Magical Holiday Memories
Page 4 of 45

December 5
In December 1958 Family Circle magazine published a 12 page insert called "A Christmas adventure in Disneyland" by Walt Disney and staff. It's a wonderfully illustrated story of a dreamland Christmas trip to Disneyland by the children John and Jane, and it's told completely in verse - 31 of them. We thought this would be a great way to bring back holiday memories - or make new ones - on Walt Disney's 99th birthday.

Below are excerpts from the insert. Thanks to reader Karl for providing the text and pictures. You can read the entire poem and see all the pictures on his website. And thanks to Family Circle magazine for publishing this 42 years ago.

1) All aboard for Disneyland!
The stationmaster cried.
"Our train is just about to start,
there's lot's of room inside.
Check all your cares and worries-
There's still time before we leave-
And be prepared for anything,
For this is Christmas Eve."
The stationmaster smiled;
You did not need a second look
To notice his resemblance
To a certain Captain Hook!

2) Two little dreamers hurried up-
Their names were John and Jane.
"Oh sir," they said to Captain Hook,
"Is this the dreamland train?'
Smilingly he took their hands
And led them safe inside,
And then he bowed and said, "I hope
You have a pleasant ride."
What happened next was something strange
And odd beyond compare,
For with a jerk the train took off
And sailed into the air!

9) Then suddenly there was a great
Commotion in the crowd,
And to their ears there came the sound
Of honking clear and loud
A motor reared, the crowd fell back,
An auto came to view.
It was of ancient vintage, yet
Looked quite as bright as new.
And who was sitting at the wheel?
Who else but Mr. Toad!
"Pip pip to you!" he loudly called.
"Come on, let's hit the road."

24) And when on one last mighty whirl
The car went out of hand,
They skidded through an arch on which
It said "Adventureland."
And so, where seconds earlier
They'd been by frost be-pearled,
They now were in the dark and
Steaming jungles of the world
"Oh tell us, Mr. Toad," said Jane,
"Do you think it can be
That creatures of the jungle
Also have a Christmas tree?"

28) "You will observe," said Toad, "that where
The rocket ought to be
You see instead, before your eyes,
A futuristic Christmas tree."
A streamlined Christmas tree it was,
Of burnished plates, and shone
With some illumination and
Keen brilliance of it's own.
"I think I like it best," said John.
"To me it seems to say
That all on Earth may yet be well
Some not too distant day.

Remember, all the pictures and verses are available at Karl's site. Thank you again, Karl. And thank you, Walt. Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas.

All text and pictures (c) Family Circle Magazine and The Walt Disney Company.