The Polar Express 2014

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.

We had arrived.

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.

Next year without a shadow of a doubt, we will be back on board the Polar Express with Leo, we are not about to start missing it now!

Excitement for Christmas 2013

Christmas is on it’s way and everywhere I look I can see signs that it is growing ever closer. The adverts are now on the television spreading word of the magic to come, and I have even seen my very first Coca Cola advert of the season.

The Christmas lights have been hung in the town and this weekend they will hold the grand switch on where I will hear my first Christmas songs of this year. We will catch a glimpse of Santa passing with his Reindeer and Leo will be there to revel in everything that is going on. I don’t think Leo will get to close to the man in Red this year, but I know he is going to love watching him from a far and he is certainly going to rejoice when he see’s real life Reindeer.

I have always loved Christmas but the last 3 years have been extra special to me, they have all involved Leo. Each year Leo has appreciated this special day that little bit more, and this year marks the year that he is going to start to see all of the wonders and magic that gets filled into this magical time of year.

Leo knows that Santa fly’s in the sky with his sleigh and Reindeer, and he knows that he brings presents for all the girls and boys. He understands that we have Christmas trees covered in twinkly fairy lights and beautiful decorations as whenever he sees them he starts to skip, and excitedly declares ‘Mismas!’. 

He is at an age where we can read The Night Before Christmas and watch The Polar Express, and he is at an age where he can mentally hold those memories and remember them, as he is always remembering things that have happened weeks/months ago and telling me about them as though they happened just yesterday.

It is only November and Leo knows that something exciting is going to happen, and as the magic of Christmas spreads it’s self all around I know he is going to get so much enjoyment out of it. We have already taken a few strolls around our local garden centre so that he can see all of the decorations, and he absolutely loves it. We took Daddy up to see it last weekend so he could see how excited Leo got, and as usual Leo took to skipping with excitement and pointing out ‘Mismas’ everywhere he saw it.

We have so much to look forward to over the next month or so, and part of that for me is being able to take Leo to all of the local events that will make Christmas that little bit more magical for him. We are heading off on a Santacade (Santa escapade…) this year, and visiting everything that is on our doorstep. It gives us something fun and festive to do with Leo and adds to the excitement that I am already feeling for Christmas 2013.

I have already booked us on our annual Santa Express train ride, something we have been doing with Leo since he was a baby in arms. This year is the year he is really going to get so much out of it. Trains are such a big hit with Leo that I know he is going to be in awe of this adventure! The fact I have even been able to book it in on Christmas Eve it’s self makes this even more like The Polar Express!

So it may only be mid November… And I may already be counting down the sleeps until Santa comes, but it is only because I am so excited to see Leo’s reaction to the magic.

So when you see that I have spent Saturday November 30^th getting busy with the decorations, it is only because I want this magic to last as long as possible, and who can object to lot’s of pretty lights twinkling and putting a big smile on that beautiful boy of mine?

Do you have any plans similar to our Santacade on the run up to Christmas?

The Polar Express

On the run up to the festive period I have certainly indulged, I mean… it would be rude not to! Right!?

To set the scene and get into the festive mood, Leo and I have sat together and taken in Christmas films for the very first time. Granted he soon got ants in his pants but it was the perfect moment for those minutes that he was engrossed in the film.

One of my all time favourite Christmas movies is The Polar Express, and Warner Bros. very kindly sent us a copy on Blu Ray along with a whole stocking full of treats (not to mention The Dark Knight Rises and New Years Eve on Blu Ray too!)

So one evening on the run up to Christmas when Leo was tucked up in bed, I enlightened Luke and put on the Polar Express for my non believer! As expected Luke was not a fan, Scrooge seems to have stood firmly inside of him…But I enjoyed it just as much as I had done the very first time I had watched it. The next morning when Leo awoke and we looked outside to see the rain falling, yet again! I snuggled up on the sofa with my little man and I watched it for the second time in as many hours.

Leo soon became engrossed in the animation, and although he is too young to follow the story line he enjoyed it all the same.

For those of you who have not seen The Polar Express, firstly…Why on earth not!? Secondly Why, why, why!? The Polar Express is a magical film that rekindles the believer in old and young alike.

Late on Christmas Eve night a young boy lies awake in bed hoping to hear Santa’s sleigh bells so that he can re-confirm his belief in Christmas, and in Santa. Instead of sleigh bells though a loud steam engines whistle sequels outside his bedroom window.

The boy runs outside to see what all the commotion is about and is soon greeted by the train conductor (Tom Hanks) who invites him on board the magical train that is headed directly to the North Pole.

During the magical train ride the young boy fathoms whether he is dreaming, he ponders whether the magic of Christmas exists and is verging towards non believer, despite him wanting to desperately believe.

The journey to the North Pole takes the boy on the most magical adventure of his life and opens up a door of self discovery to life lessons that can be applied to each and every single one of us ‘the wonders of life never fade for those of us who truly believe’.

The very first time I watched this film was around the time it was released on DVD back in 2004, and I remember falling in love with the story then and there. It is one of those films that I could watch year after year and I still adore the story as much now as I did back then.

By the end of the movie I get those all familiar butterfly’s in my stomach, the good kind that make you feel excited and despite being a grown up lady with a child of her own, I love that I can still get excited by the magic of Christmas.

Next year when Leo and I sit down to watch it I know he is going to interact with it on a much higher level than he did this year. But we will be getting ourselves a hot chocolate and snuggling up together to watch this classic film again year after year.

You can purchase your own copy of The Polar Express on Blu Ray for £8.00 from Amazon.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Polar Express for the purpose of this feature however all views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.