Manistee Victorian Christmas

If any of you live up north you might know what kind of weather we are having thus far this winter. So, this last weekend, myself, a friend ,my teenage daughter and her friend left to drive south on US31 in horizontal blinding snow to see the Manistee Victorian Christmas Celebration. Along the way my friend turned to me more than once and suggested it might be a good idea to turn around. But we persisted for the 60 plus miles (almost 2 hours)and got into town with time to eat before positioning ourselves out on the sidewalk to watch the festivities. Brave souls were huddled in doorways and here and there victorian clad revelers dashed through the snow to only be swallowed up by the white. My teenager and her friend hid comfortably inside a store. They had scowled at my suggestion to wear a coat much less mittens and hat. I brought them anyway. Soon the parade began and through the white you could see the giant tree emerging blocks away. Pulled by 4 draft horses and on a sleigh (no wheels!) I can't tell you the drama as it emerged and came closer. Huge. I am not sure how tall but one of the two that came down the street seemed a hundred feet tall.
Finally as it came closer my daughter and her friend could resist no longer and emerged bundled up from the store.
They were mesmerized and at that moment I was so glad that I had brought them. They took off in the blowing snow to follow the tree and the following swarm to the place where the trees are placed and lit. Their excitement was so wonderful. Later, on the way back home they chattered in the back seat about the costume they would wear for next year and where would they find proper victorian garb. My daughters friend asked me "Can we make this a tradition?" "Sure" I said.