What To Do: Holiday and non-holiday events for everyone

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Christmas week is here and, for the most part, it is the penultimate weekend for holiday attractions.

Additionally, there are several other non-holiday attractions on tap for the next 10 days.

Christmas-influenced music, advertising, TV shows and events are everywhere. It is virtually impossible not to be affected by the Christmas holiday season — but not everyone celebrates Christmas.

Actually, there are many people who do not celebrate Christmas for a variety of valid reasons — most commonly because they are of a different religion. For Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Shintos, Sikhs, and Muslims, Christmas is not a religious holiday.

Fortunately for them, there is a special event in Philadelphia at Christmastime created for people who do not celebrate Christmas.

The long-running annual event is held each year on December 25 at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (101 South Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, 215- 923-3811, www.nmajh.org).

For years, the event was known as “Being Jewish at Christmas.” Now, the name of the one-day celebration, which will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on December 25, is called “Being ­­­­_ _ _ _ _ _ at Christmas.”

The museum’s website offers the following invitation — “Snowy…Jewish…Happy…Caring…Buddhist…Generous…Family…Creative…Friendly…Sparkly…Fill in your own blank and join us for our annual day of family fun!”

Because of COVID concerns, this year’s staging of the event will be presented virtually only.

It will start at 9:30 a.m. with “Tot Shabbat.” The main program will then be held from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Participation in this year’s “Being ­­­­_ _ _ _ _ _ at Christmas” is free with a suggested $18 donation.

Valley Forge National Historical Park (Route 23, Valley Forge, https://encampmentstore.org/trolley-tours/) is presenting special Holiday Trolley Tours now through December 31. Park guides will offer two tours each day – 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

The 90-minute guided tours, which feature a ride in a comfortable, old-fashioned Trolley, depart from the front of the Visitor Center and travel throughout the park.

Each excursion features extended stops at Muhlenberg’s Brigade and Washington’s Headquarters.

Valley Forge National Historical Park is nationally significant as the site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington. It was here that the Continental Army under Washington’s leadership emerged as a cohesive and disciplined fighting force.

The tours, which are both fun and educational, give visitors the opportunity to observe many of the park’s most significant historical sites. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for students, seniors (62 and over) and active military and $10 for children (11 and under).

On Christmas Day, there is often a lull between the early morning hours when presents are exchanged and the late afternoon when a multi-course holiday meal is served.

If you’re looking for something different to do during this time gap, consider taking a trip to Washington Crossing Historic Park (1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, www.washingtoncrossingpark.org).

In a tradition that has existed for more than a half-century, the park’s rangers and associates present a program which features a re-enactment of George Washington crossing the Delaware River with his troops.

This year’s 69th annual staging of the free event, which will be held weather permitting, will take place at 1 p.m. on December 25 at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Activities will get underway at noon with George Washington delivering an address to his troops.

There will also be presentations of other famous speeches as well as a display by re-enactment groups of what military camp life was like during the era. The focal point of the free event will be when Washington and his men recreate the crossing of the Delaware River in a small group of wooden Durham boats.

River crossings are contingent upon safe conditions for participants. However, even if conditions do not allow for crossing, ceremonies, speeches and commemorative activities still occur.

Hibernia Park (1 Park Road, Coatesville) is presenting “Hibernia Mansion Tours” on every Sunday afternoon in December.

Guests can join the Chester County Park Rangers for a guided tour of the Hibernia County Park Mansion.

The Mansion was the home of many ironmasters and their families from the late 1700s through the late 1800s until it became the vacation home of Colonel Franklin Swayne.

The three-story mansion is fully restored and furnished with original artwork and furniture.

Visitors may stop in anytime between noon and 4 p.m. to join a tour and hear the stories and tales of this ironmaster’s home.

Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.

Building on the success of annual pop-up shows in San Diego, and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000 square foot gallery space in Philly a year ago.

Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective. The artwork ranges from award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction, to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.

New artworks rotate in every few months, creating an ever-evolving, year-round show.

Tickets are for entry at a specific date and time. Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they please during operating hours. The average time spent experiencing the show is 90 minutes.

A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.

The installation is open from noon-10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for seniors, teachers, healthcare workers, students and active military, and $15 for children (ages 3-12).

The Philadelphia Comic-Con, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on December 26 at the Clarion Hotel Conference Center (76 Industrial Highway, Essington, 856-217-5737, www.philadelphiacomic-con.com), features comic books, trading cards and other collectibles — both modern and vintage.

The event, which has an admission fee of $4, also features a number of special autograph guests.

The popular collectibles event, which is the area’s longest running comic convention, will host dealers from all over the Northeast with sales booths featuring Gold & Silver Age comics, action figures, non-sport cards (including Topps “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens”).

Also featured will be Japanese Manga, gaming cards such as Pokemon and Magic the Gathering, original artwork and all the latest issues of today’s popular comic book series.

The roster of top-flight vendors includes veteran dealers and relative newcomers. As an added attraction, there will be hourly door prizes beginning at 11 a.m. with $100 in show cash to be given away.

An interesting and educational special event will be presented at the Ephrata Cloister (632 West Main Street, Ephrata, 717-733-6600, www.ephratacloister.org) now through December 30 – the 2021 edition of the Cloister’s annual “Lantern Tours.”

The Ephrata Cloister or Ephrata Community was a religious community, established in 1732 by Johann Conrad Beissel at Ephrata. The grounds of the community are now administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

The tours take guests back in time to visit the Cloister as it may have appeared in the 1700s. Each year’s story offers a cast of junior and senior high school students playing the roles that bring history to life. A different story is presented each year.

This year’s tours will lead visitors through four of the historic buildings on site as the story unfolds to offer differing views of Conrad Beissel.  Refreshments and a chance for conversation will end the evening.  Each of the one-hour tours is limited in attendance, and begins each half-hour starting at 6:30 p.m.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling (717) 733-6600. Tours will depart the visitor center every 30 minutes from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The cost is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors (65 and older), $7 for youth (ages 6-11) and $5 for children (ages 3-5).

Rock Ford Plantation (881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, 717-392-7223, www.rockfordplantation.org), which was the home of plantation owner Edward Hand, presents holiday tours during the days following Christmas. This year’s event – “Voices at Yuletide” –will be presented on December 26 and 27.

Yuletide was celebrated in the late 1700s during the 12-day period between Christmas (December 25, the day Christ was born) and Twelfth Night/the Feast of the Magi (January 6, the day the Magi offered their gifts to the infant Christ).

Back then, Christmas Day did not mark the culmination of the holiday but rather its beginning with a variety of old English traditions — decorating the home with greens, baking a Twelfth Night cake, enjoying the wassail bowl and burning the Yule log.

Rather than following the “Holiday Open House” model of past Yuletides at Historic Rock Ford dominated by large numbers of visitors, this year’s guests may anticipate a more intimate experience as they arrive at the General Edward Hand Mansion on the evening of January 6, 1795 – “Twelfth Night.”

As the residents of the house prepare for a Yuletide Ball, the presence of Hand family members, their friends and servants will be felt, but they will not be seen. As groups of guests are escorted from room to candle-lit and holly-bedecked room, they will see the sights and hear the sometimes-frenetic sounds of a household about to welcome many guests to the first Yuletide Ball to be held in the new mansion.

They will also be greeted by the voices of Katherine Hand, Edward Hand, Jasper Yeates, Sarah Yeates, Dorothy Hand, young Jasper and Edward Hand as well as by that of a female servant desperately trying to get the younger children ready for bed amid all of the excitement.

In addition to the mansion tour, guests will be able to join in Christmas Carols as they gather around a fire pit outside of the mansion and conclude with a visit to the Snyder Gallery where they will be able to enjoy the holiday fiddle music of Tom Knapp of the Celtic band “Fire in the Glen” in the lobby. They will then enter the Snyder Gallery to explore for clues and information relating to Yuletides past. Children will be invited to participate in an activity based upon the familiar eighteenth-century rhyme “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” and other themed activities.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for youth.

Another Lancaster County attraction is “Magic Lantern Show: A Victorian Christmas,” which is running through December 31 at the Amish Experience Theater at Plain & Fancy Farm (3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand, 717-768-8400, http://amishexperience.com/magic-lantern-shows/christmas-show).

Visitors are taken back in time and become part of a Victorian family’s traditional Christmas Eve celebration. The family is very excited as Grandpa tells fabulous Christmas stories with the help of the amazing Magic Lantern.

The surprises and joys of the season are brought to visual delight with this collaboration between the Amish Experience and the American Magic Lantern Theater featuring classic Christmas stories and poems.

The presentation includes sing-alongs and a narrator delivering iconic stories and poems like “The Night Before Christmas” and “A Christmas Carol” with stunning visual images, heartfelt music and legendary storytelling.

Tickets are $19.95 for adults and $13.95 for children (ages 4-12).

The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running its “Howard Tunnel Post Holiday Special” excursion on December 30 at 11 a.m.

The trip features a gorgeous 30-mile round trip behind #6076 winding through the Historic Codorus Valley with a brief stop at the Howard Tunnel to stretch the legs.

The Howard Tunnel is the oldest active passenger railroad tunnel in the country.

The ticket (adult or child) includes a choice of a complimentary boxed lunch — Turkey & American Cheese Sandwich, Ham & American Cheese Sandwich or Garden Salad. Lunches include potato chips, cookie, and bottled water.

Tickets are $59 for adults and $32 for children (ages 5-12).

“Chester County Hospital Lights Up Holiday Weekends in West Chester” (greaterwestchester.com/events/featured-events/holiday-weekends-west-chester) are running now through January 1, 2022.

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce is reimagining what the holidays mean this year by launching the first-ever “Chester County Hospital Lights Up Holiday Weekends in West Chester.”

Transformed into a winter wonderland, the streets of historic West Chester are bathed in the glow of thousands of holiday lights every evening from November 26 to January 1. Each weekend features holiday festivities, shopping and dining, title sponsored by Chester County Hospital.

The final themed weekend is “New Year’s Weekend” from December 31-January 1.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) reopened to the public in November with the return of the Brandywine Railroad holiday train display and highlights from the permanent collection. The Brandywine has been temporarily closed to the public since September 1, after the remnants of Hurricane Ida brought historic flooding to Chadds Ford and across the Brandywine’s 15-acre campus.

Also returning will be the Brandywine’s whimsical Critter ornaments decorating the holiday trees in the Museum’s atrium. Each year since 1971, these distinctive ornaments have been carefully handcrafted by a dedicated group of volunteers using only natural materials such as teasel, pinecones, acorns, eggshells, flowers and seed pods.

While all of the art in the galleries at the Brandywine River Museum of Art were safe and unharmed by the storm, the Museum’s lowest level—containing a lecture room, classroom, offices and more—had significant flood damage, in addition to 10 other buildings on the Brandywine’s campus.

The Museum is now open seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed on Christmas day), with the Brandywine’s iconic O-gauge model train display on view through January 9, 2022.

A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad offers something for everyone with its dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others.

The display features trains running on 2,000 feet of track with more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, and even a carnival and a drive-in movie theater. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display, operated by hands-free foot pedals that allow for further engagement.

The fabulous holiday light display “West Chester Griswolds” (304 Dutton Mill Rd, West Chester, www.westchestergriswolds.com) opened on Thanksgiving night and will run through January 2.

This year’s display features more than 133,000 lights and 800 smart pixels.

This year, they have added a Cosmic Color Ribbon Tree (CCR) to our display. It is an exciting piece of technology with the ability to create any color of the rainbow. The exhibit will be playing throughout the night and “singing” with the bulbs, which are making their return this year.

Lights will be on now through January 2 — Monday through Thursday from 4:45-9:45 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 4:45-10:15 p.m.

The holiday season at Herr’s Snack Food Factory (20 Herr Drive, Nottingham, 610-932-9330, www.herrs.com) is going strong. The area around the factory site will be illuminated with thousands of lights and holiday displays.

Herr’s “Holiday Light Display,” which is free and open to the public, will be open nightly now through January 2.

Visitors to the site will be able to drive along a trail that is illuminated with more than 600,000 lights.

The special light exhibit will be open daily from dusk to dawn.

Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) has shifted into holiday mode with the arrival of “A Longwood Gardens Christmas.”

The festive holiday display at Longwood Gardens, which is running now through January 9, features spectacular lights, lavish decorations, holiday music and colorful displays featuring thousands of brilliant poinsettias, brightly decorated trees and fragrant flowers — all inside the heated Conservatory.

There will be towering trees adorned in amber to fiery red tones, flickering flame lanterns, and an inviting mountain retreat, complemented by icy-hued plantings, a “frozen” succulent fountain, and a refreshing alpine waterway that is the ultimate winter wonderland.

The colorful annual event, which appeals to the entire family, also has a lot of outdoor attractions such as fountain shows and nighttime light displays. Longwood’s Christmas celebration also includes a wide array of seasonal music — holiday concerts, organ sing-alongs and carillon performances.

When darkness arrives at Longwood, a night-blooming garden of more than a half-million lights strung on close to 100 trees with approximately 40 miles of wire comes to life. A carillon with 62 cast bells plays holiday music every half hour during daylight hours. Longwood’s Open Air Theatre fountains dance to holiday music each half hour — temperature permitting.

As always, admission by “Timed Ticket” — tickets issued for specific dates and times. Timed ticketing limits the number of people in the Gardens at any given time and allows guests to enjoy minimal lines and a better viewing experience.

Visitors to “A Longwood Gardens Christmas” can also check out Longwood’s Garden Railway — a whimsical display set into motion with G-scale model trains. This is the 17th year that the railway has delighted visitors with special water features and custom trains traveling in and out of bridges and tunnels.

Admission to Longwood Gardens is $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $18 for active and retired military and $16 for youth (ages 5-18).

Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular has taken up residence at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-3976, www.tinseltownholiday.com) now through January 2, 2022.

This brand new event at the Fairground at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks invites guests to walk through a winter wonderland of light sculptures and displays, including illuminated recreations of local landmarks like the Liberty Bell. It features more than one million bulbs.

Activities include ice skating on a synthetic rink, photos with Santa (reservations required) and Gritty (Thursdays), shopping at the Mistletoe Marketplace, and seasonal treats and drinks in the heated Tinsel Lodge and McTinsel’s Pub.

Tickets start at $13.99 for kids under 13 and $19.99 for adults.

The Historic Odessa Foundation’s 2021 Christmas Holiday Tour and Exhibit “Little Women” is an event with an appeal that spans generations. The tours will be presented now through the end of the year in Odessa’s historic district (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org).

For the past three-and-a-half decades, Historic Odessa has celebrated children’s literature by recreating scenes from the classics in one of its 18th-century museum houses. Visitors have been treated to the literary works of Louisa May Alcott, P.L. Travers, Beatrix Potter, Tasha Tudor, Washington Irving, Lewis Carroll, and Charles Dickens, to name just a few.

After a one-year hiatus, Odessa is reviving its tradition of recreating scenes from classic literature through interpretive vignettes displayed in one of the foundation’s historic museum houses. Last year’s Holiday Exhibit was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

From November 16-December 31, the National Historic Register Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769) will be the setting of adapted scenes from the beloved autobiographical coming-of-age novel “Little Women or, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy” written by the American novelist Louisa May Alcott and first published before Christmas in 1868.

Visitors will be enchanted with old-fashioned room vignettes to include those of the March sisters’ Christmas parlor, festive dining room and well-appointed bed chamber. In addition, Historic Odessa is honored to present a display case full of “Little Women” memorabilia on loan from the Louisa May Alcott Orchard House Museum in Concord, Massachusetts.

All of Historic Odessa’s museum properties will be adorned with thousands of lights again this year, and on full festive display for the 2021 Holiday Season. Special school and public tours and events will celebrate “Little Women” and its accompanying exhibit in the Wilson-Warner House, including the Storybook Trees exhibit in the National Historic Landmark Corbit-Sharp House, holiday Festive Foods cooking demonstrations, as well as regularly scheduled Candlelight Tours.

This season, Odessa will present outdoor Candlelight Tours of the foundation’s museum properties every Tuesday and Thursday evening in December beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and include a libation at Cantwell’s Tavern. Reservations are required for the tours.

The Historic Houses of Odessa are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4:30 p.m. Admission to the Historic Odessa Foundation Holiday Tours is $10 for adults, $8 for groups, seniors, and students and free for children (under 6).

One of the highlight holiday events in the area is the annual “Yuletide at Winterthur.” This year’s 40th annual staging of the event, which runs now through January 2 at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware,800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org).

Visitors can revel in the beauty and warmth of the holidays and explore treasures of Christmases past with displays of holiday traditions from the 1800s to the early 20th century, including displays of: the earliest types of colorful lights decorating house exteriors; the du Pont family holiday celebrations; and the evolution of Christmas trees over the decades from the 1880s to 1960s.
One of visitors’ favorites every year is the 18-room dollhouse mansion created by designer and philanthropist Nancy McDaniel over a period of 30 ears. It features amazing intricate details in each room and is even decorated for the holidays.

As always, the rooms will be enhanced with the floral displays so essential to du Pont’s decorating, and with special Christmas trees inspired by the beauty of the Winterthur’s gardens — including the popular Dried Flower Tree in the Conservatory.

Special holiday programs throughout the season include “Wonderful Wednesdays” in December, evening events featuring live jazz performances, caroling, and workshops. In addition to the Wednesday evening festivities, visitors can enjoy a live one-man performance of “A Christmas Carol” by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, wine and cocktail tastings, and family events with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

Timed Yuletide Tour reservations are required. Admission to Yuletide at Winterthur is $15 for adults, seniors (age 62 and older) and students and $6 for children (ages 2-11).

Delaware is also the home of the annual staging of “Holidays at Hagley: A Celebration of Family” — an event that is always one of the most eagerly anticipated holiday attractions in this area every year.

The popular Brandywine Valley exhibit, which is included with regular admission, is running now through January 2 at Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org).

This year’s edition of “Holidays at Hagley” features tours of Eleutherian Mills, which is the first du Pont family home built in America. The tours, which will be presented each day from 10a.m.-4:30 p.m., feature decorations in a combination of styles from both the 19th and 20th centuries.

During the Victorian years when candle-lit tabletop Christmas trees were the norm, hand-made gifts were attached to tree branches, and winter scenes were displayed underneath the tree. The upstairs Victorian Library shows how magical that looked with its mid- to late-nineteenth-century toys, games and dolls. The upstairs Parlor features a case filled with small ceramic animals well-loved by some of the du Pont family children.

Early du Pont family French holiday traditions are remembered with a display of gifts that were given to E. I. du Pont’s children on New Year’s Day as well as the Twelfth Night party illustrated by the ornate French dessert service in the Dining Room.

Well-loved displays returning include the elaborate Twelfth Night celebration in the dining room and the Victorian library’s Christmas for children with its table-top tree surrounded by toys and games. Of course, there will be warm glowing lights and poinsettias.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students and $4 for children (ages 6-14).

Nemours Mansion & Gardens (Route 141 South, Alapocas Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-651-6912, www.nemoursmansion.org) is welcoming visitors for the Christmas holidays with “Holidays at the Estate.” The attraction is open now through December 30.

Originally constructed more than a century ago, Nemours Mansion is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.

Ever since 1910, when Mr. and Mrs. duPont began living in their newly built mansion, the holiday season has been a festive time at Nemours. The Christmas decorations at the Nemours Mansion are often inspired by the architecture of the home, the customs of the duPonts or the French influence.

The Mansion is also decorated by some of the duPonts’ original decorations, including a German crèche, which dates from the late 19th century. The figures are soft ceramic, unglazed and hand-colored. In addition to their own ornaments, Nemours also proudly displays ornaments made by patients at Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.

Visitors can enjoy Christmas trees, wreaths, and hundreds of feet of garland on grand display in the Visitor Center, Chauffer’s Garage, Mansion and grounds.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia (500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/) is presenting “Holiday Bricktacular!” now through January 1.

Participants can create their own LEGO ornament and display it in on the LEGO tree and check out all the holiday scenes in the Winter Wonderland in Miniland Philadelphia.

As an added attraction, LEGO Santa will be visiting from the LEGO North Pole.

Ticket prices start at $22.99.

Riding the rails with Santa Claus is a different way to enjoy the holiday season and is always a fun holiday activity.

The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s Paradise Express” now through December 24. Santa will be the featured guest on each ride from Strasburg to Paradise and back.

The rotund guy in the red suit will be greeting passengers, shaking hands, posing for photos and giving a treat to each child. After the train ride, children are treated to storybook readings of holiday classics. Visitors of all ages can also enjoy a ride aboard the Tinsel Trolley, a self-propelled motor car.

Tickets are $23 for adults and $17 for children (ages 2-11) and $4 for infants.

The New Hope & Ivyland Railroad (32 West Bridge St, New Hope, 215- 862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) offers two new activities that will run now through December 30.

One is “Santa’s Steam Train Ride.”

This year the New Hope Railroad invites guests to share in a magical journey celebrating a bygone era.

As guests to the railroad, riders will board beautifully restored passenger cars which date back to the first half of the 20th century. All are heated and will be traditionally decorated for the season, creating a warm and cheerful feeling during the trip. Aboard the train, hot chocolate and freshly prepared cookies will be served to all in attendance by the rail line’s hosts. Talented musicians will serenade everyone with live music, with all passengers encouraged to sing along to this festive selection of familiar holiday tunes.

There will also be an opportunity for children to send their letter of Christmas wishes to Santa Claus himself by way of a special red postbox. At the end of the journey, Santa Claus will make an appearance to invite everyone to visit him at his Christmas workshop back at the train station, where his elves are busy making all the toy trains for the good little boys and girls across the world.

The other excursion ride is the “North Pole Express Train.

The “North Pole Express Train” offers similar amenities to the Santa’s Steam Train Ride, but this Santa train is pulled by one of the railroad’s vintage diesel locomotives.

Fees vary based on the package selected.

The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com)  is running its “Santa’s Polar Bear Express” now through December 24.

Kids can join Santa on a magical adventure into “Christmas Past” on an exciting train journey. They will be able to sip complimentary hot cocoa or enjoy Christmas cookies and, on some trains, sing favorite carols as the Secret Valley passes by the window. Santa will bring a gift for every child, and every child has an opportunity to give their Christmas letter to him.

Founded more than 50 years ago, Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U.S.A. (Route 741 East, 226 Gap Rd, Strasburg, 717-687-7911, www.choochoobarn.com) presents a 1,700-square-foot train layout featuring over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains. The majority of trains that are running in the display are “O Gauge” trains but there are also some HO Gauge trains as well as one N Gauge train.

Several of the original pieces and animations are still on the display today, including the ski slope, ski lodge and ice skaters, Dutch Haven, the Willows, the two-lane moving highway (in front of Dutch Haven), the farm with the tobacco barn, the Strasburg Fire House, the church beside Dutch Haven and a few other houses.

The layout features a special Christmas display now through January 17. The homes and businesses along the tracks have been decked out with holiday trim. And there are 55 hidden Santas — one for each year the site has been open — located around the display for visitors to find.

Tickets are $8.50 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3 and under) at Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U.S.A.

Christmas trains also come in a smaller variety. Model railroad displays and the Christmas holiday season have been linked together since a time before even your parents were even kids.

The Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-247-5777, http://www.morrisarboretum.org) opens its popular Garden Railway Display this weekend and will keep it running through January 2.

The display and buildings are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with small streams. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.

The buildings are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle along the tracks and around the surrounding landscape. The Garden Railway Display has become one of the Arboretum’s most beloved attractions since it opened in 1998, and the Holiday Garden Railway is quickly becoming a favorite holiday tradition for many families.

There will also be a “Holiday Garden Railway Night” on December 26 from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Admission to the Morris Arboretum is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for students and military.

Now through January 9, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that transforms the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.

The giant-sized holiday extravaganza will transform the entire Zoo into a nighttime winter wonderland. Guests will experience a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises. LumiNature will expand to feature 14 illuminated experience zones that will feature lively themed displays, newly-enhanced installations and thousands of twinkling lights.
Highlights for 2021 include: more than one million lights and 10 miles of power cord; more than 500 colorful illuminated flamingos and a 25 feet tall flamingo holiday tree;  200-plus illuminated penguins;  100 ft-long aquarium tunnel with enormous jellyfish; 22-feet-tall new Butterfly Tree;  21-feet tall brilliant colored snake; glee club made from talking trees that come to life’ brand new octopus tree that is sure to make you laugh’ cascading blue and white meteor light showers; giant cat eyes glowing in the dark of night; and a new Wilderness Express Train.
Additionally, seasonal fare, strolling performers,  hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages promise to additionally spark the holiday spirit.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children.

Elmwood Park Zoo (Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) welcomes back one of its favorite family traditions this weekend – “Wild Lights.”

With new lights and decorative attractions, and with more animals on exhibit, this year’s “Wild Lights” is brighter than ever.

Each night of “Wild Lights” features live entertainment, unique animal encounters, performances, holiday music, and a chance to see Santa himself. “Wild Lights” operates from 5-9 p.m. on select days now through December 30.

“Wild Lights” tickets are valid beginning at 5 pm. The zoo and “Wild Lights” will be closed on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Wild Lights is held rain or shine.

Admission to the Zoo is $12.95.

The Zoo also is hosting several “Dog Days.”

The Zoo’s “Dog Days” event will be held on December 26 and 29 from 1-5 p.m. each day.

All guests visiting the zoo with a furry friend must complete an online waiver and submit required documents before visiting the zoo. You must upload a copy of your most recent veterinary visit, including proof of vaccine and heartworm test here. All items will be required for you to attend “Dog Days.”

Pricing is $10.95 per dog with each additional dog at $9.95. Regular zoo admission is required for all humans.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Rd, Schnecksville, https://www.lvzoo.org/) is hosting its “Winter Light Spectacular” now through January 2.

This season’s “Winter Light Spectacular,” which runs from 5:30-10 p.m. nightly, will feature more than 30 scheduled event nights.

Guests are invited to bundle up and enjoy the beauty of nature as they stroll through tree-lined paths illuminated by more than 1.2 million twinkling lights and themed animated displays.

They also can warm up next to the cozy outdoor fire pits while enjoying hot cocoa and s’mores.

Children will be delighted when they encounter Santa, Radley the Sea Turtle, The Grinch, Woody, Buzz, Elsa, Princess Belle, Olaf and friends.

Ticket prices start at $8.

The 2021 “Winter in Franklin Square Festival” (200 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/holidays-in-franklin-square/) is running through February 27.

The Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show will be open from 5-9 p.m. daily and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Visitors are invited to experience the magic of the holidays and celebrate traditions new and old at the Franklin Square Holiday Festival.

Inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s electrifying genius, the free Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show presented by PECO is the key to holiday fun in Franklin Square.

Attendees can marvel at more than 50,000 lights as they shimmer, dance, and illuminate the Square to a soundtrack of holiday classics, some of which are performed by The Philly POPS in two alternating shows every 30 minutes. Every evening, one lucky audience member will be selected to “ignite’ the 4:30 p.m. show.

The Boathouse Row Festival of Lights: Kwanzaa Hanukkah (on the Schuylkill River Trail just off Martin Luther King Jr. Drive) will get underway this weekend.

The City of Philadelphia has been celebrating the season by lighting Boathouse Row in honor of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Boathouse Row will be illuminated for Hanukkah from November 28 through December 6

The Christmas lights on Boathouse Row will be on display in honor of Kwanzaa from December 26 through January 1, with a virtual program led by the Philadelphia Kwanzaa Cooperative at 4 p.m. on December 26.

Center City Parks District’s Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park) has just opened for the season.

Visitors of all ages can enjoy a dramatic seasonal transformation as fountains have been replaced by the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Ice Rink and reindeer topiaries take up winter residence on the Greenfield Lawn.

In addition, a full lineup of free entertainment is planned, including the Deck the Hall Light Show, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cabin.

The Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park is an unparalleled entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage in a wonderfully urban and unique setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers wintery fun for all ages, with a full slate of programs.

Dilworth Park’s winter season began on November 1 with the opening of the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn presented by TD Bank.

The “Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market” opened in November with more than 40 local vendors.

“Christmas Village in Philadelphia” (Love Park, 1400 JFJ Boulevard, Philadelphia, 215-391-3017, www.philachristmas.com), which runs through December 24, is a free outdoor holiday market event that captures the vibe of the traditional European Christmas markets.

Christmas Village in Philadelphia is modeled after traditional German Christmas Markets. The history of Christmas markets in Germany dates to the late Middle Ages. One of the oldest and most famous ones is held each year in Nuremberg in the state of Bavaria.

It has been passed down from generation-to-generation ever since the area’s farmers started selling their crops in a farmers’ market during the Advent time in the mid-16th century. The goods presented in wooden booths include a rich variety of holiday gifts including Christmas ornaments, arts and crafts, toys, sweets, as well as German food and drinks. People stroll around, meet friends, and enjoy live performances of Christmas music.

At the Village in Philadelphia, vendors selling traditional European food, sweets and drinks are set up in 80 wooden booths and timber houses that form a medieval village. They will also offer a unique shopping experience with international holiday gifts, ornaments, jewelry and high-quality arts and crafts.

The Village will feature the sights and sounds of the holidays with thousands of twinkling lights, giant glowing stars, festive decorations, a musical stage and children’s activities. All the event’s annual fan favorites will be back, including Photos with Santa, Käthe Wohlfahrt, Herrnhuter Stars, the German Grill and the event’s main stage.

At the center of the market, an ornate and grand old-time carousel will be operating to give children of all ages a new holiday tradition while visiting the authentic German Christmas Market. The carousel features 20 wood-carved horses that will twirl around for an unforgettable view of the new market inside City Hall’s courtyard.

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular (1701 John Fast Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia) is back for the 2021 season.

Typically shown on the Comcast Experience video wall in the lobby of The Comcast Center, the annual super high-res LED holiday show has moved outdoors and will be presented daily at the top of every hour from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. now through January 1, 2022.

The 15-minute family-friendly show will play on an outdoor video wall starting Thanksgiving Day! This Philly favorite tradition brings the magic of the holidays to life, featuring classic holiday songs and performances by the Pennsylvania Ballet.
For the first time, the Comcast Holiday Spectacular will have a sensory-friendly version. Guests may use their own personal mobile devices to access Audio Description (AD) of the show. AD devices will also be available upon request.

The Comcast Center Campus has another holiday activity at the Comcast Technology Center (1800 Arch Street), located a half block from the Comcast Center.

From Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Parks & Resorts and Comcast Labs, The Universal Sphere is a free, cinematic experience exploring the power of ideas. Get inspired by stories of creative minds who shaped our world for the better.
The Universal Sphere — accessible for guests of all ages — is wheelchair- and service animal-friendly. Descriptive audio and closed-captioning devices are available in English and Spanish, and full audio translations are available in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

Macy’s (1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, www.macysinc.com) welcomed the return of the free Christmas Light Show and Dickens’ Village to the former Wanamaker’s location at 13th and Market streets (across from City Hall).

Both the musical light show, which started in 1956, and the “Christmas Carol”-themed animated display, which had its start in the 1980s — have been Philadelphia holiday traditions for decades.

COVID-19 forced the cancellation of both events in 2020 and this year’s exhibit will be different than in previous years.

For 2021, the light show will run just once a day at 10:30 a.m. from Dec. 1-24 and moves to 11:30 a.m. from Dec. 26-31.

The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ annual Christmas in the Grand Tradition Concert, starring Peter Richard Conte, is held Sunday December 12, 2021, at 6:45 pm and is admission-free in the Grand Court.

The Blue Cross RiverRink (Delaware Avenue at Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-925-RINK, www.riverrink.com) has come back to life.

Unlike most of the suburban ice rinks, RiverRink features public skating. Ice skating is the only use of the ice. This winter, RiverRink takes the ice-skating experience on the Delaware River waterfront to another level by once again transforming the annual rink into a bona fide winter wonderland.

For 28 seasons, Winterfest has been Philadelphia’s favorite Winter tradition on the Delaware River Waterfront, inviting visitors for a chance to indulge in flights of fancy under thousands of sparkling lights in a winter wonderland with spectacular views of the Delaware River, complete with comforting warming cabins, physically-distanced fire pit stations, games for the young and young-at-heart, delicious food and refreshing drinks, the signature holiday tree and — of course — ice skating on an NHL-sized rink. Winterfest is a top destination for anyone looking for safe, family fun.

Open seven days a week, the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest is an immersive winter-themed experience with a popular bar and restaurant called The Lodge, winter beer garden-style landscaping, a brand-new light show, and a retail shopping experience from Art Star Gallery & Boutique.

The outdoor rink’s hours are 1-11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1 p.m.-1 a.m. on Fridays, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Sundays.

Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium (1 Riverside Drive, Camden, New Jersey, www.adventureaquarium.com)offers a different look at the holiday season.

At Christmas Underwater, which is running now through December 24, visitors can discover an incredible world of seasonal under-the-sea fun.

Scuba Santa is back in Ocean Realm, sharing Christmas cheer with kids (and animals) of all ages. The event features more holiday decor than ever before, including underwater light displays, and festive new shows.

The World’s Tallest Underwater Christmas Tree returns — stretching 18 feet tall and decorated with colorful, custom-sculpted corals.

More than 15,000 incredible animals are getting in on the festive fun with eight underwater light displays spread throughout the exhibits.

Admission fees start at $29.99 for adults.

The Glencairn Museum (1001 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, 267-502-2600, www.glencairnmuseum.org) is a Bucks County Museum featuring religious art and area history museum.

The museum, which was formerly the home of the fabled Pitcairn family, is presenting its “Christmas at Glencairn” holiday celebration now through January 9.

Glencairn was built almost a century ago for the family of Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn, members of a congregation of a Christian denomination known as the New Church. Bryn Athyn was founded in the late 19th century as a New Church religious community.

“Christmas at Glencairn” features special exhibitions, a “Christmas in the Castle” tour, a Christmas concert and other holiday activities. The “World Nativities” exhibition is on display in Glencairn’s North Porch, Great Hall, Upper Hall and Bird Room.

Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, http://peddlersvillage.com) always gets into the holiday vibe and that means there will be a lot of activity at the site over the next few weeks.

Visitors to the Village can join special guest Mrs. Claus for festive fun and mini-lightings in a different Village neighborhood each night leading up to the Village-wide Grand Illumination Celebration. Village shops will be open until 9 p.m. with a distinctive assortment of merchandise, special promotions and refreshments.

The 20th Annual Grand Illumination will showcase thousands of tiny white lights outlining the Village’s buildings, colorful lights with less-than-common colors (teal, peach, and fuscia) adorning the trees and shrubs and a landscaped backdrop featuring a group of reindeer glowing in white light. Santa will arrive to turn on the lights and officially mark the beginning of the event. After the lights go on, visitors will be treated to free cider and toasted marshmallows.

Peddler’s Village “Gingerbread House Competition and Display,” which is slated to run through January 8, the “Gingerbread House Competition” features over $2,000 in cash prizes in such categories as Traditional and Authentic Reproduction of a Significant Building.

A popular Bucks County attraction is the “Holiday Light Show” at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, www.shadybrookfarm.com)

The farm features a three–million-light Holiday Light Show with “Dashin’ Through the … Lights,” a family-friendly two-mile drive-through on Thursday and Friday nights.

The main display allows visitors to drive or (if weather permits) ride in wagons past post-sundown displays including illuminated tunnels.

The “Holiday Light Show” is open now through January 10.

Timed tickets, which start at $40, are required.

“Christmas Spirit Light Show”  is running now through January 1 (except December 25) at Clipper Magazine Stadium (650 North Prince Street, Lancaster, christmasspiritlightshows.com).

“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is an exciting, one-of-a-kind Christmas light display that families can enjoy from the comfort of their vehicles.

As participants make the journey through the mile-long track, they get immersed and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights that are animated and dancing in harmony with favorite Christmas classics.

The drive-through event is billed as a “breathtaking holiday experience that you and your loved ones will never forget.”

The cost is $20 per car with eight people or less and $30 per car with nine or more people.

“Christmas Candylane,” which is the annual holiday event at Hersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypark.com), is running now through January 2.

Visitors to Hershey can also experience the winter wonderland called “Hershey Sweet Lights, A Holiday Drive-Thru Spectacular.” The attraction is a two-mile drive through wooded trails featuring approximately 600 illuminated, animated displays.

Admission to “Christmas Candylane” is $44.95.

“A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends live and in-person at the amusement park in Langhorne.

The annual event, which runs through January 2, offers a wide array of family holiday activities.

Visitors to the park can sing along at three special Christmas shows and a spectacular music and light show at our giant 1-2-3 Christmas Tree, take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express, take part in the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade, and have the opportunity to meet Lightning, the adorable reindeer from the movie “Elmo Saves Christmas.”

As an added attraction this year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is spending the holiday season at Sesame Place. The lovable reindeer along with his friends Clarice and Bumble, will be available for photos with guests.

Tickets for “A Very Furry Christmas” start at $34.99.

Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (2249 Route 30 East, Lancaster, 866-386-2389, www.dutchwonderland.com) is hosting its “Dutch Winter Wonderland” now through January 2 on Saturdays, Sundays and select weekdays.

Visitors are invited to celebrate the magic of the season at Dutch Winter Wonderland with rides, entertainment, and the Royal Light Show, a spectacular display of thousands of twinkling lights dancing to music.

Ticket prices start at $29.99 at the gate. Children ages two and under are admitted free.

Just down the road from Dutch Wonderland is the American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-648-4102, www.AMTshows.com), which has its holiday show running now through December 30.

The AMT’s 2021 show “Winter Wonderland” is an all-new presentation of favorite sacred and secular holiday songs performed by professional artists from across the country. The show will feature spectacular vocal harmonies, lively musical arrangements, impressive and the music of the AMT Orchestra.

Also featured will be elaborate scenery, elegant costumes and a theater decked out with holiday decorations.

The show will have both matinee and evening performances each week with the addition of 10:30 a.m. performances on Saturdays throughout December. Show length is two hours and 15 minutes with a short intermission. Tickets are $46.

Anyone wanting to really get into a Christmas mood can visit Koziar’s Christmas Village (782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, 610-488-1110, www.koziarschristmasvillage.com) which began its 74th season on November 6.

Koziar’s Christmas Village is truly a holiday wonderland — a wintertime spectacle that delights young and old alike with a huge amount of holiday displays and special attractions. It will remain open every night through January 1 — including Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Night.

The tours of “Christmas Village” feature visits to a variety of displays and exhibits, including “Santa’s Post Office,” “Christmas in the Jungle,” “Manger Scene,” “Christmas Beneath the Sea,” “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Olde Fashioned Bakery Shop,” “Toy Maker and his Toy Shop,” “Christmas in Other Lands” and “The Olde Church”.

Other attractions at Koziar’s Christmas Village include a huge model train display, a toy shop, a country kitchen, indoor and outdoor Christmas displays and a place to visit with Santa and even get pictures taken with the old guy in the red suit. Admission to Christmas Village is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for children (ages 4-10).