A Christmas Journey

That, from The Village of Make Believe Chamber of Commerce pretty much sums up why a Christmas visit to this magical place is a must. And to make it possible, the Whimsical & Northern Railroad has frequent, affordable service between the Big City and the magical Village of Make Believe.

Let’s board the train and delight in a bit of whimsical magic as we travel through The Village of Make Believe. Although the story began before any of us were born, we will limit our visit to the last ten years or so.

What would you do if you were the Station Master and needed a Christmas tree decorated, but were too busy with the Christmas passenger rush to do it? Well, in this case, the Station Master recruited his son and his friends to create The Depot Christmas Tree. Can you feel the Christmas magic? I can. From the moment I stepped off the train onto the platform. There is something in the air. Maybe it is the cold, snow-scented air. Maybe it is the smell of pine boughs. Maybe it is the whimsical feeling that fills my spirit. Whatever it is, it is magical.

I wonder who the fortunate soul is that gets to ride to his lodging in the convertible? A Packard, I think?

One of you, I hope. It is not me, however, and I am getting cold. Better catch our transportation into town before we freeze. Depending upon where we are heading, there’s the bus and the Village Trolley to get us there.

If you are heading to the Lodge at Snow Mountain, there is no better way to get there than via the Village Trolley “Snow Mountain” route.

Or, if you are like me, heading into town, the “Loop Route” will get you to your destination quickly. I’m staying at the St. Nickolas Hotel, so I’ll be getting off shortly. For those of you new to the Village, the St. Nickolas is the brick building on the left at the curve. The Village’s wonderfully unique boutiques line the street. Be sure to check out the window displays everyone—fascinating.

The Motorman says that this is his last run for the day. When he gets home, he is going to set up his Christmas Train Garden, he tells us.

I wanted to get out and walk around a bit. I’m glad you decided to come with me. I would have missed this driver-less truck caught between the tracks if you hadn’t pointed it out. It seems that a police officer has also noticed the truck. Wonder where the driver went?

Did you notice all the fishing tackle that was stowed aboard our train? It seems that many of you know about our unheralded secret (at least by the Chamber of Commerce) as one of the best winter fishing spots on earth. The Rudolph Depot (shown here) is “The Fisherman’s Gateway.” Another heavy snow, but that should not stop the fish from biting.

No one at the depot. Better hurry and get to your fishing spot before they’re all taken. By the way, Mrs. Brown, who lives in the house next to the depot, will clean your catch for a nominal fee.

It appears that Mr. Fezziwig is running a bit late with his deliveries for the depot. As Fezziwig is the cousin of S. C. Claus, the W&N president, the train will surely wait until everything is loaded aboard. I hope this doesn’t delay the train too long. After all, she is the “Snow Flyer.”

If you have an observant eye, you will soon notice that most of the small Whimsical & Northern depots look the same. That’s because, being a Class 2 Railroad, finances can be iffy, especially when it is not the Christmas season. One plan, duplicate depots, saves a bundle of money.

You have picked the best time to visit The Village of Make Believe. Christmas—it’s a magical time. There’s something enticing always happening. The shops surrounding the Square are open. After shopping grab a cup of coffee and a holiday scone at Caribou Coffee.

We’ve arrived at the Village Square just in time to catch Proffesorre Piccini’s Punch & Judy Show. It looks like the “bottler” has gather a good number of kids to laugh at the funny, often shocking, antics of Punch. Ah, I hear the twitter. The crocodile has showed up. Will he eventually eat Punch? Will Punch live? Only the Punchman (Proffesorre Piccini) knows.

“Why does the crocodile attack Punch?” you might ask. It is Punch’s comeuppance for all the people he has been nasty too.

The kids are ignoring the parade about to enter the Square. Well why not? Who can resist seeing Policeman Jack getting tapped by Punch with his own nightstick?

I see that the evening Polar Bear Express is pulling into the depot. People do know about the Christmas magic that embeds the Village.

I know most of you are snuggled up in your warm beds. I’m not. I’m out and about, wandering around the train yards, on this cold morning. Living in the Village, I have the advantage of knowing many of those who go about their business here. The Buck Horse Farm farmhand, Pete, has just about finished up his loading of gifts and supplies for the farm. He has a few milk cans yet to load up. He’ll drop these off at the neighboring dairy farm. A great thing about living in a town like the Village of Make Believe is that everyone helps everyone out as they can.

Mr. S. Claus has ordered a new Willys Woody, and they’re having a heck of a time getting it off of the flat car. You would think that they’d use the ramp. But, no. Just wait to they realize that the crane car is derailed. Got to chuckle about that!

In the background the shops are just opening. The stock boy at Fezziwig’s is just putting out the open sign.

Some of our fellow passengers kept it a secret, but some didn’t—Hippies at Heart, off for their stay at the “World Famous Pink Flamingo Motel.” Rediscovered by some left-over hippies a few years back, the Pink Flamingo has undergone a resurgence. Rooms are at a premium – two-night stay required. The coming and going of guests calls for what seems like a never-ending shuttle between the motel, town, and the depot. The Pink Flamingo Management has been after the W&N to establish a flag stop near the motel.

Many of the guests, perhaps some a bit stoned, will take a dip in the chilly bay at the foot of the stairs.

Hey, there’s Wanda and Henry heading down to the beach! Brrr! Too cold for me.

I do wish the kids having the snowball fight would be more careful. They’re getting awful close to the tracks. I know you and I had planned to go ice-skating, do you think there’s enough room for us?

Well, here we are back in town. I wonder why there are two camping trailers without their tow vehicles in front of the Justice of the Peace?

I hope you have enjoyed a brief visit to the Village of Make Believe and some of her trackside scenes. Please join me again for another visit. In fact, you can visit without me. Just head over to https://villageofmakebelieve.frankamills.com or https://www.facebook.com/villageofmakebeieve.

Frank Mills – Photographs and text Copyright 2021