's Holiday Shop and Hop.

 

Halloween may still be spookily lingering, but we’re already brewing up plans for the festive season! We’re excited to announce the return of our highly anticipated Holiday Shop & Hop event. Mark your calendars for a spectacular shopping extravaganza ...

 

Those interested in taking part need to fill out a Google doc form (here).  As with Shop and Hop events in the past, participating sellers need to offer a 20% discount on all items on sale, plus offer a free gift to any shopper regardless if they're in the store group or not. It either must be a new product, or a gift card worth at least 300 Linden dollars. All products, and store decoration, must be rated moderate. Nor is anything political permitted. And stores cannot be used to promote items at other events. 

 

Those interested in taking part have until Sunday October 25 to send in their applications. The Holiday Shop and Hop will take place from Friday December 4 to Sunday January 3, 2027. 

 

To read more about the Shop and Hop, Click Here.  

 

 Bixyl Shuftan

 

More on The Copperfield Heights Linden Homes

 

 

As reported earlier, on Thursday February 26 Linden Lab announced their latest model of Linden Homes: the Copperfield Heights homes, both in the official blog, and the forums. 

Copperfield Heights - Traditional Craftsman homes with spacious living areas and signature architectural design.

The newest in the line of Linden Homes has arrived. These warm craftsman styled homes feature wooden beams, custom wood elements and minimalist Craftsman interiors.

Copperfield Heights is open to all Plus, Premium and Premium Plus Residents. This collection of Craftsman style homes creates communities featuring natural elements and earth tones designed to create an authentic Arts & Crafts neighborhood in Second Life.

 * * * * *

 

 Copperfield Heights brings traditional Craftsman design with spacious living areas and signature architectural details inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement. Warm wood tones, exposed beams, natural stone elements, and multi-paned windows create a neighborhood that feels timeless and welcoming.

Open to Plus, Premium, and Premium Plus members, this collection expands the Linden Homes lineup with a focus on craftsmanship and comfort.

 

Dropping in myself for a look, the place looked like a nice suburb in the middle of winter. As it turns out the neighborhood is designed to change with the seasons, with greenery appearing in the spring, and in the fall the leaves turn brown and red. I would read, "Like Aspen Ridge, Copperfield Heights regions transform automatically throughout the year. ... There is nothing to manage. The seasons shift on their own."

 

But what sets this neighborhood apart from previous Linden Home areas is it's not just Premium homes, not just Premium Plus homes, but both! Among the 512 and 1024 square-meter lots one would expect to find in a Premium Linden Home area are some 2048 sm lots that were previously only in their own spacious neighborhoods. 

 

And in terms of variety of house design, this is the most diverse Linden Home area to date with a total of twelve models. There are four homes with 512 square meter lots, Glenwood, Laurel, Maple Grove, and Prairie. There are four with 1024 sm lots, Cedarwood, Meadowbrook, Millbrook, and Sunnydale. And there are four with 2024 sm lots, Maplecrest, Oakridge, Pinecrest, and Woodland. 

 

If you want to jump right in to look around, this spot is as good as any: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Winesap%20Ridge/128/128/25 

 

Update: The Copperfield Heights area has been expanded to 27 sims, including Copperfield Crossing which connects it to Bellissera. The shore has a boat rezzing area, near All Hours (169,150,23),  so you can sail across. The sims I saw at the edge looked green, so this being March, the change of seasons may have already happened. 

 

There may be further expansions, so those who are interested in a home here, keep an eye here for more sims later. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Winter Storms Hitting Middle Atlantic States

 

 It was just a week ago that a huge winter storm slammed into the Midwest and South of the USA, knocking out power for almost a million. Now another storm is bringing harsh weather to Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and parts of neighboring states. 

 

Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect for parts of the Southeast. In general, the worst weather will be where blizzard warnings or winter storm warnings are in effect on the map ...

Significant snowfall is likely in some of these areas this weekend. Travel is expected to become dangerous and power outages and closures are likely, some of which could last multiple days. Wind gusts closer to the North Carolina and southeast Virginia coast could drop visibility significantly.

 Yours truly is in the path of the storm, and there is the possibility of lost power. So we'll see how bad the conditions get.

 

Source: weather.com 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Winter Burn Festival Ends

 

 Last night were the final events of the Winter Burn, the Burn2 spinnoff event taking place in January at Burning Man Deep Hole. Late into the night, a few dozen people partied it up.

 

 While the DJs played music from the stage, some from the crowd cheering them on.

 

 While the events are over, aside from occasional unscheduled ones, the builds (most of them) will still be up for a few more days for those who couldn't make it or wanted to avoid the lag.

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/157/37/24 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Winter Storm Knocks Out Power For Almost A Million In The US

 

 This weekend brought weather woes to much of America. A massive snowstorm pushed into the Midwest and South, dumping lots of ice and snow and setting record low temperatures. 

 

Tree damage from ice accumulation has been reported all across the South. Icy roads have been reported as far south as a stretch of Interstate 10 near Kerrville, Texas, northwest of San Antonio, as well as in the Houston area. 

 

Yesterday, close to a million Americans were without power in a number of states, with over 800,000 as of the writing of this article. And as the storm is heading northeast, there may me some there who will soon be out of power. There were also many reports of grocery stores with numerous aisles of empty shelves. So some people may find items such as toilet paper hard to get for a short while

 

So if a Second Life resident who's on almost every day hasn't been on for a few days, this very well be the reason. Power should be restored to most within a few days. But for a few it may be over a week. 

 

Sources: weather.com, poweroutage.us, Yahoo.com

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

 

Winter Burn This Weekend (Last Events Tomorrow)

 

 For Burning Man fans, this weekend offers a treat. The Winter Burn event is taking place at Deep Hole Burning Man, with numerous builds on the sim and music events.  The theme for this year's Winter Burn is Winter Gardens

 

From January 23 to January 25, BURN2 returns with Winter Burn, transforming the Playa into snow-dusted Winter Gardens filled with handcrafted glass greenhouses. Inspired by the culture of Burning Man, this community-driven event invites participation through art, music, shared gifts, and creative expression. 

Explore performance stages, roaming art cars, an ice rink, and the iconic Effigy, all designed to spark connection and creativity.

 Checking things out, the combination of ice and lights at night was just beautiful with some of the builds.

 

 And with one event, the dance floor turned out to be a huge sled that slid across the snow. 

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/157/37/24 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

The Big Chill: Winter Storm Threatens Power (And Internet) Outages Across USA

 

 This Friday and weekend, a huge winter storm will be rolling south across America "from Texas to (the) Northeast," affecting a total of about 180 million. 

A major, widespread, long-lasting winter storm will hammer parts of the South, Midwest and Northeast Friday through Monday with potentially damaging ice and heavy snow for millions from New Mexico and Texas to parts of New England. This storm will lead to widespread dangerous travel and its destructive South ice storm could lead to long-lasting power outages and tree damage.

The storm has been named Winter Storm Fern by The Weather Channel. According to The Weather Company forecasters, Fern could affect over 180 million in the U.S. with snow and/or ice, over half the nation's estimated population. Either heavy snow or ice is forecast for 33 states from the storm, from Arizona to the Midwest, South and New England.

 With the ice and snow, power outages are likely, meaning no Internet, and for Second Life residents, no getting online until the damage is repaired. 

 

Those in it's path, keep an eye on local weather.

 

Source: weather.com 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Cartoon of The Day: Festive Bet

 

 Taken at Calas Galahon. Not sure why this guy was dressed like that, but it made for great cartoon fodder.

 

By Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Sable Hound Hollow ‘s Winter Reverie

 

Gemma Cleaslate has been searching for holiday and winter-themed locations since November. And in her last article before Christmas, she looks at Sable Hound Hollow‘s Winter Reverie. There are sleigh rides, pony rides, and great scenery. She also had a chance to stop by the Premier Business Center and Bellisseria Fairgrounds.

 

Read the story in Places.  

 

 

Calas Christmas

 

In her latest article about Christmas locations, Gemma Cleanslate went to an old favorite: Calas Galadhon Park. This season marks the seventeenth year that the owners Ty Tenk and Truck Meredith have remade their area for the holiday season. And as Gemma found, once again they haven't failed to do a spectacular job, with a reindeer ride, ice skating, Disney characters, and lots of great scenery.

 

Read Gemma's story in Places. 

 

SL Video: "In Darkest Night"

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

 

From Akiko Kinoshi on Dec 20, "The Darkest Night - a particle show by Delain Canucci and Kurk Mumfuzz Recorded Dec 20 2025 at Loon Lake Park in Calas Galadhon 

 

"The Darkest Night in Calas: On the darkest winter night, Calas lay silent beneath a sky of deep shadow. The ancient pines stood tall and still, their branches heavy with snow. The frozen lake shimmered like glass, untouched and endless. No voices. No footsteps. Only the wind, weaving through the trees like an old song half-remembered. Among the woods, scattered were a few quiet cabins, small flames glowing faintly within, but most of Calas was wild, watchful, waiting. At the forest’s edge, where the shadows deepened, a single warm light flickered in a small wooden workshop. Inside worked Corin, the lanternmaker. His lights were not made for streets or houses, but for hearts, for memory, and for those who walked the long dark paths. Though fewer and fewer remembered him now, he continued his work quietly, alone. The Knock Just after midnight, while the forest held its breath, a soft knock echoed at the workshop door. Corin opened it. A child stood there, one of the few who lived in a distant cabin among the pines. His coat was heavy with snow, his eyes wide with cold and something like hope. In his hand he held an old lantern, dented and lifeless. “This belonged to my grandmother,” the child whispered. “She lit it every winter, and the forest felt warm. But now it won’t shine anymore.” Corin nodded with gentle understanding. “Come inside.” The Memory Light The workshop smelled of woodsmoke, pine sap, and melting wax. Corin placed the lantern upon his workbench. “To return its light,” he said soft and steady, “we must remember the warmth it once carried. Flame is not enough. The heart must return as well.” So the child began to speak. Of walking through deep snow with laughter echoing between the trees. Of warm bread shared beside a crackling fire. Of stories told while the winter winds howled outside. Of feeling safe. Of being loved. Corin listened in stillness. And as the child remembered, something shifted, not just in the lantern, but in the room itself. He touched flame to wick. The lantern glowed. Not bright. Not sharp. But warm, a golden memory that breathed. The Light Spreads The glow shone out into the forest night. Animals paused in their tracks. Owls blinked from snowy branches. Foxes lifted their heads to watch. Even the ancient deer moved quietly from the shadows. They gathered, not in fear, but drawn by the gentle return of warmth they had almost forgotten. Those in the scattered cabins stepped outside, lanterns in hand, old, dusty, silent. They did not speak. They brought them to the child’s flame and one by one, the lights awakened. Soon, Calas glowed. Small warm lanterns hung from branches, rested on cabin windowsills, and shone across the frozen lake. The forest was not made bright. It was made alive. The darkness did not vanish. But it grew kind. Morning When dawn rose pale and soft, the storm had passed. “Will the lanterns stay lit forever?” the child asked. Corin smiled. “No light lasts by itself. But we can always choose to kindle it again. Especially on the longest nights. Especially for the ones we miss.” The child understood. The Tradition Now, each winter when the nights grow long, the forest of Calas fills with lanterns. Not to chase away the dark, but to welcome it. Because the beings of Calas learned: Light is warmest near the deep night. Comfort is felt most when cold surrounds us. And love continues wherever we choose to remember it."

The Lost Gallery

 

Netera Landar recently went to the opening of an art exhibition going on to January 3, "The Lost Gallery." Set in a wintery outdoor area, the place was "beautiful and realistic." She would talk to some people and take a few pictures of the displays. So which artists were there and what did they have?

 

Read Netera's article, and see the pictures, in Design.

 

Addition: Part of the article was accidentally left out earlier. It's now up. 

Yosemite in Winter

 

Gemma Cleanslate's search for wintry places took her to a favorite location:Yosemite. Snow has come to the natural park, and there are winter activities one can enjoy such as skiing and skating. But you can also enjoy the usual ones, such as horseback riding, this time with a wintry atmosphere. 

 

Read Gemma's article in Places.  

 

Christmas Lane

 

Gemma Cleanslate's search for Christmas places continues. For today's article, she looked at Christmas Lane. The place boasted plenty of decor, outdoor and indoor, plus gachas and an advent calendar. She also gave a short mention about the Christmas Shop and Hop. 

 

Read Gemma's article in Places. 

 

EOTB: New Last Names

 

In the official Second Life blog last week, Linden Lab announced they had released a list of Christmas and winter-themed last names for accounts. 

 

To celebrate the winter holiday season, we have released some festive new last names! 

 

The list of names goes as follows :

 

Nutmeg, Krampus, Solstice, Twinkle, Snowveil, Everfrost, Winterpelt, Glacia, Nuzzle, Polar, and Gingerpaw 

 

These seasonal names will be around "for a limited time," saying some *might* be available again in a future Christmas season. 

 

As a reminder, changing one's account name is not free. There's a fee of $49.99 for basic and Plus accounts, less for higher ones, more details here. And special seasonal names aside, once a name is dropped from the list, it's gone for good. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Christmas Shop And Hop Starts Today

 

 For those of you who love Christmas shopping, or looking for a good buy and the occasional freebie, good news. The Holiday Shop and Hop, organized by Linden Lab, starts today.

 

The 2025 Holiday Shop & Hop is ... here with 360 participating Creators across 18 shopping regions, bringing you loads of festive fun! Every store will have at least a 20% discount on all items and a free (non-group) gift for shoppers or a gift certificate valued at L$300 or above! 

 

The fun starts today, Friday December 5, at 9AM SL time,  and as the announcement says, there's a lot of territory to cover, 360 stores across 18 sims. Each item will be on sale at least twenty percent, and at least one free gift or a gift certificate worth at least 300 Linden dollars. 

 

To get to the Shop and Hop, check its section in the Destination Guide for the list of sims, teleport to one of the stores from the list on the bottom three-fifths of the Holiday Events blog page, or just jump right in at Gleaming (128/128/54). 

 

For those shopping after Christmas, the event goes on to Sunday January 4 2026.  

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

EOTB: "Joy To The Grid"

 

Linden Lab's latest blog post is about various Christmas and winter events and activities. 

 

Happy December, Residents! The holidays are here, and we’ve packed the season with festive fun for everyone. From epic shopping sprees to snowball battles, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate in Second Life this winter. Here’s a peek at what’s coming your way:  

 

The themes range from the Christmas Shop and Hop which opens tomorrow (check for more information tomorrow morning), new last names, Premium account gifts, "Santa Patch" at the Christmas Expo, the Linden Snowball Fight, and more. 

 

We'll have more info about some of these later. For now, you can check out the Linden blog (here). 

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Christmas Expo Begins

 

 

The Christmas Expo is on. This fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is taking place across ten sims next to the sim of the same name. 

 

There's plenty of scenery, dozens of shops, auctions, contests such as snowman building, and music and dance events such as the one pictured above. 

 

Saturday November 29th Music Events:

10 - 11 AM    * Ricky Haystack 
11 - 12 PM      * Bsukmet Stormcrow
12 - 1 PM    * Dandy Pianoman 
1 - 2 PM    * NeoMaximus Brandenburg
2 - 3 PM    * ChelseaMarie Noel
3 - 4 PM    * Rice Tyler
4 - 5 PM    * Corvus Blessed 
5 - 6 PM    * Grace Loudon
6 - 7 PM    * LoneWolf55 Genesis
7 - 8 PM    * Maribol Inshan
8 - 9 PM    * Melenda Yarrowroot
9 - 10 PM    * Dee Freund 

 

 For more information, check out the blog: https://slchristmasexpo.com

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/CHRISTMAS%20EXPO/115/140/24 

 

Getting Ready For The Expo

 

Picture taken at the west border of the American Cancer Society sim. The Relay for Life volunteer group is preparing for the Second Life Christmas Expo. Starting on Friday November 28 (the day after Thanksgiving), there will be events, music, scenery, and shopping across nine sims. 

 

As one can see from the picture, the Relayers have set up some good scenery, but they're not quite finished yet. And for now the sims are still closed to most.  

 

For more information, check out the blog: https://slchristmasexpo.com/