The rapidly approaching Christmas season brings forth a wealth of family traditions. Traditions as faithful as gravity. Hanging Christmas stockings. Putting out milk and cookies for Santa. The night on the town singing Christmas carols. Wrapping gifts to put under the lavishly decorated tree. Wait. Stop right there! The TREE! The all important TREE. The center piece of the Christmas holiday decorations. Its procurement deserves some serious consideration. Read on.

Of course... lots of tree lots sell nice trees. But have you thought about selecting and cutting your very own, personal Christmas tree? Aha... most likely you haven't. And most likely you're passing up an awesome opportunity to establish a new family tradition... presuming that it does not presently exist. Choosing and cutting your personal Christmas tree might become a tradition, youngsters and oldsters alike will talk about and treasure for ages.

People from all over Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties come to Fillmore to continue - or begin - their established Christmas tree tradition. Why shouldn't Fillmore families participate also? This fabulous tradition begins right here in Fillmore with a train ride on the Fillmore & Western Railway Christmas tree train. At the tree farm... everybody heads out into the field checking this tree or that tree until... THIS ONE!... the perfect Christmas tree is discovered. Sometimes a family vote may be appropriate to insure that indeed the perfect tree is found. Then the sawing begins. After the cutting... it's put on a tractor-drawn wagon to be taken to the shaking and wrapping stations and put aboard the train for the tip back to Fillmore. From there it promptly goes into the designated spot in your home.

Let's review. You go to the drugstore and buy a Christmas tree to take home to decorate. Whoa! How exciting is that? Now picture this: The kids are frolicking to and fro in a field of gorgeous, vibrant trees... seeking the ONE! And there... right there!... is YOUR special, delightful tree. Depending on the age of the kids... they might participate in the cutting. Otherwise dad or granddad gets involved. Maybe everybody gets involved because... after all... it's a family project. The tree is finally cut... and put on the wagon to be taken to the train for the ride home. In addition to the satisfaction of finding and cutting your very one Christmas tree... imagine the thrill and enjoyment everyone will experience by riding on the train. Imagine indeed!

Back home... the magical tree is put in its special place and decorated oh-so-beautifully. And an awesome Christmas family tradition is born. A treasure to behold for decades.

The Christmas tree trains run at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through December 16. No time to dilly-dally. Blink twice and Christmas will be here.

Another fun event for the kids... and tons of adults as well... is the North Pole Express. Riders on the Polar Express are encouraged to wear pajamas... yes P.J.'s... on the trip to the North Pole. You'll jump right into the Christmas spirit as carols are sung. Cookies and chocolate milk is served. And who do you think is waiting at the North Pole? Santa Claus! Oh what fun it is!!!

Details about the fun trains described and other trains are available at fwry.com or call 524-2546. And awaaaaaaaaaaaaaay we gooooooo! Ho ho ho! (How could I resist?)