The Walnut Room Tradition

After Thanksgiving, 1995 (the year Kelsey was born), my friend EG called and said, "I'm taking S to The Walnut Room at Marshall Field's. Can you and Kelsey join us?" Since I didn't grow up in Chicagoland, I didn't realize there was this whole tradition about taking your children to see the windows at Marshall Field's, eating in The Walnut Room, and visiting the Field's Santa. That first year, Kelsey and S weren't even one yet. EG and I carefully planned the trip around the girls' nap schedules and she showed me the ropes. It was truly a special time, and I understood right away why this was such a big deal for families.

Fourteen years later, I'm still taking my kids to The Walnut Room. While it's no longer Marshall Field's and the traditional roasted potatoes with rosemary are long gone, this is still a tradition our family observes every Christmas. Each of the kids has a collection of mugs and buttons for every year that they've experienced this tradition, except for years when Macy's, not understanding the importance of these things, either didn't offer them or ran out.

Let me be clear here. The food is mediocre at best, with a menu that promises far more than it delivers. The lines are dreadfully long, at a time of year when there's not a moment to spare. And that's just The Walnut Room piece. Waiting in line to see Santa with thousands of other families is a whole crazy adventure in and of itself. But there's still magic.

There's magic in getting a coveted table right by the big tree. There's magic in seeing the kids anticipate the next window outside, even when it's freezing cold. And there's magic in the smiles of the kids when they finally see Santa.

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?