Hou-ville provides cheer — carefully
There’s no denying that Christmas looks different this year. Gatherings are limited and masks have joined hats and scarves as seasonal apparel, but as 2020 draws to a close, parents are determined to preserve the spirit of the season amid the pandemic.
Hou-ville, a Houston-inspired take on Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” served as the setting for some holiday magic Saturday, as families made their way through the socially distanced winterwonderland at Live Nation’s 40 Below under Bayou Music Center.
While the name is a nod to Seuss’ Whoville, the props and scenes are all encompassing of the Christmas experience. The Grinch is there, but so is Santa Claus himself.
Children sip artesanal hot cocoa and play in fake snow. And while the experience is designed to delight children, safety protocols are included in every aspect of the event.
Event organizer Sherrie Handrinos noted that the event space is only open at 40 percent. Masks are required, and sanitizers are placed at each exhibit. After each session, the exhibit closes for 30
minutes while staff use a fog machine to clean all surfaces. All the fake snow is cleared away and new, untouched snow takes its place.
“Safety is our first priority, but we’re really dedicated to making this a merry place where families can forget what’s going on with COVID for a while,” Handrinos said. “There are a lot of things we weren’t able to do, like cookie decorating, but we’ve still created a magical space.”
Vanessa Montelongo and Jessica Montelongo brought their 1year-old daughter Stella to experience Hou-Ville. “It’s definitely
been challenging and unique to navigate during these unprecedented times, but we’re determined to find a way to make her Christmas magical,” Vanessa said. “(The organizers) are obviously being cautious, requiring masks and social distancing, and as long as we do these things, we can findaway tomake Christmas special for her.”
Jessica added that bringing the joy of Christmas to their daughter was even more important to her after everything that happened during the year.
“Putting up the tree and making the house festive. It wasn’t something we really felt like doing, but we knew we couldn’t let this year close without a merry Christmas,” Jessica said. “Stella is
creating memories, and we wanted to give her the experience to build on in the years to come.”
Despite Handrino’s best efforts to integrate safety protocols seamlessly, some barriers were unavoidable. Santa Claus still listened to the Christmas wishes of the children, but he did so behind plexiglass.
Santa noted that while he is immune to the virus, he has to take precautions for everyone else. He sanitizes his suit in between sessions and makes sure he and his elves use plenty of hand sanitizer.
And while he’s still his usually jolly self, he does admit that the pandemic has brought its disappointment.
“The hardest thing for me is not being able to hold babies or have children sit in my lap,” he said. “I know things will be normal again next year, but children bring me so much joy. I’d love to be able to give them hugs.”
Parents’ efforts to preserve the joy of Christmas seem to beworking.
Gibson Gandy, 10, seemed unconcerned that a pandemic had stymied some of the usual Christmas fanfare.
“It still feels like every other Christmas to me,” he said. “We’re still taking pictures and doing fun things and drinking hot chocolate like we always do. I don’t think anything would change that.”
For more information on Houville, visit www.hou-ville.com.