A Holiday Tradition #ISMCCX

One of my favorite places to visit each holiday season is the Indiana State Museum. There are lots of fun places to visit around Indianapolis this time of year - Conner Prairie, the Zoo, Eiteljorg, Polar Express, the Children's Museum - that it can be hard to choose what to do.

Here is why we love Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum - it isn't chaos. Celebration Crossing brings a lot of the joyful simplicity of the holiday to the State Museum. We enjoy visiting the Indiana State Museum once or twice per year anyway. Teagan loves the natural history side of things. This year, we even became museum members.

But Celebration Crossing is special. There is a throwback to a simpler time - there are recreations of store windows, for example. I love that big department stores used to be a main commerce point in the downtown areas and that those stores would get attention and be part of a tradition as they dressed up their store windows for the holidays. That just doesn't really happen anymore. I love that you can visit a recreation of the L.S. Ayres tea room and my kids can experience a "fancy" lunch that is still kid friendly. I love that the offerings of Celebration Crossing aren't loud or flashy.

This year, there is a loud and flashy but really fun new thing. It costs a little extra but if you grew up enjoying an arcade or old video games at your local pizza place... you won't want to miss the Pop Up Retro Arcade. We played Pac Man, Q-Bert, Asteroids, and more.

After a few video games, we headed downstairs for Santa's big arrival - by helicopter!! And there is a big balloon drop when he comes inside. Toy soldiers line up to announce his arrival. Raggedy Ann is there, reindeer, Xmas trees, and all kinds of fun characters.

Then it was time to see Santa! The Santa at Celebration Crossing is one of our favorite. We've been coming to see him since 2008.  Last year, he helped us create Santa magic for Teagan as she entered the first real stages of Santa Denial. But here is my favorite thing from our visit to Santa this year - check out the side by side pic of this year compared to last year.

I couldn't have done that intentionally if I tried - I'm never tha torganized. I gues each kid really has their own style. But hands the same, sitting the same way, clothing so similar... freaky! Another Christmas miracle, right?

Of course, no visit to Santa is complete with mom getting in on the Santa action, too...

Other favorites at Celebration Crossing are the variety of local talent on display (various choirs and groups come at different times to share holiday cheer and sounds), the 92 County Tree, and riding the L.S. Ayres train!

  

Another fun find this year was the cafe at the Indiana State Museum. Definitely worth a stop. The food is fresh and interesting and more varied than most! And it was tasty!

Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum will always be top of our list for our family's Christmas traditions!