Greenville holiday checklist

We’ve managed to squeeze in more downtown holiday stuff into the past few days than we had managed all month! With all the guests in town it meant a lot of time at home: cooking, eating and having family time. However, guests always give us an excuse to show off our small but happening downtown, and this Christmas was no exception. As we had already seen the Miniature World of Trains holiday display we headed first to the opposite end of Main Street, to the Hyatt’s Festival of Trees. If you haven’t yet had the chance to visit the dozens of trees on two levels in the hotel lobby, you have until January 1^st. Decorated by local schools and organizations, the trees provided plenty of inspiration for next year’s tree, ornaments and gifts.

Dad took a few spins with the boys on Ice on Main. Last year I had done the heavy lifting, keeping Lauris upright on the ice, but this year Roberts opted in. It helped that there were these blue walkers on the ice for those not-so-steady on their feet.

We often ride the Greenville downtown trolley as we can walk to catch it from our house and therefore avoid parking problems downtown. During the holidays we make it a point to ride the trolley at least once in the evening, as the trolleys are decked out in Christmas lights and prove a warm and cozy way to see all the lights of the holidays on Main Street. If only we could figure out the schedule, we might ride more often; although the website gives an overview of supposed start and end times, more than once we’ve seen the trolley running before the supposed start time, or waited in vain for the last one… I find that with the trolley, the best is to have an alternate plan.

We admired the giant tree near the Marriott, and asked a passerby to snap a family photo of us. Although nowhere as big as the tree in downtown Clermont-Ferrand that was trucked in by semi, the fir is magical in that way that even the sparsest tree can be when decorated with just a few twinkling lights and the joy of the season.

There were tears shed today as one set of grandparents departed for the airport, leaving the house feeling empty and bringing an abrupt end to these Christmas celebrations. However we are blessed to have the second set arriving in a day or two to celebrate a second Christmas before helping us ring in the New Year! Is it any wonder that Mikus’s newest favorite word is partija?