Saturday, December 9^th, 2017, was a day of firsts. The first snowfall of the season—beautiful. The first time our family visited the DiMenna Children’s History Museum at The New-York Historical Society in New York City—also beautiful. And, our first brush with “SantaCon.” “SantaCon” is not a convention of mall “Santas” meeting to exchange tips, but an annual pub crawl of boisterous folks dressed in Santa suits. (Not really the setting for the wholesome family trip I’d planned.) We had counted 27 and a ¼ “Santas” (the “quarter” as my youngest son was wearing a Santa hat) by the time we arrived at our destination. Thankfully, the New-York Historical Society, elegant against a backdrop of gorgeous brownstones, was full of holiday cheer–minus the crazed revelers.

As we approached the New-York Historical Society entrance, I was reminded once again of just how stunning New York City can be, as this gem of a museum is located at 170 Central Park West at 77^th Street. Upon entering, we were drawn to the Holiday Express exhibit, featuring hundreds of toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection. The experience is immersive—trains travel on tracks near the ceiling above … Continue reading..