Catering to that Inner Child
Seasons Greetings from The Astor House!
As another Holiday Season is upon us I found myself reflecting back on a season past when, being so very busy with holiday preparations and obligations, we didn’t watch a single one of our favorite Christmas movies. Before we knew it, the new year was upon us and I couldn’t believe we hadn’t made time to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Rudolph” or “Miracle on 34th Street.” I vowed that year to make time to slow down and smell the roses, or the Holiday Paperwhites, as it were. (I hear they smell as good as Gingerbread Cookies)
Remember holidays as a kid? Everything seemed magical and days stretched out forever. We never missed the holiday classics. We’d gather around the TV with siblings and neighborhood friends for a memorizing half-hour of Charlie Brown or Frosty the Snowman. We were riveted by every line and we soaked in the dialogue like little bone-dry sponges. It all added to the magic and the mystery.
Somehow, as little ones, we packed so much fun into a single day. It’s no wonder we fell asleep by 9 pm despite our convictions about going to bed at all. Perhaps, as kids, we just didn’t want the fun to end. But once our head would hit the pillow we’d be off to dreamland, only to repeat the quest for slow-to-unwind adventure the very next day.
Remember as a kid how you noticed little things? No matter what time of year it happens to be, kids tend to zero in on things adults all too easily overlook. In summer, they might study blades of grass or watch ants build houses on the sidewalk. And in winter they notice the intricate patterns of snowflakes that fall gently on tiny hands sheltered inside the wool mittens Grandma made.
What happens to that innate curiosity about the little things in life as we grow up? I happen to think it’s still in there somewhere. We just get caught up in daily tasks and responsibilities. Who has time anymore to study the grass, to marvel over the strength and determination of those tiny ants or to think about how miraculous it truly is that every snowflake is different?
Wouldn’t it be fun to just put the responsibilities aside for a while this holiday season and do something special to recharge your already worn out batteries? We’d love to share our amazing home with you and help you create some well-deserved space for noticing the little things this holiday season. A visit to Green Bay might be just the thing. Or if you already live here, your getaway is waiting in a beautiful Victorian home just minutes away.
Green Bay is dear to the hearts of your Innkeepers for a lot of reasons. It’s referred to as a small city. But we fancy it a town. One that embraces locals and visitors like a hug from a favorite relative you haven’t seen in years. It boasts activities that truly invite people to slow down and connect with that inner child for a while.
Thursday through Sunday you can stroll through the trees or take a horse-drawn sleigh to view the WPS Garden of Lights at Green Bay Botanical Gardens, www.gbbg.org. 920-490-9457. There’s a new light display this year called “Butterflies in Motion,” along with more than 300,000 twinkling lights throughout the display. Look for the enchanted icicle forest, glistening flowers, a dazzling 60-foot walk-through caterpillar and so much more! It’s a beautiful way to spend quality time with the family. Be sure to dress warmly so you can stop along the pathways to soak in your favorite displays.
You can enjoy a local dinner theater production that is a favorite among Green Bay folks and visitors too. A Frank’s Christmas is playing at the Meyer Theatre on various dates throughout the holiday season. Put your to-do list on pause for a few hours and treat yourself and someone you love to a night of holiday fun and laughter. www.letmebefrank.com. 920-494-3401.
Or visit The Festival of Trees at the National Railroad Museum through January 5, 2020. www.nationalrrmuseum.org. 920-437-7623.
Through Jan. 12, 2020 –you can enjoy “Holiday Memories of Downtown Green Bay,” at The Neville Public Museum. www.nevillepublicmuseum.org 920-448-4460.
The Astor House is the perfect “Home Base” for a grown-up “time-out.”
Imagine classic holiday music playing as enter the parlor on a quiet winter morning. A steaming cup of coffee is offered and you catch yourself watching the steam rise from that cup…and marveling at the vintage ornaments on the beautifully decorated tree by the window. No need to rush….no clock to beat.
Just a couple of days of fun activities…
Or time to relax in your cozy room and dive into that novel you can’t find time to read…
We’re all about leisurely mornings, home cooking and baking, and making sure every guest is warmly welcomed and comfortable during their stay.
Call us today and book your well deserved time to unwind, recharge and connect with the kid inside who just wants to laugh, say hello to someone new, focus on play and possibilities and see the world slowly.
We invite you to call our home your home for a night or two before the rush of the season sweeps away those chances to notice the little things.
Tom and I are excited to be your new hosts at The Astor House! You’ll see website updates soon highlighting the home-cooked breakfasts we bring to the table, along with baked goods that have won countless awards at our local county fair. Ownership has changed, but the five-star hospitality remains the same.