Tips to Make Family Vacations Affordable and Fun
Or How to Stay Sane During a 12-Hour Drive While Stuck In the Car with 3 Children

07/22/2013

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

With the heat
wave hitting the Northeast this past week and seeing recent advertising on
television about Christmas in July, I started reminiscing about a trip we took
when I was a little girl. I think I was maybe 4 or 5.

It was
summertime and it was hot. But, there was a place near Wilmington, NY, in the
Adirondack mountains where it was just a little bit colder - magically colder.

It’s called the
North Pole and it can be found in Santa’s Workshop, a themed park that actually
boasts the address of North Pole, NY.

Our visit must
have made quite the impact on me, because even though I was very young, to this
day I have very vivid memories of this place.

I remember
getting to touch the North Pole, an actual frosty cold pole situated in the
center of Santa’s little village.

There was a
building where you could see reindeer. Actual reindeer! And each one had their
name on their stall. (Are you singing the song right now? I am!)

I remember
going to visit the big man himself, jolly old St. Nick. It wasn’t even
December! I hadn’t even made my Christmas list, yet! (Although, I am sure I
came up with some suggestions for him, anyway!)

I remember
there being some rides to go on and sleighs to sit in. I remember it feeling
very “Christmas-y” and kind of magical in this little village.

But, the
biggest memory for me was my acting debut at Santa’s Workshop. There was a
short skit that was being performed at an outdoor stage area in the park and we
decided to check it out. My sister and I were given permission to head down
towards the gate at the front of the seating area so we could see the show a
bit better.

Call it luck,
or just being in the right place at the right time, but I was selected by an
elf to be a part of the show.

I got invited
on stage and was given the honor of sitting next to Mother Goose as she read a
story.

Don’t ask me
what the show was about. I think I was too mesmerized by this opportunity to be on stage to fully
remember what the plot.

But, I do vaguely
recall it was a mystery that needed to be solved. I do remember needing to skip
around the stage with Red Riding Hood and being shocked when her shoe came off.
And I do remember being even more shocked that she just kept right on going and
didn’t go back to get it!

It was hard
work pulling off a convincing role as “child who helped solve the mystery.”
But, I did it and I was rewarded with a special Santa hat with my name on it.

A hat that I
still have to this day!

The hat is
still around and so is the workshop. There are still rides and shows with the
Mother Goose Players. The reindeer are still there and so is Santa Claus. You
can still get Santa hats and cookies.