One of Illinois’ Most Popular Christmas Attractions Was Just Cancelled for 2022

You're probably wondering why I am already thinking of Christmas when it's only August, but there are a couple of reasons why;

1. I LOVE the holiday season, and all the 'Christmas in July' hullabaloo last month got me excited for my quickly approaching favorite time of the year.
2. My side hustle is crafting and I have already been making Christmas ornaments, signs, and other decor pieces for several weeks now.
3. My kids have already started working on and talking about their Christmas wish lists for this year.

Some Bummer News for Illinois' 2022 Holiday Season

Every family has its own holiday traditions, and one of my family's favorite traditions is watching 'The Polar Express' while enjoying popcorn by the Christmas tree. For the last few years, my husband and I have talked about taking our girls on The Polar Express Ride at Chicago's Union Station, but have never made it there yet. We thought 2022 might be the year we'd finally do it, and then I saw an article from WGN that made my Christman-loving heart break a little.

Ready for the bad news?

We can't get aboard super popular The Polar Express Train Ride at Chicago's Union Station in 2022. Why? Staffing shortages. 😠 Here's the official announcement from Amtrak...

There is a small bright side to this bummer announcement, but it will require a bit of travel. The official Polar Express Train Ride will still be taking place in several other cities across the US this holiday season, there's even another location in Illinois! Check out the full list of cities and dates, here.