Friday night was one of those magical nights that Christmas and holiday songs are written about. A night with big fluffy snowflakes, the type of snow that makes me find winter irresistibly beautiful (although come February I will deny ever saying that any type of snow is beautiful!) I was already excited about what we had planned the next day, The North Pole Express at the Boothbay Railway Village, but walking the quiet streets of downtown Bath that Friday night and watching those big fluffy flakes falling I knew that the Railway Village would be even more transformed by this blanket of snow. I had been cursing the plague that had befallen our house the week before and caused us to cancel going to the North Pole the first weekend open. However, after this snowfall I was a tiny bit thankful for the stomach bug, because now the North Pole was going to have snow when we boarded the train.
Now, in the perfect world I would tell you how my kids got to the Railway Village and we spent time handwriting letters to Santa on the cute postcards provided and they would tell Santa what angels they have been. We would take our time examining the adorable hand drawn map of the Village and deciding what we wanted to do first. We would revel in the fact that the decorated historic Freeport Station that we were standing in had been built in 1912 and had actually been moved to its current home in 1963 by a man with a dream. My kids would be in awe knowing that this station had traveled across the old Carlton Bridge in Bath and it would be a learning opportunity about preservation and achieving dreams that people said couldn’t be done. However, parents know that what they envision in their head is so loosely based on reality that we should just hope for the best. The reality of our morning? Kids fighting. Lost items and we were running late as usual. I was afraid we would miss the train and when we got there I stuffed those cute postcards in my pocket with a pen and we hopped aboard. No reveling in the history of the building, we had to save that for after. We quickly wrote letters to Santa on the train, but we didn’t miss the train and Santa got our letters and that was what mattered.
Once aboard the train the conductor came around and punched tickets and gave each child a magical bell. He explained that on our second loop around we needed to ring the magic bells so that Santa would appear. A few blasts of the horn and a cloud of steam and we were off to the North Pole! We have been to the Railway Village many times, it was always a treat when I was a child to go and now I get excited to take the kids… but seeing it in the winter is such a different experience, especially with that beautiful blanket of snow. The kids loved searching for the elves and seeing the different Christmas displays through the woods. They were full of anticipation of seeing Santa and there is nothing more contagious than smiles of excited children. Riding past the snowy landscape with the sun streaming through the trees, the antique train with green velvet seats, foggy windows and steam from the train blowing past really took you back. I imagined what it must have been like to travel to see family as a child on the train, when life was much simpler. Watching my kids peek out the foggy windows, trying to catch a glimpse of something enchanting in the woods, was magical to me. It reminded me of being a child and the wonder and magic of the holidays- something I have never let go of, thanks to a mom who has always tried to make the holidays magical and I try to follow in her footsteps and do the same.
After our first trip around the tracks it was soon time to ring our bells- when we arrived at Thorndike Station it was no longer Thorndike- it was the North Pole! And who was standing there waving with a smiling elf? The big guy himself! The excitement on the train as he approached was palpable. Santa stopped to chat with each child, get their postcard lists and his sweet little elf had a candy cane that was just the icing on the cake, my children’s days were made, they were beaming… and they didn’t realize the fun wasn’t over yet! After we gave Santa a fond farewell, we were headed back across the snowscape to Freeport Station.
We departed the train, tried to get photos (again, one of those things that sounds easy in your head and doesn’t go as planned) and we headed towards the town hall. The Town Hall was decked out in it’s holiday best, complete with a beautifully decorated model train. We happily decorated vintage ornaments, did holiday dot to dots and wished that could also have a model train in our house as beautiful as the one on display. Of course in a child’s eyes, you cannot pass up a little hot chocolate and a delicious baked good donated by Farm 23 in Boothbay (if you haven’t been in you should check them out… go hungry!)
Rather than give you a minute by minute account of our day, you should go and experience The North Pole Express for yourself. Enjoy a ride on the train, a visit with Santa, see the snow shimmering in the woods, roast a hot dog or make a s’more over the fire while listening to carols (trust me, don’t miss the s’mores- they have an exciting s’mores bar!) and remember what it’s like to find magic in the most simple things. Experience the magic through your child’s eyes, because at the end of the day, when you think “finally, it’s bedtime!” you will see those contented smiles as they sleep and it won’t matter if you were late, if you got a learning experience out of it or the perfect photo, what will matter is the memory of being together. You will always remember watching their little faces light up or the amazement in their eyes as they search the woods for elves. And they will remember those memories and will want to share that with their own children. I am so thankful that communities exist that try hard to create magic for those who live or visit there. Communities that strive to make memories that last a lifetime, that remember that children are our future and what we foster in them is what they will give back. I’m grateful for places like the Railway Village who preserve our past, who help the past come alive again and I’m also grateful for people, like George McEvoy, who had a dream that he brought to life that can be shared by everyone. We are so fortunate that Midcoast Maine is dotted with wonderful communities that provide us with events, places and things that create memories that last a lifetime.
Now, what are you waiting for? There is a steam train and a ticket to the North Pole with your name on it!
Thank you to the Boothbay Railway Village for the tickets that allowed us to travel to the North Pole and for the generous giveaway of a 2020 Season Pass, so one lucky family can experience the magic of the Railway Village in both seasons next year!
And all those little details….
Trains will be running December 8, 14, 15, 20 & 21. The grounds and activities will be open from 9:45 am – 4:00 pm and trains run every 45 minutes, you can purchase tickets HERE. Standard tickets are $21 for attendees three years and older. Museum members receive a $4 discount per ticket. Children under 3 years of age do not require a ticket; however, they must sit on an adult’s lap.
Weather permitting, the exhibits on the Museum’s lower campus will be open for exploring. Please note that the Boothbay Railway Village reserves the right to run either steam or diesel at this event; also, for safety, there will be no car seats or strollers permitted on the trains.
