All Aboard Virginia’s Santa Train

Virginia Scenic Railway becomes Santa’s Scenic Railway each holiday season.

It’s everything you could dream of, if, in fact, you’ve dreamed of giving your child a memorable Santa Claus experience. More than any run-of-the-mill mall Santa, the Virginia Scenic Railway Santa is perfect. His white beard is authentic, his eyes twinkle, and his face wrinkles in all the right places to show that he is, indeed, a jolly ol’ elf.

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I took the 5:30 p.m. train bound for the North Pole. Elves delivered cookies and hot cocoa to each passenger as we chugged down the track. It didn’t take long before the train began to slow. Suddenly, through the dark of the evening, we saw him through our windows: Santa. He was so excited, enthusiastically waving while his sleigh bells rang. Jingling, he boarded our car, the Arvonia, and thanked us for coming to see him. Table by table, he made his rounds to greet all the good little boys and girls.

Eventually Santa settled into his tufted green chair as each child waited patiently for a turn to share their Christmas wish list. The elves had provided crayons and paper for children to get their thoughts in order ahead of time. If kids are anything like this author, the mind goes blank and notes are helpful for such important occasions.

After each child had time to share their list with Santa, he made one more round through the train. This time he delivered a special coin and took the opportunity to lead a chorus of “Happy Birthday” to a newly minted four-year-old. While the tike may or may not remember the moment, his family and the rest of us surely will. He unwittingly became part of the magic of Christmas.

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Santa’s Scenic Railway is offered each holiday season by Virginia Scenic Railway Buckingham Branch and departs from the Staunton station on Middlebrook Avenue. Tickets sell out quickly, so if you’ve missed the opportunity this year, do try again next year. Visit VirginiaScenicRailway.com for information.