This past weekend was my Family’s Christmas kick-off. Whaat does that mean exactly? Well, Sister and her bunch, my parents and my bunch all head out into the dark and explore the Christmas lights that twinkle around the city. The weather this year was mild and gorgeous! Just enough snow on the ground to make things look clean and all of it makes it better than last year ( Alberta was the coldest place on the planet last year, THE PLANET)!
We started off at the Alberta Legislture, which the Offspring loving refer to as the Castle.
When I was a kid, this was a hard fast tradition. We looked at lights several times during the month of December. It always seemed to start with the windows at the Bay downtown. (It may have been Eatons, I’m sure my mom will correct me.) I loved looking in the windows at the animated mice who were busily making bay blankets for Santa.
This led to visiting City Hall and loking at the live Nativity. The sheep were always my favorite. One time I remember a camel, but I am sure he froze to death. We would visit the museum and check out the Teddy Bear collection, see the Pointsettias at the Muttart and then drive around looking at the lights on people’s houses. We would go out for hot chocolate and arrive home with Dad commenting on the pathetic display of lights that was our house. These past traditions really made Christmas special for me and I try to recreate as much as I can for the Offspring.
I found a website dedicated to Edmonton Windows Displays and there is even an app for it! I will need to assemble the troups and we will need to check them out. Later on this month, we will participate in a family sleigh ride, complete with caroling….yes we are THOSE people. Combine that with cookie making, Christmas Movie watching, wrapping of gifts and parties, we are in for a very festive holiday season indeed!
That’s cool…they do this thing here in Memphis every year called Starry Nights. It’s probably 20 different light displays set up all through this huge park. You fill your car with people & drive through looking at all of them. They are all set up with music too…you just tune your radio to a certain station & the lights blink to the beat of the music…it’s really cool. Hope you have a great Christmas.
I would LOVE to go to Memphis! Set a place for me this Christmas lol 😉
Happy Christmas to you too my friend 🙂
you forgot when we use go to swiss chalet first then drive around with all the gang wonderfull times
It WAS great 🙂 Except I never ever liked Swiss Chalet
You go caroling door-to-door? I’m impressed with your Christmas spirit! That’s hardcore, my friend.
We are hardcore! Kicken it Old School Style 🙂
Was it *THAT* cold last year?
I remember the reports of huge dumps of snow, but not the temperatures… if it makes you feel any better Texas had the hottest summer in 2011 on record (since 1925). I nearly packed up everyone to head north! Christmas lights are not the same without snow tho 🙂
How does it make me feel better to hear it’s hot in Texas? LOL I’m coming for a visit and will stay until spring 😉
We get hot Christmases every year. For values of hot between +15C and who knows how hot.
Those photos take me back. It was so cold last year you had to drag me back to the car to stop me taking long exposure shots of the lights. Now, I heard the year before last was nasty…
Well, it’s not “hot” anymore with mornings at about 0 ºC, but it is warmer than Edmonton! I’ll fix up the guest room, but you will have to excuse the toys and school papers belonging to Big Brother and Little Sister 🙂