Saturday night our family had the opportunity to visit Christmas in the Park in Arab. I first learned about Arab City Park during a brief stint living in Arab, Alabama. You should google how it came to be known as Arab, it's actually a fun story. The park is really beautiful with multiple play structures, gazebos, trees, historic buildings and walking trails. It's close to the Arab library so when we were living there we would go most every week. I used to love going to the library, I gotta say though it's way less fun to try and 'shush' a toddler while looking for a book with another baby on my hip. A post library trip to the park was necessary to let the minions blow off steam and caterwaul to their heart's content.
Here are said baby and toddler now:
You can go on and insert a sappy statement about time passing and little acorns becoming big trees and enjoying them when they are little. Either way the park was always a welcome respite from the super quiet library.
The Arab City Park is laid out really well. Christmas in the Park and Santa in the Park are put on by the city and private sponsors and is manned by hardworking volunteers.
Over two million lights are strung from the trees and throughout the park. The best part is it doesn't cost a dime to walk through the main park area.
The kids loved seeing the lights but I was having visions of ditching our minions and spending a nice date night with my husband wandering through the park without them.
"Really, Mom? Ditching us?"
The lights were quite mesmerizing.
The Galaxy of Lights in Huntsville is great but unless you go on a walking night you don't get to get up close and personal with the lights. Christmas in the Park allows you to wander to your heart's content. And I did mention it's free, right?
Santa in the Park is a part of Christmas in the Park and isn't free but IS totally worth it. It costs a measly $5 to get in and for that you get to decorate a cookie and wander around the Arab Historic Park. There was a blacksmith shop, a grist mill, an old country store, a museum, a building to decorate cookies and make crafts, and of course, Santa's house
We watched corn being ground up into 'Reindeer Food' at the grist mill.
Good gravy, is there anything more beautiful than an old person's hands?
It was neat seeing the corn go into the hopper and come out as fine meal on the other side.
Each patron got to take home a little bag of the 'Reindeer Food.'
Is this the part where I need to admit I photoshopped my kid's hands to make them appear less dirty? It's true. I did.
After we watched the corn being ground we went to the craft house. Some of us were super enthusiastic about making crafts:
Some of us were not:
"I'm makin' it, woman."
Next came cookie making...
checker playing....
and last but not least...
A visit with Santa!
"and a magic wand and a pony and a surprise and a new washing machine"
That last one might have been mine.
Ya know how at these type events you have to pay the fancy photographer to take the picture? Not here! You use your own camera - so don't forget to bring one.
And don't forget to go to Santa in the Park in Arab. For $5 per person it's a total Christmas steal!