December 5, 2024
3pm - 5pm
Experience the Alice by candlelight with an evening tour that illuminates the history of Christmas! Long before Charles Dickens "invented" Christmas, author Washington Irving was introducing Americans to the holiday traditions of rural England and popularizing the legend of Santa Claus. As we tour the museum's decorated period rooms, we'll see how Irving's writings shaped the way that Christmas would be celebrated for generations to come, and how Alice and William Miner carried on his vision of hospitality and generosity in the early 20th century.
The tour will last about 45 minutes, and will conclude with historically inspired refreshments and holiday games in the museum’s ballroom. Please note that participants will need to navigate stairways and narrow hallways in moderately low lighting. Because of space considerations, each tour is limited to twelve participants and advance registration is required.
