A delightful array of holiday activities await you in PA
Fill up your time in Pennsylvania this holiday season like you would a child’s Christmas stocking — packed tight and overflowing — with holiday events and activities to make this holiday season one to remember.
First off, for a hint of nostalgia, visit the 5 & 10 at the National Christmas Center, a replica of a F.W. Woolworth CO. 5 and 10 Cent Store, complete with display boxes and authentic Christmas merchandise from the 1930s to the 1950s. The center also has exhibits depicting Christmas around the world and the traditions of Christmas Eve to Christmas morning of generations past.
The life-size gingerbread house at Skytop Lodge will delight the young and old alike with its walls of hand-baked gingerbread cookie, painstakingly iced and candied for a genuine storybook-like appearance. The house is large enough to walk through and can host private events or just a dinner for the family. Skytop also hosts Victorian carolers, visits from Santa and a fireside reading of The Night Before Christmas this time of year.
The 19th century three-story, 27-room Hegarty Mansion hosts Christmas tours where guests can walk through rooms adorned with Christmas trees and decorations from the Victorian era. It’s staffed with period-dressed attendants… and Santa! Violinists have been known to wander the halls during the holiday season, filling the home with a warm, holiday feel that is truly memorable.
Take a winter ride on the Hawk Mountain Line of the Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Railroad. Situated in the scenic town of Kempton, Pennsylvania the station is a small, quaint building lit with holiday lights. Covered in snow, the area reminds one of the magical illustrations of The Polar Express. The railroad is only open three days in early December for special events — story time with Ms. Claus and the Santa Claus Special. Space is limited!
Don’t miss Christmas City’s Christkindlmarkt, rated one of the best holiday markets by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, also known as Christmas City, is home to this holiday market where artisans from around the U.S. come to sell their wares. The sounds of live Christmas music and the smell of freshly cooked food fill the air. Check the schedule of performers before you go.
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