Toyland......Joyland

 Hello Everyone,

I figured I’d better get my Christmas post out early this Christmas Eve. A bomb cyclone rolled into California overnight. With pine trees whipping around in the gusty winds, there’s a good chance we could lose power. It feels a bit like waiting for the Polar Express to arrive… though it’s not quite cold enough yet, and the rain hasn’t turned to snow.  This is a picture of my Toyland Tree design which I love to put on display every year.

Last night, our eldest granddaughter started a text chain that quickly turned into a sweet trip down memory lane. She was watching The Polar Express and said it always reminds her of Mike—our Santa Mike—who came to our house every year before Christmas with a bag full of presents for the grandkids.

When the kids were little, I used to read The Polar Express to them.  I cried every single time I read that story, and once they were old enough to read it themselves, I still cried—only harder.

Through the years, they took turns reading the story and signed and dated the inside flap of the book marking the year of their reading.  I need to find that book and pass it on to the kids should we be lucky enough to have great grandchildren.

As the story got to the part when the young boy could hear the bell, Santa would be standing in our courtyard and ring his bell.....thanks to the magic of cell phones which would give him his cue. There was always so much joy in the room.

What started as a single text last night quickly grew into a thread of more than twenty photos from Santa’s visits. The look of pure delight on little Kade’s face—absolutely priceless.  Little Kade is now a senior in high school and is the youngest of our six grandchildren. 

Toyland! Toyland!

Little girl and boy land

While you dwell within it, you are ever happy then

Childhood's joyland

Mystic merry Toyland

Once you pass its borders, you can ne'er return again

For a little while last night, we found ourselves back in Toyland. I miss those days of sweet innocence and wholehearted belief in Santa Claus. And I miss Santa Mike, who has now journeyed on to Joyland. This year, his Mrs. Claus—our dear friend Kathy—will be joining us on Christmas Day. We can’t return to those moments, but nothing can ever take away the precious memories they left behind.

Merry Christmas to all!

Lynn