An Old Country Christmas

When I was younger, and heck sometimes even now, I used to watch all of the holiday movies and such that came on television and see all of the people walking around in the fancy winter wonderlands that their towns and cities transformed to during the holiday months and I'd wish that I could do the same.

Don't get me wrong, our little town is pretty festive, with fancy colored lights in different shapes atop every single telephone pole and a beautifully lit central park. But long gone are the days of a community out and about on the sidewalks, sipping hot cocoa, and just enjoying the advent season.

So when a friend of mine invited our family to drive out to Overly's Country Christmas, out near Pittsburgh, I pretty much lunged at the chance to have an old town Christmas. Even it was only for one evening.

There was hot cocoa, hot apple cider, a bonfire with marshmallows for roasting, horse drawn sleigh rides (complete with red lap blankets for the passengers - Gage and I appreciated this and snuggled up together). There was a sweet shop selling handmade fudge and chocolates, a train ride for the kids, and the most spectacular light display, including a very life like manger scene complete with real sheep, lambs, a goat, and a donkey.

It was magic. Every single second of it.