This was our first year to get to ride the Polar Express, and it turned out to be the perfect time for us to round up our little elves and go on the adventure. They had all watched the movie, they were now very aware of Santa Claus and his enchanted purpose, and they were all basically old enough to sit still and enjoy just being on a train… a magical train, yes, but still a one hour train ride nonetheless.
We took a crew of thirteen along with us (eighteen if you count our family), which included both sets of grandparents, Uncle Ryan, Aunt Chantelle, cousins Brayden, Trevor, and Kendrick, and our forever friends the Edwards’s. It was a special occasion, and those are meant to be shared.
The Polar Express is located about four miles away from home. It was a long day, but what we came for made it all worthwhile.
Hot chocolate and giant snickerdoodle cookies were served along the way. They were too excited to finish the mammoth-sized cookies, hence the stack on the seat beside me.
Everyone listened to the story of the Polar Express, sang Christmas carols, played with little toys and trinkets from Nana, and played musical chairs between the rows and rows of seats that we claimed.
When it became apparent that we had finally arrived at our destination… The North Pole of course!… all the kids gathered on the one side of the train to see the glittering little town complete with Santa and his reindeer-led sleigh.
To everyone’s surprise, Santa boarded the train and visited with each child individually, gifting them their own bell as a token to remember the day.
Ari was not so sure about Santa. Little sweet has overcome so many fears, but Santa is still kinda scary.
We rode back singing songs, jingling bells, and laughing all the way. Ari soon forgot all about the man in red velvet and danced harder and smiled wider than anyone else on the train. Tradition in the making, I’m thinking.
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