Sick of the twenty-something temps that have put a freeze on Utah? Me too. That’s why I was extremely excited to leave them for Disneyland and a little 70+ bliss a couple of weeks ago.

Jason’s company graciously pays for all of their employees, and their families, to travel to Disneyland every December. The timing of that trip this year couldn’t have been better. As a snowstorm was dumping ten inches of powdery mayhem in Utah we were frolicking in shorts and t-shirts in nearly 80-degree weather. It was glorious!

Since Jason works with our friends Adam and Jeremy, their company’s Disneyland outing is typically accompanied by a lot of chuckling, screaming and strolling with buddies. We didn’t spend every second with our small gang of chums but we hung out with them plenty.

I made it a point this time to sample as many of the tasty treats afforded by the park as possible. Surprisingly, there are some great food options available if you know where to look. I gobbled all things delicious including: hand-dipped ice cream bars, asparagus-bacon skewers, pineapple whips and hand-battered corndogs. (Yes, I made an exception to my no-hotdog policy.) Along with all that fabulous junk, Jason and I also took in the fancy fare at Napa Rose and the Blue Bayou. Although we consumed a lot of yum and then some, I believe the Blue Bayou provided our best meal experience. Nibbling spicy grub with my spicy man beneath the glow of abundant twinkle-lights suspended from a serene faux-sky was far more romantic than the setting’s fakeness might suggest.

Disneyland is always impressive but Christmastime adds an extra layer of magic to the park. Between the enormous sparkling tree, the numerous glittering wreaths strung across Main Street, the occasional showering of bubble “snowflakes” and the nightly fizzing of Christmas fireworks, Disneyland is saturated with nostalgia during the holidays. We rode all of our favorite rides plus we took some time to appreciate the seasonal alterations to the Jingle Cruise, “it’s a small world” and the Haunted Mansion.

Disneyland in December, when the sunshine is warm, the food jolly and the decorations bright, might possibly deserve to be called the happiest place on earth.