To the North Pole and back

Last night Grace put on her new reindeer PJs and we rode The Polar Express to the North Pole (with Dawson, Kellie, Kyle, and Kellie's mom) for the second year in a row. (View last year's excursion here.) I think that qualifies this as a tradition, but I hesitate to say that out loud because the tickets are next to impossible to come by. We got lucky both years now, but I am optimistic and figure our luck won't run out until Grace can't hear the sleigh bell ring any more. (In case you are not familiar with the story, those that don't believe in Santa can no longer hear the bell.)

Chris Van Allsburg wrote the Caldecott Award winning book, The Polar Express in 1985 and Tom Hanks gave his voice to the characters in a 2004 movie version which garnered numerous awards including 3 Oscar nominations. The Polar Express is a seasonal favorite for families all over the country. And while reading the story or viewing the film can make for special holiday traditions, nothing compares to the magic of an actual train ride in your pajamas. On the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad the magical excursion to the North Pole is really a ride from Akron to Peninsula where the story is read aloud, elves sing Christmas carols, and everyone drinks hot chocolate while we wait to greet that jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus.Our trip this year started in the late afternoon so on the ride to the North Pole we could see the trees and buildings outside the train windows.Grace and Dawson shared popcorn and kept an eye on the other kids in our train car.Grace got a little silly with her name tag.......visited with Santa's elves.....and took very good care of her 2009 Polar Express ornament. In the movie vesrsion of The Polar Express, the conductor artisically punches holes in the kids' boarding tickets in the shape of their intials. Our conductor did the same!
When we got close to the North Pole, the kids used paper towels to wipe the windows so we could all see the elves, reindeer, and lights outside. Santa boarded the train at the North Pole and eventually made his way through the train cars and visited with each child, giving them all their own bells from his sleigh. Last night, Santa was even signing autographs!As soon as Santa picked Grace up she said, "Baby doll!" He didn't even ask her what she wanted, but by now, she knows she is supposed to tell him what she hopes is under the tree as a special present for her.