December 16: Frederik Meijer Gardens






The Canadian Christmas Tree.

Entering the Gardens.



 




Every year the Frederik Meijer Gardens has an amazing display of Christmas trees representing other countries.  If I remember correctly, they add a new one each year and this year there were 41!  Of course, these are simply representative...I heard one woman with a heavy German accent say, "This is not like our tree," as she stood in front of the tree designated for Germany.  I almost told her that the tree represented the United States didn't look like our tree, either, but I thought better of it.  :)  The trees were beautiful and the signs were so helpful explaining traditions native to each country.  The kids agreed to stand in front of the Canadian tree so we could share it with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jono, and Aunt Elise.   



We talked a bit about how kids in different countries celebrate Christmas.  It's so easy to focus on what's familiar and forget that there are so many other people in so many other parts of the world celebrating the birth of Jesus.  



One of the trains in the Railway Garden.



Of course, Koen and Ty's favorite part of the visit was the Railway Garden.  Trains.  I wish I could have captured their faces as the watched the trains travel around the rooms...pure joy!  We probably spent most of our time in the three rooms that had the train tracks, but everything about the visit was enjoyable!  It's been five years since I'd been to this exhibit, but it won't be that long before we return! 



Grandma Smits joined us for the morning.