In The Night Before Christmas, Santa famously calls out to his reindeer:
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and call’d them by name:
“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer, and Vixen!
“On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen!
“To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
“Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
“Where the reinGEAR?” Baby Bird asked as we pulled into the Swanson’s Nursery parking lot. We were there, after all, to meet Dasher and Blitzen, two of Santa’s reindeer. And, Curly. The camel.
Now I’ve been to Swanson’s countless times. I’m a gardener and walking in and amongst the plants–even if I’m not buying–is one of my favorite things to do. But this was my first visit to Swanson’s during the holiday season when there is sorts of holiday entertainment for kids, whether they are taking a gander at the reindeer and camel, checking out the super cool miniature train, or enjoying a steamed milk at the cafe while watching the enormous koi (some near 20 years old!) swim languidly around the cafe’s ponds.
Swanson’s Reindeer Festival last from November 9 through December 24; it’s three parts holiday fun and one part education. Little signs posted by the pens reveal interesting tidbits about the animals within. For example: Did you know that a camel’s top lip is split into two parts that are used, along with the bottom lip, like dexterous fingers? And did you know that reindeers’ new antlers are covered with ‘velvet’ that eventually gets shed?
We climbed up on bales of hay outside the pens and said our hellos to Dasher, Blitzen and Curly. Camels sure are big, I will say that! On two weekends a third reindeer, Jingle, joined the festivities. We didn’t get to meet him, but word on the Santa highway is that Jingle is tame, friendly and very photogenic. Also, adjacent to the animal pens, there are two sleighs for clambering into and taking photos: one family-sized sleigh and a second smaller kids-only sleigh.
Next we headed to Seasons Cafe to quench our thirst and warm our bellies with chai and steamed milk. Seasons offers a wide selection of drinks, along with sandwiches, quiches, salads, and homemade soups that are prepared fresh daily and may include fresh herbs the cafe grows on site. There is also a generous assortment of baked goods, including several gluten-free options.
After sipping our drinks and gawking at the humongous koi (seriously, a couple of them were almost as big as Baby Bird), we moved on to check out Swanson’s Holiday Express, two model trains that wind their way through a fantasy landscape. The trains travel over mountains, through valleys, past waterfalls and snow-covered log cabins in this delightfully detailed Winter Wonderland. We spotted many whimsical surprises like a merry-go-round, totem poles, vintage cars, and a horse-drawn sleigh. My favorites were the spooky Halloween house corner and the two cars “stuck” in the snow. Baby Bird’s loved seeing the miniature camel, riding on one of the open train cars, as he disappeared and reappeared around corners and through tunnels. And Big Papa liked the entire thing—what boy, young or old, wouldn’t?
Dasher, Blitzen and Curly will be at Swanson’s through Christmas Eve. If you have a chance to stop by for a visit, it’s a great outing for kids (and adults too). As you can see in the photo below, the three of us were pretty excited about seeing so much holiday spirit under one roof.
Take the road less traveled, Beth
