All Aboard
The Polar Express
One year, instead of traveling to see both sides of the family and stressing over all the baking, cooking, fuel costs, extra gifts, and everything else that piles up during the holidays, my husband and I decided to try something different. We took every dollar we would’ve spent on the usual chaos and chose to put it toward a trip with our boys—something magical.
We settled on the Polar Express experience in Stettler, Alberta. Our boys were getting older, and we knew this might be the last year they would truly enjoy it. When we asked what they preferred—a traditional Christmas or a trip—their faces lit up. To my surprise, they chose the adventure. We kept it a secret as to "where" our adventures would take place. So this added to the magic just a little.
And what a magical trip it was. From the moment we arrived at the train station to the final ride back from the “North Pole,” it felt like stepping into another world. The performance, the atmosphere, the excitement—it was pure wonder. Watching our boys soak up every second was the real gift.
We spent the night at the Ramada afterward. Nothing fancy, but to our boys it might as well have been a luxury getaway. We swam until the pool closed, then curled up with snacks and cartoons. And somehow, even after all that, we still spent less than we normally would have.
From that year on, we started focusing more on memories—those endless gifts that keep giving long after the wrapping paper is gone. There were fewer things under the tree that year, but to our boys, it felt like they’d won Christmas.
A world of magic.
xo, Miss K.
