Polar Express 2016

This is the 4th year the Scott County Public Library has come to Sadieville to provide Polar Express for Scott County residents. This has become a very hot ticket each year. This year they had two nights with four readings each night (6:00pm, 6:30pm, 7:00pm and 7:30pm). This year the Library also gave Sadieville six tickets for each reading each night. We posted notices on the two Facebook pages for Sadieville and I took on the task of giving out these tickets. Any leftover tickets I took back to the Library to combine with any they had left. All tickets were given out. With 35 tickets for each reading that gives 140 people an opportunity to participate each evening. Lots of people, lots of fun.

In addition, Eagle Creek Baptist Church provided a community supper that evening. They provided free hot soup to anyone who came through their doors during the same time as the Friday readings. Since our temperatures were very low for Sadieville and there was a nice wind to add a mighty wind chill to the evening, the soup was much appreciated and enjoyed by many. Isn't Sadieville a nice little town? Yes!

The Friends of Sadieville (of which I am chair) find a Santa for the evenings. The Library provides hot chocolate and cookies in City Hall where Santa is for pictures and visits. The conductor calls the kids who take their tickets and follow him to the Caboose for the reading of the Polar Express and he punches their ticket. When they finish the reading, Santa is at the door giving each child a bell as their first gift of Christmas. It is magical for the kids.

I took hundreds of pictures. I shall share just a few of my favorites. First, Friday evening.

Next, Saturday evening readings.

One of the funniest comments was a little boy about four years old sitting on Santa's knee. Santa asks, "Have you been naughty?" Without missing a beat he raises his little pointer finger and points directly at two older siblings standing with their mom. Then he says, "I haven't but THEY have!" Cracked me up.

One little guy was telling Santa what he wanted for Christmas. There was a little list and he was methodically going through it being sure not to forget anything. I was sure I heard him tell Santa he wanted a doll house between other things on the list. As he finished talking with Santa, his mother leaned over to me from her picture taking position and said, "Did he say he wanted a doll house?" I assured her I heard it too. She shook her head in wonder. That was the first he ever asked for that item and clearly the mother had not purchased it. She turned to her husband and explained and he said, "Oh well" with some hint of resolve to find a doll house for their little guy. 

Santa will look at parents while the kids are giving their lists to be sure the parents indicate yes or no. He received lots of requests for American Doll from the girls and Transformers for the boys. He does a great job of being with the kids.

Now, I purchase the candy canes for Santa to give the kids after they talk with him or before if they need a little coaxing. I figure the number of places in each reading over the two night and buy some less than that. This year I still had lots of extra candy canes. I think they are like the miracle of the loaves and fished and just keep multiplying. I found this year's candy canes at the Family Dollar store in Georgetown. They had all their candy canes for $2.00 per box of 12. I needed 24 boxes. Last year they were $1.00 per box of 12, so the price had doubled. I had checked several stores in Georgetown to be sure. This Family Dollar has a sale so that you bought one box at regular price and the second box was half price. That was a great savings for me. After I picked out the appropriate number of boxes, I strolled down the toy aisle. Papa will be in our home Christmas morning to open presents. He wanted to have a little gift to give Hayden and Bailey from him. As I looked a little boy came up and asked me what I was looking for. He was about 7 or 8 years old. I told him I was looking for something for a girl and something for a boy. He assured me I needed to get something in the Nerf family. I told him my grandson was a little older than that and really liked Lego things better at this point. He rattled on telling me things and then I asked if he liked Pokemon. He was over the moon happy and made a loud noise before he said, "Man, you could be my Gramma!!" I then laughed out loud as well. Oh that everyone in the world was that happy and friendly. Wouldn't it be a great place. 

So, this year's Polar Express is one for the books. Claude and I were both very happy with how smoothly it went. The cold weather only added to the fun but without all that horrid ice we had two years ago. The train rolling through town made it even more fun for the kids. So, until next year on the second weekend in December, this is the Polar Express fun for 2016.