Bonfante Gardens

Although she looks weird in this picture in the maze, Caitlan approved this image.

Sustainability also means having fun with less stuff. Sometimes your child needs a new bicycle. But sometimes they need a new experience. Last year I took the family to a concert as my Christmas present to them. This year I took them to Bonfante Gardens for the Christmas themed Holiday Lights. We bring home memories, instead of tomorrow's trash.

We've never been, and it was great fun. A little too gentle, it's like one big Bunny Slope instead of a full ski resort, but with all the pressure that usually surrounds this time of year, it's very sweet to step into a gentler place and wean your body off its constant adrenaline rush.

Memorable moments: discovering the Circus Trees and their story, driving the little cars with children who don't really understand steering, the powerful smell of garlic growing at the spinning Garlic Twist ride; Caitlan's brave embarrassment twice: once on the toddler ride "Artichoke Dip" (oh, so painfully tame, safer than sitting on a log surrounded by cushions) and again when she got caught singing a roll appreciation song in the buffet line, and tried to cover by letting us know there was a roll appreciation dance, too, but we weren't going to get to see it; Nicholas riding the giant Mushroom Swing and really enjoying the Traditional Christmas Dinner; discovering the maze and having a great time getting lost; Xena's smirking grin as she got "lost" and the children called out directions to help rescue her.

And finally, how bitterly cold it becames as the night aged. We were sort of prepared, but if we go again we'll bring mittens and another layer. We window shopped in the gifts shops, just getting warmed up.