Toot toot, All Aboard The Minivan Express!
Click here to download your golden tickets!
Don’t drive a mini-van? Don’t worry, page 2 has “Christmas Express” tickets, so you can make it work for your family no matter what you’re driving, it could even be a sleigh! ;o) wink…wink…
So what are these golden tickets for?
Ready to start a Christmas tradition that the whole family will enjoy? I know you’ve all seen The Polar Express, well, this is our own version of that fun adventure! Each year we hide the “Golden Tickets” in our kids’ beds. My husband starts the bedtime routine as usual, while I prepare little bags of popcorn and hot chocolate drinks and place them in the car, oh and don’t forget to have Christmas music playing in the car too!
When the kids go to climb into bed, they will find the ticket hidden under their covers, get ready for lots of giggles and screams as they all find their tickets! The kids are then instructed to grab their slippers and head for the car.
Upon entrance to The Minivan Express, we hole punch the ticket (you know for effect and all.) Next, we travel around the city looking at all the beautiful lights. We may even stop somewhere for a fun snack on the way home. Now the kids look forward to this each year and look forward to getting “those special tickets”!
Some trip ideas for you:
- Check online for best Christmas Lights in your area! Pack up your car with popcorn in rudolf cups, hot chocolate in coffee mugs (with a lid!), and Christmas music! Enjoy driving around your neighborhood checking out all the Christmas lights!
- Check your local Barnes & Noble, most years they do “The Polar Express “ for story time, all the kids come in their jammies, and ours gave out little jingle bells to all the kids!
- Ice Skating: If you have a local outdoor ice rink, check out prices and times, and go ice skating!
- Polar Express Lapbook Printables: Since this idea was taken from The Polar Express, I thought I’d add a link for more fun activities: The Polar Express.
- North Pole: Check online for North Pole exhibits in your area, some even have a train the kids can ride on!
- Santa Claus: Pack the kids in the car and take a trip to see Santa at your local mall and get their pictures taken!
Hi Erica! I love this idea and had to share it on my blog. I love your educational ideas too and encouraged my readers to check out your blog. Just wanted to know I linked back to you. http://titus2workinprogress.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-express.html
Suuper cute Idea!!
Thank you…Thank you…Thank you……from the bottom of my heart…..to the very top.
Hi Erica! I don’t even know how I found your blog, but I love it! I am definitely going to do this with my boys this year. I love your passion to share Christ with your children, and I will be taking your lead as I look to find more ways to share Him with my boys.
~Angela
Thank-you so much for posting this and the printable tickets. I cannot wait to do this with my girls
We did this with our kids last year and they have been asking for months to do it again. They keep asking us when they are going to find those tickets under their pillow again! Thanks for belong our family create such an awesome Christmas memory!!
Found you through the Simple Kids blog. LOVE this idea!!! We have bought tickets for a sort of live theatre train ride that has the characters, songs, etc for the last few years. But at about $100 for our family, we may be riding the TrailBlazer Express next year!! Thanks for the fun idea!
I love this idea and plan to do it this year with my kids. They will love it!
I also found this awesome free Polar Express preK printable pack on Living Intentionally Blog. Here is the link http://www.livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/2012/11/free-polar-express-mega-pack.html
Thank you for the cute idea! …and for the printable, that saved me a lot of time!
Love this idea! But I am having trouble downloading the tickets. Will you PLEASE email it to me in a PDF file?