What will you do to make special Christmas memories this year? Elf: The Musical is playing at the Chemainus Theatre and we dove right in head first into Christmas.

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Christmas is here! 

In the Traveling Islander’s house that means lots of baking, special music, and extra family time.  Last week our first Christmas family time took place at the wonderful Chemainus Theatre for the opening night of Elf: The Musical, but we did so much more than just go to the theatre.

We spent the whole weekend together as a family, enjoying good food, good sleep, good acting and swimming in the hotel pool until fully pruned. It was a memory-packed weekend away together.

With bags packed and kids in tow we all headed to The Best Western in Chemainus. With a splish splash one hour swim before dinner, we were all ready for a night out.

The Chemainus Best Western is conveniently located just down the road from the theatre making it a great place to stay as part of the luxury theatre package.

We quickly changed from our swimsuits to our “handsome clothes” (as the boys call it) and headed off to the Playbill Dining Room to enjoy our meal before the show.

I saw the dining room with fresh eyes that night as the kids walked in…spellbound.

The dessert table alone was enough to keep their eyes popping out of their heads. The magic of Christmas was enchanting and, in the case of our kids, mesmerizing as they watched a little toy train go around the Christmas tree atop the dessert table.

As we sat down to enjoy our delicious meal together, I tried explaining the finer points of pacing oneself at a buffet. After round 2 though, Titus sat back in utter disappointment and dismay that he was already full.

I’m pretty sure he enjoyed his meal greatly and would have loved to eat more. He simply ran out of space. Welcome to a buffet, kid.

But, there’s always room for dessert. The chocolate fountain was bigger than dad and right out of the movie Charlie And The Chocolate Factory!

And really, who wouldn’t want to coat their fruit in rich, flowing chocolate? My youngest said it was healthy because we were eating fruit. I love how that boy makes me laugh.

With full tummies, it was time to head into the theatre. To start it off right, when the doors open, there’s a quick 15 minutes to take a picture with Santa before the show starts.

I don’t think we’ve ever had a family picture with Santa. That was a first for us! What fun.

We settled in to Elf: The Musical with ease.

It’s hard not to get quickly caught up in the fun and whimsy of the North Pole.

The story follows the character of Buddy the elf, who after discovering he’s really a human seeks to find his dad, who unfortunately is on the “naughty list.” From the moment Santa first walked on stage, we were having fun.

Photo: Cim MacDonald

And really, who wouldn’t have fun in the North Pole?

The singing and laughter is contagious and Buddy himself drew us in to the whimsical delight of what it’s like being an elf in a human world.

Photo: Cim MacDonald

Though it was an uncharacteristically late night for our three kids, it was totally worth it. They laughed, stared in awe and truly enjoyed the entire experience from start to finish.

And we enjoyed watching them through it all: their eyes of wonder, their laughter, and their surprise as people ice skated around the stage (you’ll have to go see for yourself).

After the show it was easy to head back to our hotel and fall into bed. The comfort of the beds called our names and we quickly drifted off to sleep singing the songs we had just heard.

The Best Western Chemainus has a handy continental breakfast, making our stay even easier.  After another swim in the pool, we had experienced the joy of a Chemainus luxury theatre getaway.

What are you going to do this Christmas to make some family memories?

You may want to take the whole family and go see Elf: The Musical. Make a memory together this Christmas at the Chemainus Theatre.