Paris:- Friday, 20. December 1996:- Last week Metropole began its Giant Super 'Best Christmas Window' Contest. This is Part Two, with the last three candidates, followed by thumbnails of the first three windows.

Michel Harmon wrote on Tuesday, quote: 'Boy this is hard.' Now that I think of it, running the Great Contest over two weeks is not such a good idea - I was thinking that a Web page with six fairly large images would take too long to load for readers, and so my bright idea was to do it over two weeks. But who can remember yesterday?

There is another reason too - it is not easy to find big-production Christmas windows at six different locations in Paris. One of the large department stores has no Christmas windows at all, and of the ones that do, only a few of their total windows are what I would consider to be honest 'Christmas' windows - featuring the elements that could remind one of childhood, or some reasonable facsimile thereof.

The Part Two candidates are the following:

4. Galeries Lafayette - boulevard Haussemann, Paris 9 - four windows with a old-time circus theme; animated.

5. Printemps - boulevard Haussemann, Paris 9 - several windows with animations, all windows with the theme 'Christmas in Alsace.'

6. A La Poupée Merveilleuse, Paris 4 - rue du Temple, near rue de Rivoli and the Hôtel de Ville - a small shop with masks and party effects for every occasion, including this season's.

Last week's Part 1 windows: in smaller versions here, but with their original numbers - are below:

1. Bon Marché - métro Sèvres-Babylone, Paris 7 - Eight decorated windows, with original animated scenes. Porches for little kids.

2. Samaritaine - rue de Rivoli, Paris 1 - on the rue du Pont Neuf side, several windows with original still-live scenes.

3. Nain Bleu - 410. rue Saint Honoré, Paris 1 - two windows on the rue Saint Honoré and two around corner; all original toys, dolls and puppets.

Note the name of your favorite window from the selection of six. Then hit my name below and when the e-mail form pops up, type the name of the photo of your chosen window into the body of the e-mail form. Be sure to add your name and e-mail address, if they are not included automatically. If you have time, fill in the 'subject' line with 'Paris Window Contest'

How the winners will be chosen will be decided by one of the two methods below:

1. Whichever window gets the most votes: I write out the names of all those who voted for it on little slips of paper, throw them into Max' Power Rangers hat, and let him draw three names. They are the winners.

2. Everybody is a potential winner - the lottery: I could put all the entry names into his Power Rangers hat and let him draw three names. They are the winners. Concurrently, I would simply announce the Window which received the most votes. This way, every entrant would have a chance and it would not depend on how good, bad or murky the photos will probably seem to be.

It also means that you could vote for method 1. or 2. above when you send in your favorite window choice.

This is the final part - Part 2 - of the Great Metropole Paris Christmas Window Contest. Look at the windows and pop the name into the e-mail form - and you will know if you are a Grand Winner before the end of the year; unless you go offline to go skiing or pursue some other holiday activity far from the tangled World of the Web.

No Chance to Win if You Do Not Enter!

Enter Today! No fraud contest! Small prizes and few of them, but really real! Read Metropole Paris next week for Winner's Names. Fabulous contest! Enter now!

Do not call any '800' numbers and do not send any currency or cheques. Remember that this contest may be illegal where you live, so don't turn yourself in to the authorities.

*Special Note: each winner will receive their prize in a package franked with genuine French postage stamp(s) - a collector's dream! Only from Metropole Paris! Tell your friends and relations. Don't miss out; enter soon, like right now!