Every year, when the holidays roll around, I feel that familiar tug in my chest, telling me it is time to slow down and lean into the traditions that last. As my daughters grow, I find myself wanting to give them more moments and fewer things. Memories do not clutter the house. They do not break. They stay with us, and they shape the stories we tell years from now.
The LS Ayers Tea Room at the Indiana State Museum is one of those gifts for my family. It is more than a reservation on the calendar. It is a tradition that connects four generations of women in my life. My mom, my daughters, and I all gather around a table filled with warm drinks and holiday treats. What makes it even more meaningful is that the tradition began long before my girls were born. It began with my grandmother and me at the original LS Ayers Tea Room downtown.
When I was very young, my grandmother would take me into the city for a full day of holiday magic. We would visit the Tea Room for a delicious lunch of chicken velvet soup and tea sandwiches, tea for my grandmother, and hot cocoa in a fancy cup for me. After lunch, we would shop while listening to the Christmas music playing through the store speakers. We visited the beautiful department store displays along the streets. We walked the sidewalks all cozied up in our warmest winter coats. We searched for the famous cherub that appears above the LS Ayers clock every holiday season. My grandmother made it feel like a treasure hunt, even though it was always in the exact same spot. We always ended the outing by visiting the Christmas tree on Monument Circle. The lights felt enormous. The moment felt magical. Those days became some of the strongest and sweetest memories of my childhood.
Now, when I walk into the Tea Room at the museum with my daughters, the nostalgia rises in a way that is almost overwhelming. The white linens and the smell of chicken velvet soup instantly bring me back to sitting beside my grandmother, watching her stir her tea while the city sparkled outside. I can feel the same sense of excitement I felt as a little girl. And I can see that same wonder in my daughters as they sip their hot chocolate, check out the nostalgic department store window display, and feel fancy for the afternoon. The Indiana State Museum adds another layer to the day since you can explore the exhibits before or after the meal. It turns a simple lunch reservation into a full family memory.
Experience gifts also help reduce the pressure to buy more things. Instead of wrapping another toy that will lose its excitement by next month, you can give a moment that becomes part of your family story. Moments like introducing your kids to one of your favorite meals or childhood experiences. Moments like sharing multiple desserts and sharing your favorite holiday memories. Moments that echo the memories you once made with the people who came before you.
If you want to make the gift even more special, you can pair it with a small item. A special holiday outfit for your child to wear that day. A picture frame to hold a photo from your visit. A handwritten invitation to make the outing feel official. These small touches turn an experience into a keepsake.
This holiday season, while the world hurries along, consider choosing a gift that invites your family to slow down. Consider giving a tradition. Consider giving a table full of stories and laughter. And if your heart pulls you back to your own childhood, the LS Ayers Tea Room at the Indiana State Museum might be the perfect place to begin building memories that your children will someday pass on to theirs.
