Celebration in the Oaks

Last night we decided to brave the late afternoon witching hours with a usually cranky baby and take Thatcher to one of my favorite holiday events: Celebration in the Oaks. When I was little, the entire park used to be illuminated with fabulous lights with thousands of colorful sculptures dangling from the majestic oak trees. You could drive through miles and miles of beautiful displays and also get out and walk around if you wanted to. In post-Katrina New Orleans, a lot has changed, and the park only offers the walking version. It's still just as fun, but I hope that one day they will bring back the driving tour. I used to spend hours at Celebration in the Oaks with my grandmother, the only woman patient enough to bring me 5-6 times a season.

We arrived around 5:15pm to beat the crowds. Another awesome mom moment in history for me: the gates didn't open until 6:00pm. Grrrrrrrreat! Just what a tired Thatcher had in mind during his usual dinner time: waiting in Disney World-esque lines. Thankfully he was actually really, really good.

Once the sun set and we got inside, he was in total awe of the lights. He pointed at all of them and was completely happy the entire time. We had so much fun walking around (did I mention that they sell wine and beer for irresponsible parents like us?) and seeing what caught his eye.

I just love the holidays and feel so thankful for everything we've been given this year. I know that the holidays can be bittersweet for a lot of people, and I have all of them in my thoughts and prayers.

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas from New Orleans!