Wildlights

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but next weekend the Columbus Zoo will flip the switch. I love going to see their Christmas lights! Last year they had over 3 million to turn on. Can you imagine how long that would take to put up? They get started early, but still. It's always a treat to go to Wildlights, even if you freeze to death. They normally have fires going in barrels throughout the zoo so you can stop for a moment and warm up your paws. Or do what I do and take the best invention since gloves: Hand warmers. I don't know how I ever went anywhere in the winter without these.   

 

When hand warmers just aren't cuttin' it, you must buy hot chocolate. Be warned that they do not give you a lid, though. Apparently people were careless and lids and straws were ending up in the animal habitats so they got rid of them all. This makes drinking and walking virtually impossible without spilling hot liquid on yourself. I always have to pull off the the side away from kids who like to bump into people until I drink enough of the scolding coco. This takes time because I'm not a big fan of burning my tongue or the roof of my mouth. I would almost rather just hold onto the hot cup until it's almost cold, then chug it down so I can free my hands and send them back to their warm caves known as my pockets where the hand warmers live. Yea, that sounds about right. But enough of that.

 

    

The zoo has lots of things to see and do this holiday season. Click here for a full list of activities. I think they always do a nice job. I've never done the kiddy stuff because I don't have any kids. Maybe this year I'll snatch my niece and go see Mr & Mrs Claus. I think it's adorable that the website says "Please note that the Claus Family has requested time off after December 23 and will not be available". I think I'll take the train ride around the zoo for $1 this year. That might be a fun way to see more lights too. I take a camera every year but always forget my tripod so the pictures turn out less than magnificent. But I never take my hands out of my pockets long enough to take any pictures anyway.

 

So if you're in the Columbus area, you should really go to the zoo to see the lights. I normally like to wait until at least after Thanksgiving, but that's just me. Oh and if you're still freezing after hot chocolate and hand warmers, pop on into the reptile building. It's always warm in there, I promise.