Larah, with son Jonah and husband Tristan. The Pere Marquette locomotive is
seen in the background.
By LARAH
FAYE OSTONAL BARCELON
Michigan, USA.
WITH the season
of Christmas upon us, our inner children are yearning to celebrate.
All the
wondrous toys, food and winter activities beckon to us.
We look
forward to giving and receiving gifts as well as visiting with family and
reliving warm memories formed at this time.
It is not
only a joy to us but also to our children.
However, the
perennial task of helping children believe in the magic of Christmas proves
challenging in an uncertain and commercial world we live in.
The question
of Santa’s existence is called into question as years go by and our children
seem to grow quickly in front of our eyes.
Jonah writing a letter to Santa.
We, as
parents, try to preserve what little time we have with our children.
We try to
fill them with all the beauty and magic we cynically know is hard to come by in
the adult world.
Recently, my
husband Tristan, son Jonah and I were able to partake in
our own little Christmas magic.
We entered the storyland setting of Chris
Van Allsburg’s “The Polar Express”.
Mr Van
Allsburg is the author and illustrator of the book that was adapted into a
successful movie a few years ago, to the delight of many.
It is a
beloved children’s book that is read many times throughout the year but most especially
during Christmas.
The story
revolves around a boy who begins questioning Santa Claus’ existence.
Mr Allsburg
was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
While
creating “The Polar Express” he found inspiration from the Pere Marquette
locomotive #1225 that he often played on as a child in the campus of Michigan
State University.
He modeled
the famous Christmas train after the Pere Marquette.
The sounds
and whistles heard in “The Polar Express” movie were actually obtained from the
Pere Marquette locomotive itself.
Jonah with Santa Claus
The Pere
Marquette is now housed in Owosso, Michigan as part of the Steam Railroad
Institute.
Every year,
the Railroad Institute offered sold-out Christmas rides through their North
Pole Express that tantalized their passengers with visions of stepping into the
Polar Express story.
Complete
with golden tickets, hot cocoa and several souvenir items, especially a little
token reminder to always believe, it certainly was a ride that my son, Jonah
thoroughly enjoyed.
As
passengers, we were brought to the “North Pole”, a town called Ashley, Michigan after
Christmas.
The
Pere Marquette train as it rolls across the snow.
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