Each year we take a trip on the Polar Express, each year
since Leo was a baby in arms. It has become an annual family tradition that we
look forward to, and in turn it is now an occasion that Leo himself looks
forward to and enjoys with us.
On Christmas Eve we arrived at the train station and found
ourselves greeted by the rolling steam as the steam train got ready to depart
the station for the North Pole. Leo gallivanted down to the platform, skipping
with excitement as he went. He had been talking about the Polar Express for
weeks, and watching it on DVD equally as much… In fact he had been watching it
since last Christmas!
The Polar Express looked incredibly Christmassy decked out
in tinsel and if you didn’t know you were heading to the North Pole before
embarking, you would soon find out due to the festive cheer and decorations on
board. We took our seats and Leo chatted
excitedly about the train and the impending journey, he talked about Santa Clause
and maybe getting a present from the man in red himself. The Polar Express
began to move forward slowly and more steam began to rumble alongside us, we
began to pick up speed and before long we had left the station completely
behind as we ploughed across open country and on to the North Pole.
Surprisingly the journey to the North Pole doesn’t take as
long as you perhaps might expect, and very soon we were chugging through the
magic tunnel that acts as the short cut between Worcestershire and the North
Pole! Once out the other side we could see that the night was drawing in and
the sun was beginning to set, fairy lights were beginning to glow and in the
distance we could just make out the ‘North Pole’ Sign.
Lead by one exciting 3 year old we made our way to meet
Santa himself, manoeuvring around the crowds of the North Pole and meeting many
a Elf along the way. Santa soon called for Leo to come in and say hello, and
this year unlike previous years, Leo couldn’t wait to run on over and give him
a hug, given half the chance I am sure he would have hopped on his lap for a
cuddle. They had a lovely chat about what Leo would like for Christmas and
Santa gave Leo instructions on how to tidy all of his belongings away in order
for Santa to be able to make his delivery without falling over!
I could see from my perch by the door just how special this
entire experience was for Leo, chatting away with Santa as if they were the
best of friends, Leo’s eyes twinkling the entire time, and then Santa bestowed
Leo with a gift and told him that he would be popping by later on Christmas Eve
with the rest of his presents for being so well behaved.
We indulged with a hot drink and a mince pie each before
making our way back on board the Polar Express, night time had truly arrived by
now and the magic of the night was more alive than ever. The train steamed back
to Cheltenham where we made our way home, ready for a night of Christmas TV and
a takeaway feast.
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