'Polar Express' train stops in Villa Park

Excitement about the holiday season grew Sunday as roughly 130 youngsters watched the Polar Express make a stop in Villa Park.

Dozens of children, many wearing pajamas, and their parents congregated at the Villa Park train station Sunday afternoon to sing holiday songs, enjoy some treats and hear a telling of the classic holiday-themed children's story, “The Polar Express.”

Shortly after 5 p.m., everyone boarded a train and, just like the kids in the story, took a ride to the North Pole. That trip, which actually ended at the train station in Elburn, included a visit from Santa.

“We've never done this before, so we're excited about it,” said Carrie Pizarro of Villa Park, who was there with her husband, Rich, and children Sophia and Jordan. “The kids love the movie — we watch it every year at Christmastime. It's a tradition for us.”

“The Polar Express,” a popular children's novel by Chris Van Allsburg, was turned into an equally popular computer-animated movie in 2004. Both tell the story of a doubting child who's invited to ride the Polar Express to visit the home of Santa Claus.

Just about every child in the Villa Park train station was a fan of either the book or the film (or both), as evidenced when storyteller Mary Tomaso asked the crowd if they knew the story.

“Yes!” everyone said in unison.

One of the few exceptions was 2-year-old Villa Park resident Emma DeGraf.

“She just love trains,” said her father, Mike. “She's seen me get on the train for work. This will be her first time on one herself.”

The Polar Express event was organized by the Villa Park Park District. Similar events have been scheduled throughout the suburbs during the month of December.