Last Night At The Village

 

It was easily the latest we had ever gone to Christmas by Candlelight but it was as lovely as ever! The only thing that would have made the night any better would have been if there was snow on the ground! Wishing you a fabulous last day of 2021! xo  

Scenes From Christmas By Candlelight

On Friday we met Dave's parents at Old Sturbridge Village for Christmas by Candlelight. It was a busy night and not very wintry feeling but it was lovely nonetheless. This was easily the latest we have ever gone (we usually go the first Friday that Christmas by Candlelight takes place. These are the only pictures I took that night but they capture three of my most favorite parts! xo 

One Last Visit

 This is the eighth Christmas by Candlelight that they have visited with (this) Santa. For a few reasons we weren't originally planning to attend Christmas by Candlelight this year, but when we heard that this year would be his last (he's retiring after twenty-one years) Dave and I knew that we had to make one final visit with him happen. For a family who isn't big on Santa there really is something very magical about this particular Santa. If I didn't know better I'd say he's the real deal! 

 Since we had originally told the girls we weren't going to Christmas by Candlelight this year we felt it was only right to tell them why we had changed our minds. They were excited to see him again, but a bit sad, too. This Santa is the only one they've ever visited, and I know they looked forward to chatting with him each year. And I think he looked forward to their visit, too. I've long felt that he remembered them each year. Maybe that's silly but it's always felt that way to me. 

If I'm being honest, I do believe that his retirement comes at the exact right moment for our girls. At (almost) ten-and-a-half and (almost) nine years old this very well could be the final year of Santa for them anyway. A natural ending if you will. And those kind of endings really are the best, most gentle kinds, I do believe.  

And so, after our visit I decided that it might be wise to mention this to the girls. 

"Next year, even if there is a new Santa, how about if we skip visiting him? Let's leave the Santa visits for the younger kids and let our time with Santa visits end with his retirement this year. What do you girls think?"

They agreed that it was a lovely idea. 

"And you do realize what this means, don't you? It means that you get to become part of the Christmas magic now. It means you get to help make Christmas magical for those who are younger than you. You get to be Santa's helpers, if you will, spreading Christmas cheer and magic for all those who need it. Do you think you'd like to do that?!"

As you can well imagine, if you have been a reader of this blog or a friend of ours for any length of time, the girls were definitely up for being part of the magic!

And so, with that, we say a very sincere thank you to this very dear soul. Thank you, Santa, for making their childhoods (and my mamahood) a little more magical. Thank you for eight years of wonderful visits at Christmas by Candlelight. They will forever be some of our most cherished holiday memories. xo

A Visit With Santa Claus

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy." -excerpt from Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus

Five years of visits with (this) Santa Claus and it's no less magical and incredible than the first time we met him. "What are you hoping for for Christmas?" He asked, and they both replied: "whatever you choose for us!" "You say that to me each year when I ask you!" He replied back (thus confirming what I've long suspected- that he remembers us from year to year). They chatted some more, talking about Saint Nicholas and how various Christmas traditions came to be. He shared with them how Santa is present wherever there is love, kindness and compassion and how the world needs more of that. 

Finally, it was time to say good-bye. He asked for hugs from the girls and then he said to them: "you two are two of the kindest girls, and visiting with you is the highlight of my day!" He then turned to me and asked if he could give me a hug. I said "sure!" While we were hugging he said to me: "You have done a great job with them, mama! They are such kind, compassionate girls! Keep up the good work!" It was a moment I shall cherish forever. He then turned to Dave, shook his hand and said "are you part of this, too?! What a wonderful family you have!"

"Thank you, Santa! We'll see you next year!" 

"I'm looking forward to it already!" 

So are we! xo

Our Yearly Visit

This past Friday we journeyed to Old Sturbridge Village to attend Christmas by Candlelight. I say "journeyed" because, for some strange reason, it took us 90 minutes to get there instead of our normal 45. All I could think was "goodness, we could have driven to Connecticut in that length of time"! Once we finally arrived we made a beeline for Santa. The line was on the shorter side, and we were glad to not have too many people in front of us (although it was about a 30 minute wait before we got to visit with him). 

As I shared last year Santa is not a focal point of Christmas for us. The girls came to their belief in him all on their own (and believe they do). It's not to say that we discourage Santa, though we don't really encourage him either (more about that in the link above if you haven't read it already), however there is just something about this Santa, and it wouldn't feel like December without our visit with him. He chatted with the girls about what they were hoping for for Christmas (Legos for those wondering). He was delighted to learn that we are a homeschool family, and they chatted at great length about Saint Nicholas (and how that's really who he is) and how stockings came to be (which the girls knew, of course, having just read all sorts of Saint Nicholas stories earlier this month). Finally, it was time to go. Goodness knows the line had grown while we were up there and he had many more families to visit with. We wished him a very Merry Christmas and he wished us one back along with a "see you next year!"  Right back at ya, Santa! xo

A Visit With Santa Claus

Last Friday we went on our annual trip to Old Sturbridge Village's Christmas by Candlelight event. They started this event about four years ago and we've attended each year ever since. We always go on a Friday night, as it's much less crowded then, and we usually aim for the first Friday that it's taking place. This year and last however, we've gone the second Friday of the month and it's been just as peaceful and lovely. 

It was at this very event four years ago that the girls first ever interacted with Santa. You see back when it was Grace's first Christmas David and I made the very conscious decision that we wouldn't talk Santa up. We wouldn't ignore him all together but he wouldn't be the primary focus for us and our girls during this season. We decided we wouldn't visit him at the mall, or that the girls wouldn't write letters (when they were older). That it wouldn't be about the "naughty list" and the "nice list" or "reporting to Santa on their behavior". For us Santa was to be about the spirit of the season. The goodness and kindness and generous part of the season. For that reason it would be up to Santa what little surprise was left under the tree for the girls (rather than there being requests of what he should leave). For that reason Santa became, in our family, a secondary character. The main focus for us would be on each other and our time together and the gift giving and receiving would be done within our family rather through him. 

So when they first met Santa those four years ago I wasn't even sure what they would think of him. Would they want anything to do with him? They were so young and did not have much to say to this man in the red suit that stood before them. They mostly just looked at him. He was sweet and kind and not at all pushy. And truthfully there was something very magical about this Santa that stood before us. I couldn't help but feel that he could quite possibly be the real deal. 

And so, each year over the last four years, we have made it a point to visit with Santa. He is truly amazing and spends a good long time (like 10-15 minutes) with each family that has come to see him. It's magical to watch him interact with each child. Truth be known I get a little choked up each year watching my girls chat with him. And this year I couldn't help but feel like he really did remember our two sweet girls. There was something about the questions he asked, the way he chatted with them that just had me feeling as if he remembered them. Finally it was time to say good-bye and head out into the village to see what other adventures awaited us. "Thank you, Santa! Merry Christmas!" we all said and he replied "Merry Christmas! Ho, ho, ho! See you all next year!" 

Christmas Eve

We wish you all the most magical of nights tonight and the most magical day of days tomorrow! May all your Christmas wishes come true! 

Christmas By Candlelight