I love our little Christmas trolley. We bought it several years ago when people were collecting everything, Beanny Babies and Happy Meal toys were the rage. We were sure that eventually this stuff, would be worth a fortune. The reason I remember this, is because when we first spotted the trolley in a local hobby shop, the sales man tried to talk me into buying the 1997 model because it had been the first in the Lionell Trolley collection and would eventually be worth more as a collector’s item. I turned it down and chose the little red and green  1998 model instead. The other was cream color and just didn’t have  that Christmas feeling.

Every year when the trolley comes out of storage, and begins its trip around the tree, stopping at the miniature village, I’m reminded of when I was a little girl looking into the back of the family radio. I studied the amber tubes, certain there were tiny people inside running the radio. When I look at the little village under the Christmas tree,I’m sure those same little people are living in the village. Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but it doesn’t come without its stresses, mainly because we think it should be perfect. We must remember that nothing is perfect, but we can be happy without perfection. When I watch the trolley make its stop at the delightful village, I imagine I’m aboard, and am instantly relaxed and in the holiday spirit. Below you see the trolley leaving the village, and yes that is me looking out the back window.