Christmas Trains

What does a train have to do with Christmas?

My picture for today is another homemade project that I set out as part of my Christmas decorations.

What does a train have to do with Christmas?

Did you know that the first regularly scheduled steam locomotive passenger train in the US was started on Christmas Day, December 25, 1830 It was called the ‘Best Friend of Charleston’.

Many people traveled long distances to reach home or to see their relatives at Christmas time. Most of these journeys would involve a train ride and also the railroads were the main way that packages were transported around the country at Christmastime.

Historians believe the tradition of placing a train around the base of a Christmas tree dates back to the early 1900’s. Around that time manufacturer Lionel began to produce the first electric toy trains. Since most children were quite familiar with trains, toy train sets were popular requests for Christmas gifts.

Today many communities in the US have train rides. The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train was started in 1999. The spirit of the Holiday Train is about giving generously and inspiring others to give as well. The train is usually decorated in a colourful array of Christmas lights and a free concert is played to delight the hundreds of people who have turned out at the events at each stop.

The Canadian Pacific holiday train 2023 tours Canada and the United States from November 20 through December 19. Its goal is to raise money, food and awareness for the work that local food banks do in their communities. This year the CP Holiday Train stopped in Lethbridge, my hometown, on Saturday, December 9th.  Many folks braved the cold weather, contributed goods which were given to the local food bank, and enjoyed a live concert. CP donates to food banks in communities along its network. 

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