The Polar Express

Every year, some of the people in my family take a trip north to go to "The Polar Express." I will operate off of the assumption that most of you have seen the movie or know the story, and two of my nieces are in love with it. I on the other hand am in love with how Liam Neeson narrates the story once you are on the train, I'm mentally occupied for the next 30 to 45 minutes. The Polar Express is in Williams, a town about two hours north of where I live. From there you take the train to the North Pole.

Last year I skipped out because I had to study for finals, yet over review of last years exam schedule it would appear that my first final did not take place until one week after their return from the trip. I guess Anthropologie had a sale that weekend.

This year, I drove up with my sister Margaret, brother Michael (starting to sound like a congregation) and my Mom. My Mom and I were talking about how every year we pick Christmas Angels at the mall and buy for three to four kids.

Michael asked my mom, "What are Christmas Angels?"
She responded, in a tone normally reserved for a misbehaving two year old, "Now Michael, there are children all over the world who have nothing on Christmas morning." --as if instead of asking what they are, he said, "Christmas angels are stupid and kids don't need presents."

I think it was her opportunity to have a Mother Theresa moment, you have to grab those when they come along (or even when they don't ).

The Polar Express is a cute experience all in all. The part I get the biggest kick out of it is the paparazzi training these parents must have endured before having children. If their two kids don't like each other, they will have to on the train when Santa comes around or Christmas is canceled. There are two kids fighting and crying and their parents yelling, "Darren, PUT your ARM around your SISTER, NOW!!!!!" ::snap:: "Oh that's a cute picture."


Kids smiling through a cry is adorable. I want pull the parents aside and say, look I want to smile and nod along with you forcing your offspring to love each other but I would hate to encourage you to believe in a connection that simply does not exist.

The trip was fun. I love snow and cold weather sometimes. For me, being in snow all the time would dilute it's value. It's cozy though, and it would come in handy for all of those times I am in the mood to make a snowman and never have the tools to do so.

One of the setbacks about Williams is the limited choices in terms of dining accommodations. Buffets are not something I go out of my way to participate in. I go to them with the same amount of enthusiasm I usually reserve for movies like The Expendables. Pure torture.



When forced to adhere to the buffet line rules however I do so gracefully, until pinhead #1 in his carpenter jeans is holding up an entire line of people because he can't decide which biscuit (out of 15 identical biscuits) to choose.



Happy December