A tree-lighting will be one of the activities during an event at Genesee Country Village & Museum next month. Photo by Dave Valvo
Get into the holiday spirit with Genesee Country Village & Museum this November and December starting with two-times the seasonal fun on Saturday, November 30. Kick off the holiday season on Thanksgiving weekend with Breakfast with St. Nick and Preparing for Winter. Families can start the day with an all-you-can-eat breakfast amidst twinkling lights and holiday greens, hosted by the jolly old fellow himself from 9 am until noon. Kids can write letters to the North Pole and then meet – and receive a gift from — St. Nick! Reservations are required for Breakfast with St. Nick and can be made online or by phone at (585) 538-8218. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for youth ages 1-17, and free for children under age 1. Breakfast includes admission for the day as well.
That same day, the Historic Village will be Preparing for Winter and busily getting ready for the colder days ahead. Visitors are invited to share in demonstrations of candle-making, spinning, meat preservation, and other activities vital to 19th-century New Yorkers as they faced the winter season. Tastings of holiday favorites like roasted chestnuts and mincemeat will be on offer, and for heartier appetites, the historic Hosmer’s Inn will be serving a hot lunch in traditional 19th-century style, making for a unique dining experience. Guests can also create and take home a variety of seasonal crafts for a small fee. Admission for Preparing for Winter is $10 for adults, and free for kids 17 and under as well as GCVM Members. Breakfast with St. Nick tickets include admission to the Preparing for Winter event.
In December, the holidays swing into high gear with the popular Yuletide in the Country Tours and Dinner that run December 6-8, 13-15, and 19-21. Guests can travel back in time and experience the wonders of the season as it was celebrated throughout the 1800s. At each stop in the Historic Village they will be welcomed into a holiday vignette that captures a different holiday custom, including traditional Norwegian julkaker cookie baking, a Polish Christmas Eve Wigilia dinner, and a Hanukkah celebration. New this year, GCV&M will offer tours for those with mobility issues who need extra time navigating the walk, as well as ASL-interpreted tours. Reservations for these specific tours can be made via email at info@gcv.org or by calling 585-294-8218. Advance reservations are required for all Yuletide tours, priced at $25 per person/ $23 for GCVM Members. The Museum is offering a discount for a limited time on select dates, with $2 off tour tickets for Friday, December 6 and Sunday, December 8. This special runs until December 2, so early birds get the worm on this one.
The Yuletide Dinner can be enjoyed in combination with a tour or as its own tradition. For dinner reservations, call or order online at www.gcv.org/events. Dinner reservations are $30 for adults, $18 youth 2-10, ages 1 and under are free.
Rounding out the GCV&M holiday season is a Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 21 from 11 am until 3 pm. Visitors can engage with a variety of holiday preparations around the Village, including a tree-lighting, food tastings, and even a visit with St. Nick. Light lunch fare will be available that afternoon and the Yuletide Dinner will also be available that evening from 4-8 p.m. Tickets for Holiday Open House are as follows: Adults $10 / $8 GCVM Members, Youth ages (3-17) $8 / $6 GCVM Member Youth. Children under 3 are free.
Genesee Country Village & Museum’s Flint Hill Store will be open during all holiday season events for those looking for unique, handmade gifts including pottery hand-thrown in the Historic Village. Flint Hill Store hours and details for all events are available at www.gcv.org or on the Museum’s Facebook page @GCVMuseum.
