SantaCon day, the annual Santa Claus convention, in Midtown (Manhattan), New York City, December 13, 2025. GEORGIA HUSSON
When I moved into my new apartment on the 42nd floor of a New York City high-rise, I spoke to the building's superintendent. My request was simple and a bit embarrassing: "Could you install child safety locks on the windows, even though I don't have any children? I'm afraid of heights." He told me that here, it doesn't matter whether there are children or not – windows are always secured. Not to protect kids, but to keep people from jumping... or throwing things at others. That's the rule. His answer was enough to dispel my embarrassment. And I immediately drew two conclusions: Someone, somewhere in this city, decided it was necessary to protect adults from themselves, and that children are not the priority.
I didn't have to wait long for confirmation. Finding a Christmas gift for my little goddaughter quickly turned into an impossible mission. On the streets of the Lower East Side – admittedly not the most family-friendly neighborhood – I came across a play tea set featuring mac and cheese, a meringue saturated with glucose-fructose syrup and vegetables that looked supercharged with MSG.
