The Polar Express

The Polar Express

Gone are the days where you went to see Father Christmas in Debenhams or at the school fair.

Seeing Father Christmas is an experience these days with themed days out in  theme parks, holiday destinations and magical experiences.

A friend of ours recently went to Lapland which I think will be top of my list for things to do next Christmas (yikes thinking about next Christmas already). It looked amazing and I think will be just as enjoyable for us adults as it will be for the kids.

This year my in-laws treated us to tickets for the Polar Express train in Okehampton.

If you haven’t watched the film then you should add it to your Christmas film list to watch with the kids.

So the film is about a boy who doesn’t believe in Santa. On Christmas Eve a train stops outside of his house heading for the North Pole. The Conductor lets him on and he is given a golden ticket. All sorts of things happen on train in including meeting a man on the roof who claims to be the owner of the train and the King of the North Pole and dancing/singing waiters and chefs. When they finally reach the North Pole they meet Santa and the Elves the boy realises that Santa is real. One of the bells falls off the reins of the sleigh which seems to be broken as it doesn’t ring which he then loses on the train ride home. On Christmas morning the boy opens his presents and finds the bell which now rings as he has recaptured the spirit of Christmas and believes once more.

When we arrived at the station (in pyjamas) the train was in the station waiting to be boarded.

Polar Express

All the kids (and adults) were excited and there was a lovely atmosphere in anticipation of the train ride ahead.

Like in the film, the conductor came and shouted us all aboard and we went to find our seats.

We had a lovely conductor and the funniest two chefs running up and down our carriage singing and dancing on our journey to the North Pole.

 

We took the 6pm train so it was pitch black outside which I think added to the experience.

Then we reached the North Pole where Santa and his dancing elves where the sleigh was loaded up with an enormous sack of presents.

We were served hot chocolate and the chef’s brought round ‘magic cooling milk’ to cool the kids hot chocolate down and big chocolate chip cookies.

Polar Express

Polar Express

There was a magician with a strange ball that spun and hovered in his hand.

Polar Express

A naughty elf sneaked onto our train and ran up and down the train being chased by the conductor and the chef, and we also had an appearance by the man who is on the roof in the film.

Polar Express

Polar Express

Polar Express

Isabelle even had her golden ticket clipped with her initials in it and then so did Nanny Pat.

Then Santa made an appearance and Isabelle immediately lost her voice when he asked her what she was hoping for Christmas.

Polar Express

Isabelle was given a Bell by Santa which she’s been keeping by her bed ever since, and keeps checking that she believes by ringing it.

This was such a lovely family experience and it was lovely for Isabelle’s Nanny and Papa and Aunty to see.

The trains are running until the 28th December and there are some tickets still available.

Happy Christmas Everyone x

*This post was originally posted in December 2016.