Always Christmas at The Christmas Loft
On this very hot September day, Christmas may very well have been the day farthest from their minds but, as we entered the darkened barn-like building, they were excited to be suddenly immersed in Christmas and a Christmas village.
The center of this large store is a Christmas village... a church... shops... homes... a bridge... snowbanks... snowmen... sledding... snowflakes... snow... lamp posts and lanterns... animated figures... and the sounds of a Christmas village on Christmas night. I think Kenzie would have been happy to just sit on the bench in the middle of this village and just sit quietly in wonder!
Surrounding this village is room after room of Christmas decorations. Each room has a theme... each room is decorated... and the walls are lined with ornaments and decorations for sale. There are figurines, dolls, santas of all types, nativity scenes, stockings, books, candles, lights, trees, nutcrackers, etc.
I made a dangerous decision when we arrived... I told the kids shortly after arriving at this wonderland that they could each pick out one ornament and I would buy it for them... I had visions of "I want this... and this... and this..." Perhaps I was lucky... I don't know. They each politely chose one thing they wanted... no bickering... no tears... no problems whatsoever.
Lukey chose a small locomotive ornament and Kenzie chose a small metal "Frozen" purse.
In one of the rooms, there were these puppets just large enough for my hand. While Gee had Kenzie in her arms, I slid my hand into a frog puppet... and quietly placed the frog on Gee's shoulder right next to Kenzie... Kenzie hadn't noticed so, in a frog voice, I said, "Hi Kenzie... riiiibit!" She instantly flinched and jumped as though a monster had reached out and grabbed her! Her face was instantly one of terror and she was flailing, trying to get out of Gee's arms to get away from this possessed frog! Although it was not my intention to scare the bejeezus out of her, her reaction was a bit amusing. When I switched to a little kitten puppet, she finally warmed up to the puppet idea.
I know the kids really enjoyed 'The Christmas Loft'... and we enjoyed their excitement... and, after all, we always find a bit of child-like Christmas excitement in ourselves too! We'll have to visit again with the kids in tow before the busy Christmas season arrives...
Kenzie, showing me her new 'Frozen' purse and, Lukey, showing me his new locomotive ornament...
It was a long and busy day filled with new places and new activities for the kids and yet they remained well-behaved and all smiles. Within moments of leaving 'The Christmas Loft' the kids were asleep, limp like rag dolls and snoring like little puppies (sorry, I didn't think to shoot a photo of that). They didn't awaken until after they were carried into the house...
I'm confident they had a great day!
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