When my kids were little, we lived in southern California and each year, we would drive to nearby Pasadena to look at the Christmas decorations at the Balian Mansion (the Balian family owns a creamery with a locally well known ice cream) and then on to Christmas Tree Lane (where the huge pine trees are decorated by the neighborhood and lights strung across from one side of the street to the other for three or four blocks) and then on to a church that performed a live drive-thru nativity each year.
The drive-thru nativity was done only over one weekend each year and was a hugely popular attraction. We would line up each year, sometimes three or four blocks away from the entrance and wind our way until it was our turn to drive-thru. At the entrance we got a program with the narration for each scene. As we drove through at about 4 or 5 miles per hour, there was plenty of time to stop at each scene and read the narration from the program so the kids would know what was going on in each scene. When we finished, we would stop for cookies and hot cider at the end of the parking lot and sometimes, if the line was not too long, we would get at the back of the line and drive through a second time.
The kids loved it and looked forward to it each year. I liked that it let us all focus on the true meaning of Christmas at least for a little while each season.
Now I want to start the tradition with my two grandchildren. Today I spent hours looking online for a drive-thru nativity but I couldn’t find one. I’ve looked each year since we moved here in 2008 but I’ve not found a drive-thru event other than the one at the Portland International Speedway where you drive through to see lit up Christmas decorations/scenes. That’s not really what I want. I want the Christmas story experience. Tonight I did find a couple of walk through nativity presentations that are near us. The catch however is that we live in Oregon where December is very wet most nights and when it’s dry, it’s freezing! Our overnight temperatures this December have so far been hovering just above and below 32 degrees. So I don’t know if I will be able to start the tradition with them this year. They’re little, 4 and 1, so we might have to wait a year and maybe take the older one first and wait a few years to take the younger one. But I do want to do this with them. I think it’s important. And traditions, old or new, are so very important for families.
I don’t think I’ve seen one around here…but for a great outdoor experience, The Grotto is always a nice choice…choirs every night.
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Yup. I’ve wanted to go to the Grotto’s presentation but haven’t. I think I might give it a try, at least with just the older one, one evening if it’s not too wet.
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Sounds like a wonderful tradition. Bundle them up; they will persevere! Says the lady who lives in Northern Minnesota…. ☺
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Ha ha! I think it’s probably more like this tired old arthritic grandma might not be able to stand it but don’t tell them that!
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That sounds lovely. My siblings, friends, and I have been going to a local state park’s drive-thru Christmas light show for almost two decades. It’s no nativity scene, but it’s part of our Christmas experience. Every person that comes along in my life is introduced to the light show. It’s Christmas to me. Fantastic post!
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It’s that Christmas experience that’s important. You’ve created and shared a tradition and I’m sure that if you were to miss it one year, it would really not feel like Christmas!
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Exactly. Almost missed it last year and had a panic about it. Ended up in a massive queue to drive through on Christmas Eve, but it was totally worth it. Everyone in the car was pretty excited.
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It sounds like a wonderful tradition. Maybe it’s because of the weather that no one has a drive-thru nativity there?
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