We took some time off from extra activities to get organized for Christmas. Spent a few days (yes, with my little helpers it takes awhile) getting the tree and the house decorated and now it's all done, except for the stockings. No fireplace to hang them on so I have to find a spot for them and I'm still looking.
With decorating the tree and house checked off we moved on to the second thing on our list: attend Christmas events/celebrations. First up, Castle Medical Center Christmas tree lighting.
The Marine Corp band was there again this year and they played one Christmas favorite after another for about an hour. We walked around and got all the free goodies that were being handed out: glow sticks for the kids, kettle corn, gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate and then sat and listened to the band.
After the band concert they did a countdown and lit the tree!
But the evening's festivities were not over. After the tree was lit, Santa and Mrs. Clause arrived by horse drawn carriage and then the Honolulu Boys Choir performed. We got to hear them a couple times last Christmas season, but I have to admit I spent more time chatting with friends than listening to them this year. Their music is excellent though and I enjoyed what I did hear.
We skipped pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Clause because the line was really long (and skipped the free trolley rides for the same reason), but got pictures with the lesser known Christmas character Nana Bear instead. What, you've never heard of Nana Bear? Yeah, me neither (maybe it's a Castle mascot or something) but we got cute pictures. Our girl was very intrigued with the bear and wanted to look at it but not get too close. On the way home our boy figured out there must have been a person inside the bear and so we told him who was inside since it happened to be a good family friend. We know quite a few people who work at Castle and I don't know if it's because of that or because of the way the program is designed, but the Castle tree lighting just feels like a big block party celebration to me.
But the evening's festivities were not over. After the tree was lit, Santa and Mrs. Clause arrived by horse drawn carriage and then the Honolulu Boys Choir performed. We got to hear them a couple times last Christmas season, but I have to admit I spent more time chatting with friends than listening to them this year. Their music is excellent though and I enjoyed what I did hear.
We skipped pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Clause because the line was really long (and skipped the free trolley rides for the same reason), but got pictures with the lesser known Christmas character Nana Bear instead. What, you've never heard of Nana Bear? Yeah, me neither (maybe it's a Castle mascot or something) but we got cute pictures. Our girl was very intrigued with the bear and wanted to look at it but not get too close. On the way home our boy figured out there must have been a person inside the bear and so we told him who was inside since it happened to be a good family friend. We know quite a few people who work at Castle and I don't know if it's because of that or because of the way the program is designed, but the Castle tree lighting just feels like a big block party celebration to me.All year long our boy has been asking when we were going to go to another tree lighting at Castle and I think it lived up to what he remembered from last year. Next event - Honolulu City Lights parade tomorrow night!
1 Comment:
No chimney/mantle here either... So I've got our stockings hung from the curtain rod -- one where we never close the curtains... works!
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