Gardenland Express

Of all the family holiday traditions in St. Louis, Gardenland Express at the Missouri Botanical Garden (4344 Shaw Boulevard; www.mobot.org) might be the most relaxing. This exhibition of G-scale trains coursing through a tiny forest of poinsettias and greenery offers a respite from the bright lights and animated displays of most Christmas-related activities. Even Santa Claus, that terror of privacy-conscious children everywhere, is absent; at worst he's reduced to a minimus, barely visible in one of the looping trains. Gardenland Express is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (November 19 to January 1; closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Admission is free for garden members and $5 for all others (in addition to the regular garden admission fee).