It’s the Christmas season so it’s once again time for the annual tradition of setting up the broken antique train set!
“Tradition” meaning that this is the second year we have done this. I had to be reminded that we even had these trains by Ms. J, and I had to have Mr. C help me find them since I forgot where I put them when I put them away last year. It seems like years and years ago that we had these out. We bought these old trains at an antique store last year, from the instructions they seem to be from 1954. The engine is in several parts which we piece together, I’m not sure there’s any way I could get it to work. Though I’m sure there must be train experts out there who could do it easier than I could. The engine apparently cost $49.50 way back in 1954, which must have been a lot of money to spend on a Christmas gift then.
Mr. C sets them up on top of a small bookcase. Last year he wasn’t tall enough to reach the top of this bookcase, now he can.
We wrap up Lego blocks and have Lego people load them into the train.
He’s started to make up his own lyrics to songs now, so while he was setting it up he sang his version of ‘Bound for Glory’.
‘This train is bound for Christmas!
This train is filled with presents!
This train serves waffles for breakfast!
Children get on board!’
‘Can I sing too ?’ I ask, knowing that he does not like me to sing at all.
‘Dada, you can be the silent singer.’
‘What does the silent singer do ?’
‘The silent singer stands in the back and listens to the good singer.’
Mr. C's Dad 
Too funny!!! Great train set….I have to stand in the back and watch the good singer too
I had not heard that term before, not sure where he came up with that!
Love the train tradition and the creative play associated with it! Have the track under the tree and will get the train out before the grandchildren arrive.
I wonder how that toy train association with Christmas started. I’m sure it’s something obvious but I can’t quite figure it out.
I’m sure there are many explanations but this one seems plausible: http://www.post-gazette.com/neighborhoods-south/2012/12/20/The-tradition-of-model-trains-beneath-the-Christmas-tree-may-have-started-in-Pennsylvania/stories/201212200370
Interesting, thanks for sending the link. I did some advertising work for a Moravian museum a few years ago, they have an interesting history.
Waffles on a train? I’m in! Ouch on the silent singer comment, though. My youngest tells me to “shut up!” when I sing in the car, even though he doesn’t have any problem singing to the radio himself. Those darn kids!
I’m usually singing badly on purpose just to see what he will do!
Ha! That is really funny! I am also always told to “be quiet” or “stop singing” in a pretty forceful way.
I’ll also sometimes get: “Stop singing, put on Mama’s music instead!”