Have a holly trolley Christmas! It’s the best time of the year!
Ohhhhhhh, how I love the Holiday season. The songs. The smiles. The total meltdowns when one can’t locate Glyde the Elf. But truly, mostly, the Holidays with kids are pretty dang fun.
But what do you do when you have a kiddo with a December birthday? Because y’all. December birthdays, I am discovering, are a bit of a challenge. In fact, when Harrison (the Littlest) turned one, we didn’t have a birthday party.
I know.
We’re basically the worst parents in the history of forever. But it just snuck up on us. And then everyone was crazy busy with the Holidays (not to mention, my 6-year-old has pretty consistently celebrated his June birthday 6 months after his birthday for the last two years because we are not exactly the best planners). So ya. No party on number one.
And then I realized, we just need to have it be a big celebration of magic for kids. A celebration for Harrison but also, a celebration of the season and also, making it through the year. And so began, “Harrison’s Holly Trolley Lights Tour.”
This year, we started the festivities at our house around 5 pm. We served breakfast foods (because pajama party) including Kolaches from the Omaha Kolache Factory, a donut “cake,” reindeer food (carrots), and hot cocoa.
I picked up some wrapping paper, plates, napkins, and utensils at the Dollar Tree. Then I wrapped the counter for easy cleanup.
Drinks for kiddos in these cute cups that I found here. And their choice of hot cocoa, cherry 7up, Kid Sparkling Juice, or water.
The kiddos were all invited to don pajamas and the adults, too, or festive holiday attire.
And the birthday boy got to make another wish… for another year.
We set up a small cocoa station and a spike station so everyone could get their cocoa on.
At 5:30, the kids grabbed their cups, and we all boarded the trolley. We have rented through Emerald Limousine the last three years and have been really pleased (they are totally cool with our romper room situation AND we take hot cocoa on the bus).
This year, I handed out these cuuuuuute reindeer glasses and flashing bracelets to each kiddo once we boarded and off we went.
We chatted (ahem. yelled), listened to holiday tunes, danced, laughed, and enjoyed some lights, too.
All in all, it’s one of my fave nights of the year because all the kids are contained and none of the adults have to be the driver of the lights tour.
I don’t know if we’ll keep doing this every year but I truly hope we can and I hope it becomes just another thing that my kids always treasure as a gift of this wonderful season.
Have a Holly Trolley Christmas…
…
+++Thank you to Oriental Trading. They supplied a budget for me to select a few items for this event. The items were selected all on my own (the light up bracelets, cups, and reindeer glasses) and all opinions are mine and not influenced by the company.
