Interesting and sad thoughts...Santa's Village
I have the Santa's Mailbox from Santa's Village near Big Bear, when it closed a few years back. My wife and I attended the interesting, and kind of sad, auction after its last open day.
My wife had hoped that maybe we could buy the machinery that made up the "gold mine" candy machine. Upon inspection though, it was SO big and you were responsible to get it apart and out of there. It would have taken a flatbed to do it.
We settled for the red Santa's mailbox. I am going to go thru old tapes and see if I have a shot of it from years before when the park was open. I hope to heck I can find that, otherwise, who would believe me except on my word?
That said, this was THE mailbox outside the building that was Santa's house that he would greet children at. Kids were to put their letters to Santa in the box. Each year, we load it up with small presents for the kids on the 24th, and it sits on the fireplace step-up.
Santa's Village in the end was not as kept up as it once was, but it was still ok. You could tell though that a generation brought up on Magic Mountain thrill rides would not appreciate what this place was. I think some of the simple magic of Christmas is being lost, and I insist on it not being lost on my kids. My son had a wonderful time the 3 times we went there. If a young kid can't find the pleasure in putting through an "enchanted forest" on a little antique car, buzzing around in the bumble bee monorail, or having his picture taken with Santa, I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for people who kind of trash the whole Santa's Village concept as "old" now. (I could have done without the disgusting Xfiles episode that finally, after all these years, explained away Mulder's kidnapped sister as really a victim of a crazy Santa Claus, who buried kids at the defunct "Santas Wonderland" . I wonder what kind of twisted childhood those writers had...but that's another discussion.)
I made sure my older son had this opportunity to see Santas Village, and I will make a "big Christmas" for my two year old this year, who missed this. It was really wierd being there after it closed...seeing the few toys that were never sold in the shop, and the back room of the food gift shop with old spices that were old stock. Wierd and sad.
This year, it will be C-8 bulbs on my trees (twinkle lights ONLY on an optional 2nd, small tree) C-9 bulbs only on my house outside. Those give off a warmth of light that to me is what makes up an indelible part of the holiday. We totally missed Christmas last year, try as we might, because we sold our house over the holidays! We had nothing but a small tree. No decorations, it was horrible.
I have a much bigger house now. With a porch! Built in 1946, it will really show good for Christmas. I have some vintage light figures also.
I am very excited that my friends enjoy the whole vintage Christmas thing also. I am looking forward to seeing the houses done up. We should launch a thread early December to capture all the fun.
