An early Christmas tradition

Each year after Thanksgiving, we have an annual tradition of visiting a neighboring town for their Light Up Night festivities heralding in the Christmas shopping season.  It's full of small town quaintness ~ decorated store-front windows, horse-drawn carriage rides, a holiday parade, carolers, hot chocolate and donuts, bonfires, luminaries lining the sidewalks, fireworks, and of course - 

a visit with Santa!!

The park pavilion to see Santa!

 It was a bitter cold night this year, but we were prepared!  We bundled up and braved the frosty elements.  My son and I had just finished writing out his list to Santa earlier that day. He didn't want to forget anything!

 We walked about the town, taking in the sites and sounds.  Christmas carolers filled the night air with their songs and the little shop windows were all aglow.  We stopped to marvel at the ones with animated displays and browsed through several of them in search of unique gifts for family and friends.

For a 4-year old child, this a magical time of year.  There's excitement and wonder almost everywhere at Christmas.  He marveled at the lights strung from the trees and at the horses pulling the carriages. 

Throngs of smiling people were walking around clutching their holiday purchases. Some were warming themselves by one of the corner bonfires, others waiting in line for a train or carriage ride. 

All of the nearby Victorian homes were decorated and lit up.  You could almost close your eyes and imagine yourself transported back in time to a Christmas long, long ago.

I don't know if my son was more excited to get to see Santa, or to watch the fireworks display at the end of the night!  He did get so excited that he forgot to tell Santa what he wanted!!

 Thank goodness I remembered to bring his list! :)

Hope this holiday season is your merriest ever!