Feeling Festive
Last Sunday, the Christmas trees arrived at our local stores. Pedro and I had already discussed that we wanted a real tree this year (our first), so we knew we'd be picking it out this weekend. I lobbied for one short enough to reach the top, and we ended up with the perfect fraser fir.
We got it from our favorite florist, Hyacinth House. I've been walking by all week and loving the smell. On the way to get groceries, we browsed their big selection. I think we ended up getting the first one we saw, a 6ft fraser fir that was thick and chunky! The shop owner wrapped it up and set it aside for us, along with stand, so we could pick it up on our way back home. Pedro did a quick lift test, since we don't have a car, and was confident he could carry it home no problem.
After our shopping, discussing lights and decorations along the way, we made our way back to Hyacinth. I took our grocery cart and bags with the tree stand, and Pedro hauled the tree over his shoulder. We got a lot of looks, but all of them were smiling. I felt like we were a little festive spectacle walking down the street, and Pedro did really well all the way home.
After the disappointing news that the Christmas market we enjoyed last year would not be returning, I was on the lookout for a new Christmas activity. The first thing I found was 'Elfingrove' which was a fun Christmas take on the Kelvingrove park area. When I saw it in included ice skating, I was sold. Pedro and I love ice skating. It was actually our first date, and we went so often that I bought my own skates to save money. But once we moved from our hometown, we didn't go as often, so this was an exciting opportunity.
We weren't sure what to expect since we had only seen pictures online from opening day, but it was covered, skate rental included, and optional hot chocolate and food available. I was pleasantly surprised; the Kelvingrove museum was totally transformed with lights and trees!
It was pretty crowded, so getting skates and finding a seat was a bit hectic. Unfortunately, the rental skates were the very basic/cheap roller blade type. It was a cushioned tongue glued to a hard shell that was bent and dented. But the tickets were cheap! We got them on as comfortably as we could and got on the ice.
I know Pedro and I were a bit nervous about getting back on the ice, but it was a 'just like riding a bike- you never forget' situation. We were skating around like old pros, weaving through the slower traffic and taking pictures of the decorations and lights. There were a lot of rail huggers and floor kissers that we had to skate around to avoid collision. Then of course, after a little bit, the children joined the ice. For smaller children and beginner skaters, they provided 2 options of 'skate aids'. We came to fear both. The first was a 3ft plastic penguin on skis, with handles on the head so the child could skate on their own, but with stability help. These weren't too bad since the children couldn't skate too fast anyway, they were just a bit bulky on the already busy ice. Then there was the whale, or as we called it, a freaking battering ram. The child would sit on the back of the whale, and the adult would push it around. I think the adults were getting a bit overzealous pushing the kids around like they were in racecars at the expense of fellow skaters. Luckily, we saved ourselves from falling whenever we were suddenly cut off by a plastic animal flying by.
Overall, we had a fantastic time, and didn't fall which is a bonus. We grabbed some hot chocolate after we got off the ice and headed home. It felt like a very festive day, so of course we had to watch some cheesy Christmas movies to round off the day. Ice skating may have to be our new Christmas tradition while we're here!
