Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site will mark the holiday season with an open house/NPS file

You can celebrate the season with special activities at some units of the National Park System.

Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site

On Friday, December 15 from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and the Friends of the Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters invite the community to their free annual Holiday Open House. This year, guests of all ages are invited to celebrate children’s joy around the holidays and to embrace the playful spirit of the season amid the decked historic halls of the Longfellow House, located in Boston. On Saturday, December 16, members of the public can reserve spaces on free, 30-minute guided tours of the Longfellow House first floor, decorated for the holidays. Complete event details can be found here.

In the 19th century, 105 Brattle Street was home to the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — who coined the phrase “the patter of little feet” in his 1860 poem “The Children’s Hour” — his wife Fanny Longfellow, and their children. Historic letters, gifts, and other special objects now in the site’s museum collection reveal that the period between Christmas and New Years was a time of cherished family gathering centered on the children. As adults, Longfellow daughters Edith and Anne Allegra had the houses at 113 and 115 Brattle Street built. In the early 20th century, the two daughters’ homes were the site of family gatherings and performances by Henry Longfellow’s grandchildren. Today, the two buildings are home to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Holiday Open House

Friday, December 15, 4 pm.-8 p.m. — Enjoy a luminaria display on the grounds and stroll the halls of the Longfellow House, decorated in period style and featuring live harp music and special seasonal objects from the site's museum collection that celebrate childhood and play. Then, follow the festive front path to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy President’s House at 115 Brattle Street — the other big yellow house — to enjoy Big Smile Entertainment’s Holiday Victorian Carolers and Rosalita’s puppet shows, in addition to parlor games, a festive tree, “take-and-make” crafts, and treats for the whole family. Refreshments, including cookies and hot beverages, will be served. Free; no reservations required. Event concludes at 8 p.m., last entrance to the Longfellow house at 7:30 p.m.. A fun and festive evening for all ages.

Holiday House Tours

Saturday, December 16, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. — Reserve your spot on a free, 30-minute guided tour of the Longfellow House first floor, decked out for the holidays. Space is limited and reservations are required. Click here to register.

2023 Iron Plantation Christmas at Hopewell Furnace 

The National Park Service invites the public to celebrate an “Iron Plantation Christmas” and stroll through the historic community of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, located in Elverson, Pennsylvania. This free event will take place on Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature Christmas as celebrated during the 19th century at Hopewell Furnace. The program will be presented rain or shine. 

Visitors will have the opportunity to experience and engage with various Christmas traditions from the early/mid 19th Century.  These activities include making gingerbread ornaments, creating holiday decorations out of greens and other natural sprigs, the traditions of writing holiday letters and cards, plus discovering the customs, foods, and traditions of the holiday season from an early American perspective.  Visitors will also get to meet Der Belsnickel, a mischievous character similar to Santa Claus, who rewards good children with treats.  Support for these programs comes from park volunteers, the Berks and Chester County Master Gardener chapters, and the Friends of Hopewell Furnace.    

Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Family Fun At The Preserve

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas is pleased to announce the upcoming good old-fashioned Prairie Christmas event on December 2 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. All activities are free and open to the public.

Experience the Spring Hill Ranch at the height of the holiday season with an old-fashioned Christmas party in the house. Watch women making deserts and preparing for the upcoming holiday as the good smells of cedar and cinnamon fill the air. Sing along to holiday music being played in the parlor. As a take home item, kids can have fun making snowflakes and Christmas tree ornaments using glitter and white sand.

Enjoy popcorn and hot cocoa as you join in the festivities. Kid’s fun continues as Santa’s helper reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”  Storytelling is at 12:15 pm, 1:15 pm, 2:15 pm, and 3:15 p.m., with candy canes handed out to the children.  

The Spring Hill Ranch buildings and Lower Fox Creek school will be decorated for the holidays through December 31st. At the one-room school, local Chase County Elementary students created artwork of snowflakes, paper chains, stars, pictures, and letters to Santa using historically appropriate materials. The student’s handiwork will be hanging from the Christmas tree and all around the school room representing the 1880s classroom.

Originally built in 1881, the 142 year-old ranch house has been rehabilitated. Come see the changes, including greater accessibility for those with limited mobility. Two of the three floors of the historic home are now wheelchair accessible. The exterior work included new tuck pointing, better drainage, porch repair, and rehabilitation of the stone terrace walls.

Winter Festival Of Prairie Cultures Marked At Homestead National Historical Park

Go back in time this holiday season through December 31 at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center, to see a beautiful tapestry of winter traditions of those who lived on the Great Plains at the beginning of the Homestead Era. The Homestead Act of 1862 served as an invitation for immigrants to seek free 160-acre homesteads in the United States, resulting in the arrival of a variety of cultural and ethnic traditions to the United States. The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures remembers this rich heritage and celebrates some of these cultural traditions.

The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures will feature new exhibits, including decorated trees and tabletop displays that reflect the spirit of hope, humor, traditions, and generosity which characterized winter celebrations on the Great Plains.

In addition to the displays, there will be special programs and activities presented on December 3, 10, and 17. These programs will be at the Education Center. They include:

• Sunday, December 3, 2 p.m. — Holiday Music: Cortland Opry House Dulcimer Players The Cortland Opry House Dulcimer Players will play a variety of holiday songs on the dulcimer. A dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings, which are stretched over a body that has no neck. With certain styles being relatively easy to learn to play, dulcimers became another outlet for music and entertainment on the homestead.
• Sunday, December 10, 2 p.m. — Dr. Bruce Garver: Czech Americans in Nebraska The late 1800s saw the first mass migration of Czechs to Nebraska and other Great Plains states. This program will look at the motivations driving the immigration, and will explore the ways Czech Americans celebrate and remember their heritage.
• Sunday, December 17, 2 p.m. — Paper Moon Pastries: Holiday Baking Traditions and Palmer-Epard Baking Competition. Join Lindsey Oelling of Paper Moon Pastries as she shares holiday baking tips and traditions. The program will be followed by a fun baking competition where all are welcome to bring a food creation that is inspired by the Palmer-Epard cabin; this could be a gingerbread house, a cake, a cookie or food sculpture. Oelling will serve as head judge. The competition will be broken into four categories: Youth 7 and under, youth 8 to 16, people over 16 and businesses. The winners of the individual awards will receive $25 gift cards to Paper Moon Pastries courtesy of the Friends of Homestead and the business winner will get a trophy courtesy of the Friends of Homestead.

Admission to Homestead National Historical Park, located in Beatrice, Nebraska, and all events is free. For information on available accommodations please contact Accessibility Coordinator, Amber Kirkendall at (402) 223-3514 or [email protected].