Celebrating our first Christmas with Wellington three years ago has made me appreciate this time all over again. There is nothing like seeing this holiday through the eyes of a child to realize the wonder of it all. Since becoming a family it has always been important to me that we have and establish our own traditions. I want this holiday to be very little about the gifts and more about the time we spend as together partaking in the holiday.
On that note we have certain things that we do every year in our great city as a family. Here are a few that we have done consistently through the years and of last year we added some to the list.
1. Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton. We started this one last year. The amazing feats of art they are able to build with gingerbread is mind blowing. I am always amazed at the talent and artistry that goes into it. There is a bit of a line but if you don’t care about seeing it right up close you can circle it and get a good idea of what it looks like without waiting. However, it is worth the wait. Wellington appreciated it so much more this year, even if he did want to eat the gingerbread. Isla was a bit restless, and my husband had to stop her a few times from running up and grabbing the display!
2. The Seattle Center. We go here spspecifically for the huge train exhibit. It is free and could be where our son found his love for trains since we have been going every year since he was six months old. This one could take a while as they usually don’t want to leave. Also, in the area are ice sculptures and ice skating.
3. Candy Cane Lane in Bellevue. This one is outside of Seattle but is worth the drive. We have been going even before Wells was born. It is a free show that takes place nightly at 7pm with dancers, marching band, and ends with fake snow. If this doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit then you really are a Scrooge. Wells appreciated it so much last year and it is worth staying up late and battling traffic. I suggest getting there early for a good spot.
4. Bellevue Botanical Gardens. They do a light display called Garden d’Lights every year. There are several free nights so I would suggest going during one of those and getting there early. We usually try to do this before we head to Candy Cane Lane. The kids love the lights and they do a great job of having every space filled with lights.
5. Christmas lights. Last year we started this tradition of driving around to see the Christmas lights. There is a Candy Cane Lane by the University but West Seattle had our favorite with intricate displays sometimes set to music. Wells said his first complicated sentence there last year “the snowman is waving to Beanie in the car.”
6. Teddy Bear Suite at the Olympic Fairmont. Last year was our first year doing this and Wells wasn’t that into teddy bears. However, this year will be really different. He has turned a corner and is much more into teddy bears so I think he will really enjoy it. It is a nice little stop downtown. We stopped in the morning and it wasn’t busy.
7. Pike Place Market. It is definitely worth visiting here during the Christmas season. I would suggest coming later in the day so you can see it lit up with all of the Christmas lights. It has a very festive feeling this time of year.
These are a few of our favorite things to do around Seattle during the holidays. It is fun to go out and explore your city during such a magical time of year. What does your city have during the holidays?