On the eve of the solstice, the girls and I welcomed in the beginning of winter by visiting Greenfield Village for their Holiday Nights celebration. I don't think that we could have picked a more perfect evening to go.
Hot chocolate, hats, gloves and snow-pants (sorry Kennedy -- I know how you hate them) protected us from the cold as we strolled through the village and enjoyed the festive atmosphere. The the crunch of snow beneath our feet, the melody of carolers, jingle of sleigh bells, and the warm, inviting beacon of lantern-lit, decorated homes, all helped to make the evening tranquil and memorable.
Despite their allure, even a snowball fight, Carl (the snowball that Riley carried around much of the evening), a sing-a-long, and fireworks could not compete with the wonder and excitement of Santa and his reindeer. Not once, but twice he called out to the girls by name and wished them a Merry Christmas, and how he knew it was them was debated through the rest of the night and up until they drifted off to sleep on the way home.
Despite it being so close to home, we simply do not visit the Henry Ford enough, and events like this and their Halloween program remind us of how fortunate we are to have it nearby. In 2011, we will resolve to visit more often, and definately will include Holiday Nights in our Christmas traditions.
