We took the kids to a drive through winter wonderland last night. Every first weekend of the December was Santa day. Since we moved to St. Louis 3 years ago, we started the day with Breakfast with Santa at my children’s school. Then we drive around looking for places that evoke Christmas so as to take our family picture. Last year was the old train station turned into a hotel. I remember being mesmerized by the place and all it decorations. My kids were in heaven. We even took them up a Ferris Wheel for the first time and they loved every single second of it. To us, Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

With the pandemic this year, we knew things would be different. Breakfast with Santa was canceled. So also was driving around for the perfect place for our Christmas picture. This weekend was also a somber one. My husband came out of his week long quarantine after being exposed to a COVID patient. He had to wait a week later to test. So we spent the week in a COVID limbo for fear we may all have been exposed. After testing on Friday, by midnight Saturday he was informed he tested negative. Keeping wonderful moments in mind became more critical, more necessary for my family.

So we drove through a winter wonderland, over at Tilles Park in Saint Louis. This was a first for the family. Even though my kids wanted to come out, we kept reminding them they could not, thanks to the pandemic. We drove along side families on horse carriages which made my kids smile. To be so close to horses was magical for them. Then there were lights, lots and lots of Christmas lights, all in celebration of this wonderful time of the year. From the gingerbread man which one of my son adores, to all the named reindeers especially Rudolph, the watery lights and Santa’s workshop, everything at the park was wonderful and my kids were high on happiness. Keep wonderful moments still even in the middle of a pandemic. And feel free to make new ones too. Anything goes in 2020.