Our December is always so packed with activities and traditions it is hard to stay on top of it all! This was the first outing of the holidays, a kick off to the Christmas Season!
Since I was a small child my Mom would take my sister and I along with my Aunts and cousins (8 kids in all) to the Dayton's 8th floor Christmas exhibit and Hollidazzle parade, then out for dinner at the restaurant on the 11th floor. (not necessarily in that order)
I think back in the day the restaurant was called The Boundary Waters, today it is The Oaks Restaurant. I remember it always being so fancy and such a special event. And after we ate it was so much fun to dig through the giant treasure chest at the front of the restaurant to pick out a toy in addition to the cookie and mug they gave us to keep.
I can remember going to the parade, watching all of the festive floats going by lit up in colorful Christmas lights. When it was over we would all rush to Dayton's and stampede to the elevators and escalators to get in line to see the exhibit and perhaps a peek at Santa. I think we would stand in line for hours! The lines would connect from one floor to the next, the escalators were packed. Once you would finally get to the exhibit it would take 30 minutes or so to shuffle through ooohing and ahhing at all of the intricacies of the display. Each year took on a new theme with a completely exquisite magic about it.
For the past several years the display had remained the same year after year...Macy's did that. They claim that it is now a tradition to repeatedly show "A Day in the Life of an Elf" so the kids can see how Santa is preparing for the big day. I think it is "cost effective". Either way there is nothing I can do about it and I will continue to uphold the tradition my Mom started many years ago with my own children. We all go together every year, to the parade, the display and for dinner. I love it.
We have also discovered, that if we go opening week, just before Thanksgiving...WE HAVE THE WHOLE PLACE TO OURSELVES!!!!! Woo hoo!!!! And we get an early start on celebrating the most magical season of the year.
This kids with Grandma
Me and my babies
Shyan and Dakota
It was tough getting Dakota to look at the camera she was so distracted by all of the lights and animations!
Paige made a special gift for Santa that she hauled all the way downtown and carried throughout the store for him. It was a shoebox display, remember those? She used a shoebox and glued cotton balls on the bottom for snow. She also made a snowman and added some pine greens and pine cones. Such a sweet and thoughtful girl.
She also is wearing Grandma Betty's Christmas pin as she is making sure to point out.
Quinn, just being Quinn.
Every year Shyan lets the kids choose a special Christmas cookie, Quinn is picking the perfect one. A fire truck!
Dakota reading a Christmas story in the gift shop.
Quinn asked for help in writing his letter to Santa, it says :
Dear Santa, I want a game like Paige's and a Buzz Lightyear.
Thank you, From Quinn.
Wouldn't you know, Santa brought him exactly what he asked for!
Paige showing off her Christmas tree cookie
Thankfully Quinn didn't get too upset when I accidentally stepped on his cookie and broke it in half. In fact, it didn't bother him at all! Now if that would have been Paige's cookie I would have had to replace it. Quinn thought it tasted the same either way!
I captured a great video of the kids with Santa, you can see it here:
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!
1 comments:
Aleshia! I was just going through all my old emails and I came across yours with the address to your blog! I am so excited that I read the email again--because I creeped a lil on here. :) Its sooo funny cuz I was thinking about your family the other day and wondering what you all have been up to. The kids have changed sooo much and the few posts I've read have just been wonderful. I know its been a couple years since I had Paige, but I do think of her often. How can I forget that sweet smile (...although it was a bit mischevious at times ;)) and wonderful personality?? I hope all is well with you guys and just wanted to drop in and say hi!
-Chasity (chasity_johnson@hotmail.com)
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