Santa at the R&GN

Friday Santa arrived about noon at the railroad, and we had a good day with kids and families. The weather was sunny and cool -- in the forties. This was a vast improvement over last year when cold weather kept people away. Today (Saturday) is supposed to be another nice day with a high near 50, so I expect to be busy. Parents and grandparents are on hand shopping for Christmas, and business in the store is brisk. Tomorrow, on the other hand, is supposed to bring snow, and of course people who were here for the long holiday weekend will be heading home.

Last night we watched The Polar Express, which deserves to become a new Christmas season tradition. If you haven't seen it and get a chance, do so. The fact that is is about a train trip had nothing to do with our interest. Or the fact that we sell the very popular book at the store.

It is a sweet, beautifully animated movie about a little boy who has just reached the age to doubt Santa. It is quite predictable -- Tom accused me of having seen it already because I kept telling him what was going to happen next -- but then, Christmas movies are all pretty predictable. Even what Tom calls his Hanukkah movie is predictable.

Tom's Hanukkah movie is Full Court Miracle, a 2003 made-for-TV Disney production based loosely (no miracle in the real events) on a true story about a disgraced professional basketball player who turns his life around when he gets involved coaching a basketball team composed of kids from a local yeshiva. Naturally at the tensest moment of the crucial game with their rivals, the power fails with our heroes losing.

But wait! There is a back-up generator? Will this make it possible for our kids to pull off the big upset? The supportive rabbi's hopes begin to rise.

Oh, no! There isn't quite enough fuel to keep the lights on long enough. So close and yet so far!

But wait again! Can that sudden thunder storm that caused the blackout also portend divine intervention?

What do you think?

See? Even Hanukkah movies are predictable. (But it helps if you know the Hanukkah story.)

Speaking of Hanukkah (begins at sunset December 21 this year), we won't have Rebecca and David here over the holidays. They will be in Israel, visiting David's brother as well as friends from the days when they lived there. Peter will also not be here because he cannot get enough time off from work to make the trip here and back. So this year there will be enough rooms for everyone, and Tom and I won't need to stay over at the EconoLodge. (I'll miss the pool and jacuzzi, though.) Cooking will be simpler, too, because we won't have to make sure that there is enough kosher stuff. Becca and David are very good about bringing kosher items when they come, and we have plates and cooking utensils for them. They take care of themselves normally, but for the holidays, you want people to be sharing the meal as much as possible.

But even though it may be easier and less crowded, I will miss the full house effect of the past couple of years. Of course, who knows if Lucy will bring a new boyfriend or John a new girl. The only sure thing is that we will have Helen, Jay and Buddy the Dog. So stay tuned for late-breaking developments.