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Re: Harkins Slough Yesterday Afternoon
Author: Gary
Date: 12-27-2013 - 15:55
Hi:
The Holiday Lights Train (HLT) name is meant to describe the train's main feature (the lights).
BTW: HLT came about after experiencing a really fun ride on the Niles Canyon Train Of Lights (TOL) 15 years ago. The TOL name really fit well with the Niles event, so we chose a name that was close to, but still not the same, in order to differentiate the two events.
'TOL' and 'HLT' do not explicitly tie the events to the 'Christian' faith, as both our organizations want to try to appeal to all that want to have a really fun and enjoyable holiday train ride experience, even though there is a Santa Claus on board, holiday songs/singing and all the decorations.
I expect that no small number of our HLT passengers on board and having a great time are not necessarily of the Christian faith.
Lately, as HLT Emcee, I have been ending each HLT experience with the following:
Wweee wish you a merry Christmas...
Weee wish you a happy Hannukah....
Wee wish you a peaceful Kwanza...
We wish you a happy holiday.
We wish you glad tidings
We wish....... We..... (pause)
You know....
Whatever you believe in...... Or Don't!.....
Just enjoy this time of year with the poeple you love....
We try to offer people of all faiths and denominations a fun, exciting, unique, warm and fuzzy holiday experience, and I believe we've been extremely successful in doing just that.
Now... back to 'HLT'
It also helps to have a relatively unique name that distinguishes the HLT train from a more generic sounding plain old 'Christmas Train'.
There aren't many trains with the 'HLT' moniker around the country, and even fewer that you can actually buy a ticket to ride on.
Oh.... BTW....
The Channukah Train celebrates the Jewish 'Festival of Lights', so the train lights are kind of a good fit for the occaision.
It took two days and no small bit of work by SCBT staff and a hard working crew of volunteers from Chabad By The Sea to make the HLT a much more Kosher experience for those of the Jewish faith.
At any rate the (sold out) Channukah train ride itself was really a hit with the primarily Jewish ridership.
We and Chabad By The Sea are very pleased with the results and are looking forward to next year and the (best ever) second annual '(Worlds Only?) Channukah Train (of Lights)'
(BTW: Non-Jewish passengers that came along also had a great time as well. Channukah is not entirely a religious holiday. It is a celebration of a great event in Jewish history, sort of like our 4th of July. Much singing, dancing, dreidel spinning and family oriented fun in addition to the more somber Lighting of the Menorah ceremony that preceeded the train ride.)
.
.
.
SOOOOO......
While there is not a 'Christmas' in the name of our holiday train, it cannot be argued that the train itself does not 'reflect' a Christmas theme.
Indeed.... the HLT 'radiates' holiday cheer and just plain fun.
Gary...
The Holiday Lights Train (HLT) name is meant to describe the train's main feature (the lights).
BTW: HLT came about after experiencing a really fun ride on the Niles Canyon Train Of Lights (TOL) 15 years ago. The TOL name really fit well with the Niles event, so we chose a name that was close to, but still not the same, in order to differentiate the two events.
'TOL' and 'HLT' do not explicitly tie the events to the 'Christian' faith, as both our organizations want to try to appeal to all that want to have a really fun and enjoyable holiday train ride experience, even though there is a Santa Claus on board, holiday songs/singing and all the decorations.
I expect that no small number of our HLT passengers on board and having a great time are not necessarily of the Christian faith.
Lately, as HLT Emcee, I have been ending each HLT experience with the following:
Wweee wish you a merry Christmas...
Weee wish you a happy Hannukah....
Wee wish you a peaceful Kwanza...
We wish you a happy holiday.
We wish you glad tidings
We wish....... We..... (pause)
You know....
Whatever you believe in...... Or Don't!.....
Just enjoy this time of year with the poeple you love....
We try to offer people of all faiths and denominations a fun, exciting, unique, warm and fuzzy holiday experience, and I believe we've been extremely successful in doing just that.
Now... back to 'HLT'
It also helps to have a relatively unique name that distinguishes the HLT train from a more generic sounding plain old 'Christmas Train'.
There aren't many trains with the 'HLT' moniker around the country, and even fewer that you can actually buy a ticket to ride on.
Oh.... BTW....
The Channukah Train celebrates the Jewish 'Festival of Lights', so the train lights are kind of a good fit for the occaision.
It took two days and no small bit of work by SCBT staff and a hard working crew of volunteers from Chabad By The Sea to make the HLT a much more Kosher experience for those of the Jewish faith.
At any rate the (sold out) Channukah train ride itself was really a hit with the primarily Jewish ridership.
We and Chabad By The Sea are very pleased with the results and are looking forward to next year and the (best ever) second annual '(Worlds Only?) Channukah Train (of Lights)'
(BTW: Non-Jewish passengers that came along also had a great time as well. Channukah is not entirely a religious holiday. It is a celebration of a great event in Jewish history, sort of like our 4th of July. Much singing, dancing, dreidel spinning and family oriented fun in addition to the more somber Lighting of the Menorah ceremony that preceeded the train ride.)
.
.
.
SOOOOO......
While there is not a 'Christmas' in the name of our holiday train, it cannot be argued that the train itself does not 'reflect' a Christmas theme.
Indeed.... the HLT 'radiates' holiday cheer and just plain fun.
Gary...
