We skipped town last weekend. It sounds a little crazy with everything that we have left to tackle before Christmas, but I’m thinking we might need to do this every December. Galena, IL has always been the place to recharge the batteries. The reception is complete crap out there so the family can’t stay glued to their devices and there isn’t much to watch on T.V. other than a fishing or hunting show (I grew up on these so don’t get me wrong I have nothing against them.) It’s just the crackle of the fire, a good book to read and occasionally looking out the big picture window in the hopes of catching a deer or some other woodland creature wandering through the yard. The kids are forced to use their (gulp) imagination. They can explore in the woods, dust off a board game, play cards or chess. We pack lots of fun snacks and some good wine for Mom and Dad. Life is good!
I’d read somewhere that there’s an annual live window shop display and Luminaria a few weeks before Christmas so we made a plan to go. Just the hubby, kids, dog and me. There’s the Grinch we saw above.
The window shops were okay. It got pretty crowded along the streets so if you love shopping and don’t mind all of the people milling around then you would probably love it. I would highly recommend a visit to see the candle display. It’s a pretty incredible sight. Especially if you venture to climb the steps to the top of town and look down on the little pathways lighted along the river and through the Main St. Breathtaking. Magical. It puts the true meaning back into Christmas. A time to spend with your loved ones and appreciate all your blessings.
Here’s the view when we were almost to the top. See the little lights down below? Those are all the bags with real candles lit inside each one!
Made it to the top! Dress warm because it’s a chilly walk, but definitely worth it. Here you can see the candles lined up along the river walk.
Looking back up after we began our descent. Check it out sometime! It’s a relaxing way to prepare for the busy holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Home Is Where The Haggis Is 