Just Another Hat: Christmas

Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Monday, December 10, 2012

Christmas Train at the Irvine Park Railroad

irvine park railroad twinkle lights in trees

Last week, Big B and I spent an afternoon at Irvine Park Railroad for Mama and Me time. It was our special date, just the two of us. We got there in the late afternoon before the sun set and stayed until dark, enjoying Santa's Village and the Christmas Train.

Knott's Berry Farm Winter Wonderland

knotts winter wonderland charlie brown snoopy wreath

It's the second week in December and we are in the thick of the holidays. Rows of houses twinkle brightly with decorative lights at night. Christmas tree lots are teeming with customers picking the perfect tree. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg linger in coffee shops. And once again, Knott's Berry Farm is transformed into a magical holiday wonderland.

A Magical Time at Santa's Wonderland

Last week, we attended the opening of Santa's Wonderland in OC. Big B had so much fun. He talked about it the whole weekend and he kept asking when we were going to go back. Of course, the fun for me was meeting up with my blogger friends and seeing just how happy Big B was. Santa's Wonderland is huge. It's housed in a two-story warehouse that's decked in all things Christmas.

Recycling Christmas Lights

recycling holiday lights program by mail or drop off

If your household is like ours, you have a ton of holiday lights boxed somewhere. Most of them still twinkle, of course, but some have faded or are completely broken. So, what do you do with broken holiday lights? In the past, I've been guilty of just throwing them in the trash. Well, I will no longer be doing that. Recycling used or broken lights has gotten easier. Many companies offer holiday recycling programs in exchange for discounts to buy new ones. Below is a list of programs, both local and nationwide drop off location. If you can't find one near you, you can mail them in too.

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

May you have a safe and wonderful day to celebrate with loved ones close by, be inspired by those far away, and cherish the memories of those that have gone.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Personalized Letters from Santa - HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Last year I reviewed www.easyfreesantaletter.com. Although my son was too young to appreciate the personalized letter from Santa, I think this year will be very different. He has a better understanding of Christmas, of who Santa is, and how his actions affect consequences. I can't wait to read him his personalized letter this year. Since my review, the company has added a new feature.

Festival of Lights at Mission Inn

Location

Mission Inn

3649 Mission Inn Ave.

Riverside, CA 92501

(951) 784-0300

Duration
November 26, 2010 to January 2, 2011

Admission

Free

Parking

Street and hotel parking

Stroller/wheelchair accessibility

Yes

Restroom facilities

Restrooms inside restaurants and shops; restrooms inside the Mission Inn are for guests only

Food/concessions

Restaurants, coffee shops, concession stands

Activities

Sightseeing, carriage rides (fee), reindeer viewing, ice skating (fee)

Our family experience

My family and I enjoyed touring the block-long spectacle. Thousands of lights glowed all around the mission. Since it was the second to the last night of the festival, it was difficult to find parking and the sidewalk was very crowded. Despite these, the trip was well worth it. My son and nephews just loved seeing all the lights outside, as well as inside, the historic mission. Even the Cinderella-like carriages and wagons which provided visitors a tour of the festival, glowed with twinkle lights. From animated figures to the pair of Santa's reindeers to the over-sized Christmas tree, there was much to see during our hour-long visit at the festival.

Tips

If you want to see Santa Claus, go before December 24 as he goes back to the North Pole thereafter. This is a popular annual event so be prepared for crowds. Bring hot cocoa to sip while walking to keep warm, because even with all that body heat, it is cold outside. You may want to have dinner Downtown while waiting for the sun to go down. This is one way to secure parking.

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. The opinions expressed in this post are solely mine. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

REVIEW: FreeSantaLetters.com

Service
FreeSantaLetters.com is a website where you can create personalized letters for your child from Santa Claus. There are 2 options: Standard and Magical. Customization for the standard letter includes choosing from among 3 letters and 2 designs. Standard letters will include your child's name in the salutation. A magical letter is an upgrade option. There are 11 templates to choose from which includes letters about your child's accomplishments, baby's first Christmas, a military parent away from Christmas, and many more. Magical letters come with 11 designs to choose from, 2 envelopes, and a Nice List Certificate. You will need to print your custom letter regardless of standard or magical option. All letters come in pdf format.
Cost
Standard letters are free and the Magical letters are $2.99 each.

My Experience
The website was easy to navigate. There were 3 easy steps in creating the letter.
Step 1. Choosing the letter. I chose the magical letter specific to my son trying to be good--he's 2 and very good at it. The letter is well written and easily understandable by a young child. I love the font they used and the design is adorable. I chose the design with both Santa and a snowman.
Step 2. Personalizing the letter. In this step I provided details such as my son's age, past Christmas gift from Santa, the city we live in, and his best friend's name. These details are nicely incorporated into the letter's body. I'm sure an older child will appreciate that Santa knows them so much, but for now, I think my son will just be interested in getting the letter itself.
Step 3. Previewing my letter. I was able to see what the letter, envelopes, and Nice List Certificate would look like before I finalized my order. If you want to make any changes, you can do that before you finish your order.

I also created a standard letter to see what was involved in the process. For a standard letter, you will go through the 3 steps described above. However, you only need to provide your child's name, no other details are needed. Once you preview your letter and approve it, you will be emailed the letter to print at home.
My son just started to recognize Santa Claus this year. I'm sure he will be excited to receive his letter from Santa...I know I am.

Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post and received a personalized magical letter. The opinions expressed in this post are solely mine. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.