An Old-Fashioned Christmas

Saturday night we enjoyed an old-fashioned Christmas at the nature center. We went on a hayride from the parking lot to where all of the activities were going on.

This is a local high school choir I believe. They looked great in their beautiful costumes. There were several other groups that also performed on the stage.

Here Clara is thoroughly enjoying the candy cane she got from Mrs. Claus.

The toy monger had a table filled with old toys. He's showing Clara how this one works. We didn't get to look at many of the toys though because it was getting late and he had to load them all up and make his way over to Santa's workshop. The weather that night was perfect for most. I guess not for the kid in the orange though.

As it got close to 6:00 we decided to get in line to go down the trail to the homestead. We just had to wait for those wisemen to show up and lead the way. The trail was about 1/3 mile long and lit with luminaries on both sides the entire length. There were also luminaries along the paths when you got to the homestead. Which is a good thing, because it was pitch dark out there.

Clara was slightly confused by the live nativity I think. I explained that it was just people acting. It really wasn't Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus. Then she wanted to know if it was a person in a donkey suit. Ha!

Peeking in the door of Santa's workshop. He was checking his list and there were elves on the floor playing with toys.

We had some jerky, shortbread cookies and wassail and peeked into the settlers' cabin to see a family enjoying Christmas together and then waited outside for the tree lighting. Clara was pumped about getting to hold a candle. She did almost burn the rope that was blocking the crowds from the tree and I was certain she was going to singe her hair, but she surprised me and managed to keep from burning something. You can see Daddy had a death grip on her the whole time she was holding the candle.

The mom and dad came out of the cabin and lit the Christmas tree while we sang Christmas carols. And then we headed back down the trail and back to the 21st century. Too bad because I could really get into the simplicity of a 19th century Christmas.