it's my favorite time of year, i just love the holidays. i love doing all the Christmas traditions we have started over the years with my boys. one of our family's most favorite traditions is going to the Irvine Park Railroad and riding the Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train. we have been riding the Christmas train for the last 5 years. it's a magical experience for everyone, especially for the little ones who love trains and are excited to meet Santa Claus. riding the Christmas Train to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus is really exciting for them. 
everybody boards the Christmas Train and a journey to the North Pole, once you arrive, you can purchase hot chocolate, cookies or popcorn while you wait for your turn to see Santa Claus. when it is your turn to meet Santa, get ready to take a photo with him, and give your wish lists to Santa. this is our family photo from last year. 
when you arrive back at the Irvine Park Railroad train depot, walk through a wonderland of lighted Christmas Trees, play in a holiday maze, and check out the Christmas house, where you can also purchase holiday treats. plus there are lots of places for photo ops. 
you can also enjoy a special story time with Mrs. Claus (no additional charge) or purchase activity tickets to decorate sugar cookies, play carnival games, jump in the bouncy house or get your face painted. 
we even took a family #selfie in the Christmas house. it's always wonderful evening of family fun.
if you would like to visit the Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train, you must order your ticket ONLINE. it begins running on December 1st through the 23rd, 2016. and when you do visit the Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train, make sure to tag them in your Facebook, twitter and instagam posts! they love to see your photos. 
one of my lucky readers will win a 4-pack of Christmas train tickets, 6 activity tickets, and 1 Fun Wheel Rentals Double Surrey rental (value of $113.00)!!! the winner will be chosen at random. please enter below by leaving a comment AND via rafflecopter. contest ends thursday, november 10, 2016 at midnight. good luck!
{disclaimer: i received complimentary tickets for may family to enjoy the Christmas Train. we would have gone either way….all thoughts and opinions are a bazillion times my own. we love the Christmas Train. }
Anna R
We like our stockings and Christmas tree
Inge
thank you for the opportunity
Crystal N.
Making cookies with for santa!
kristen aguirre
We've never been to the Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train! Looks like so much fun!! My little's would love it!!
Kristel
Our favorite tradition is going for a Christmas light drive! This year we are starting a tradition where our son gets to pick out a new ornament every year!
Megan Guess
We love to visit Santa and take pictures! ????????
Maryann nguyen
Christmas is our favorite holiday, and our daughter get super excited to see all the colors and lights. She growing up and understanding the concept of celebration, this activity will be so much fun for our family.
Surbhi K.
Decorating our tree and having christmas dinner together is my favorite!
Jenna Clement
Going to neighborhoods to see the Christmas lights.
Shauna gentry-germain
My kids favorite tradition would have to be baking cookies and decorating gingerbread houses! Mine is sitting with my family by the fire, watching Christmas movies!
kristina
Making cookies for Santa!
Sarah Ortiz
This is our favorite time of year to go
Linda
Our favorite holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas tree as a family!
Hilary wallace
My favorite holiday tradition is christmas eve with my in laws. It's just the perfect family get together with people we don't see nearly enough.
Melissa
We love watching Christmas movies, decorating the tree and going on drives to find lights. Would love to see Irvine Park at Christmas!
Heather Richards
This looks so fun! My boys already love the train, and we'd love to add a new tradition to our holidays.
Heather Richards
We also love our Christmas PJs and baked French Toast in the morning!
Alli
We love to exchange ornaments on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas morning we read and act out the story of Jesus' birth with the little people nativity set.
Monica rodriguez
Christmas eve we have a lip sync battle. Each person pick a Christmas song to lip sync to. And everyone pick the one who they like the best. The winner gets a gift card. Than we bake cookies and leave it for Santa and have the kids hide and see Santa come with present for them and watch him finished the cookies and milk. Than have the kids sneak back to the room for bed.
A
We love reading Christmas stories.
Amy
What a great opportunity to start Christmas traditions!
Angela
We haven't really celebrated Christmas in the past, but we would love to start a tradition of going to the Irvine railroad!
Hilary
Watching my children act out the nativity story on Christmas Eve night. It is so sweet to see the older ones help the younger ones with costumes and telling the story.
jung park
huge family meals with the family and shopping!
Ruby Lin
i'd love to take my kids to go.
Heather
We love to visit Sawdust at Xmastime.
Tristyn richie
My favorite holiday tradition would have to be making my son and his cousins wear matching holiday sweaters for santa pictures as well as matching Jammie's Christmas morning. The best part is comparing pictures from years before to see how much they all have grown
Lizette
Setting up the Christmas tree with my kids.
Vic
xmas tree chopping
Johana Hinojosa
My favorite Christmas tradition is making the gingerbreD house. We try to come up with a different theme each year. Always a fun family bonding moment.
Stephanie Solorio
As many festivities as possible throughout the season, a huge Christmas Eve party with the whole family followed by a quieter, relaxing Christmas Day! ????????????????????????????
Cheryl
This would be fabulous!!
Kimberly
One of our most favorite things to do around Christmas time is to drive around the neighborhood looking at everyone's lights and decorations.
Melissa Leadley
This looks beautiful.
Rachel Bush
Would love to win the Christmas ticket package! We have been visiting Irvine Regional park for a few years now, but have never made it during this event ????????????????
Janetcrystal
Never done this before! Would love to take our 2 little ones.
Amy Burcaw
Decorating the Christmas Tree each year and sharing the history of the ornaments from my childhood with my children.
Lisa Seitz
Putting all the pieces of the manger scene together and then letting them rearrange it every day!!
Amber ledergerber
We love the fun memories made.
Emma Cortez
Tis the season, just luv the lights, smell of cooking and of course Santa!
Kelly Fitzgerald
We love to go to look at Christmas lights.
Carey
We love to drive around and look at Christmas lights 🙂
Melody
I love being with the family.
Luz
How fun! We didn't grow up in Orange County and I recently learned of this place. It would be great to take our children.
Veronica B
Love taking my kiddo to see Santa and love going to pick out our tree together!
Mirella
I've been looking for a fun tradition to start with my family, this would be awesome!
Karen Harrell
Our favorite holiday tradition has to be putting our tree and decorations up. It feels so homey/cozy with all the lights and bright colors up throughout the house.
Aimee Rodriguez
We love to take pictures with Santa.
Julie Gouveia
I love going around the neighborhood with my family on Christmas eve, looking at Christmas lights and decorations with mugs of hot cocoa!
Megan Swanek
Our favorite holiday tradition is one special gift from santa, hiden and discovered after all presents have been unwrapped. My parents did this into my 30s.
Crystal Wells
We have a toddler, would love to start this as a tradition : )
Jenny C.
Spending time with my kids and seeing them open their gifts!
Lisa Thompson
Putting the tree up - just my son and me. Special memories.
Georgia English
Watching the magic of Christmas through my children!
Carol A Pankiw Tyner
Would love to go to this for the first time this year!
Susan
We make cookies for friends and neighbors, and the mailman!
Jessica C
We would love to do it this!!!
Jessica C
Doing our family cookie decorating party!
Bridget
I love being qith my family over the holidays❤️
Katie
I have never been to the Irvine Railroad. It looks beautiful and fun
Genevieve Larson
We love checking out the Christmas lights and making cookies
Erin Van Veen
Church on Christmas Eve!
Donna
Looks like so much fun, we want to go! We decorate cookies and gingerbread houses!
Deb Moretti
We love our advent Calendar
with a different goodie every day.
Lindsay
Love family time at the holidays
Gia Busch
One of my favorite traditions is on Christmas Eve-Eve, after everything is wrapped and finished, the house is decked out and I can finally relax, my husband and I watch Meet Me in St. Louis and drink a "grown up" hot chocolate before bed. We have been doing this for the last 3-4 years and I love it!
Laura W.
Yasssss on the holiday cheer!