New virtual tours

New virtual tours have been added to the web site: a panorama of our lobby, featuring "Christmas 1944 - the War Years", a turn of the century American Santa lifecast and collection of electric trains, and a glimpse of several chapters of TudorTowne animated storybook village. http://www.nationalchristmascenter.com/exhibits/htm/virtualtour.htm . Of course, the Woolworth's 5&10 is still a favorite. These virtual tours are done by Mike Sabol.

Fun for all ages...

New Exhibits - Progress Report

Construction is continuing on two new exhibits, expected to open this month.

I love "A 1950's Christmas" - a trip down memory lane for those who grew up in that era. Two little children are peeking out from a stairway, where they see Santa Claus, drinking a soda in front of their fireplace. There are an old chrome and red vinyl kitchen table set and vintage kitchen appliances visible through the "doorway" that leads from this living room scene, and the table is complete with a Christmas turkey in a roasting pan.

Remember bubble lights? The tree is going to be decorated with them and all those ticky-tacky plastic ornaments that seemed to define that time period. Of course, we're setting up a train set to run underneath the tree. Early American (ugh) furniture will round out the living room and add to the authenticity.

This is inspired by an old Coca Cola Santa ad, made popular by Haddon Sundblom (don't quote me on the spelling). Judy Murtagh, from the American Christmas Museum, is the original designer of this exhibit.

The other exhibit, "Street of Memories", continues to develop as it is being built. The department store windows will include an extensive Hummel display, on loan from Dallas Krapf. Vinyl records (try explaining to your kids what those are!) will take up another window, and the rest... we will have to wait and see what Jim decides. He certainly has plenty to choose from. :)

Match 'Em Up

Match the number answer to the corresponding letter clue.

1. Clement Moore
2. Virginia O'Hanlon
3. Ebenezer Scrooge
4. Comet
5. Kris Kringle
6. Grinch
7. Frosty
8. Charles Dickens
9. Yukon Cornelius
10. Rockette

a. reindeer
b. Santa Claus
c. wanted to steal Christmas from Whoville
d. searching for silver and gold
e. girl who asked if there was a Santa Claus
f. wrote "A Christmas Carol"
g. kicks up her heels
h. wrote "The Night Before Christmas"
i. brought to life by magic hat
j. miser visited by ghosts on Christmas Eve

Virtual Tour of Woolworth's 5 & 10!

What do you think of the virtual tour of Woolworth's 5&10? http://www.nationalchristmascenter.com/exhibits/htm/woolworth.htm
The panoramic tour was created by Mike Sabol,(717)917-2563.

He says National Christmas Center is the first attraction in Lancaster County to offer a full-screen virtual tour. Mike is working on putting "hot spots" in the tour, where you can zoom in for a hi-resolution look at the merchandise.

Shlomo, the Christmas Elf

National Christmas Center Cafe Now Open

If you want a light meal, or a cup of coffee and some great pastries, or want to treat your daughter's softball team to homemade ice cream cones (ice cream coming soon!), check out the new cafe at NCC. The cafe is open during regular business hours, for NCC guests and to the general public.

Cafe manager Barb Wiley will also be offering the option of boxed lunches for groups. Call (717) 442-7950 for more information and menu options.

The cafe menu is posted on the NCC web site: http://www.nationalchristmascenter.com/htm/cafe.htm.

Christmas in July Lecture/Tour Series Announced

Topics have been selected and plans have been finalized for our first Christmas in July lecture series. Each lecture will be followed by a guided tour of National Christmas Center.

Tickets are $12 for first lecture/tour, discounts are available to persons attending multiple lectures (each additional lecture will be an additional $6 per person); advance registration is required. Lectures will be held on site at the Cafe at National Christmas Center, 3427 Lincoln Hwy. (Rt. 30), Paradise PA (717) 442-7950, www.nationalchristmascenter.com

July 5, 2007
Christmas in July Lecture/Tour Series, Part 1, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Rich History of Lancaster’s Pennsylvania-German Christmas


Discover the role Lancaster played in shaping Christmas traditions that soon spread across America. Topics to be covered include Belschnickle, the PA German gift giver who gave us the tradition of giving coal to naughty children, Woolworth's first 5&10 store, famous Christmas carols written in Pennsylvania, the evolution of the Christmas garden - from Moravian putz to electric trains under the tree, and more. A guided tour of National Christmas Center will follow the lecture.

July 12, 2007
Christmas in July Lecture Series, Part 2, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Amazing Technicolor Santa


A presentation of the many faces and images of Santa Claus. View the first image of Santa from a woodcut circa 1810. We'll show rare early images of the 1830’s – 1850’s and you'll learn how Thomas Nast started a lineage that developed into the Santa we know today. A guided tour of National Christmas Center will follow the lecture.

July 19, 2007
Christmas in July Lecture/Tour Series, Part 3, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
The Memories of Christmas – 100 years of Christmas images


Christmas is memories: family, friends, and traditions. See and hear of how families celebrated Christmas through the decades. View images from the extensive archives of National Christmas Center. A guided tour of National Christmas Center will follow the lecture.

Have a question related to Christmas?

Do you have a question related to Christmas? I'll bet we can help! Try to stump the Christmas experts. Post your Christmas questions here.

Teacher In-service opportunity

We have been invited by the Lancaster Heritage Center to co-host an Act 48 teacher in-service day presentation focusing on the rich history of Lancaster's Christmases. Participants would attend a 3-hour symposium at the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum, break for lunch, then proceed to National Christmas Center for a guided tour. A hands-on activity is planned, centering on turn-of-the-century handmade Christmas decorations which can be easily replicated in the classroom.

Contact Joe Giovannetti at the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum for more information.


UPDATE: SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
A Pennsylvania Christmas: The Local History of a Holiday
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Appropriate Audience: Educators of grades 1-12

Instructors: Jim Morrison, Curator, National Christmas Center; Joe Giovannetti, B.A.
Limit of 25 participants
Cost: FREE
Act 48 hours: 5

Locations: Yeates House Education Center; National Christmas Center, Paradise, PA

Christmas in July?! It's a great time to start planning your seasonal class visits to the Quilt & Textile Museum's second annual A Lancaster Christmas exhibit (scheduled to open November 2, 2007) and National Christmas Center in Paradise, PA. In the morning, you'll be acquainted with the QTM exhibit, learn the history of local Christmas customs and traditions from colonial times onward, and explore creative ways to integrate the local history of Christmas into your standards-based curriculum. In the afternoon, the workshop will reconvene at National Christmas Center where, following a light lunch, you will be given a guided tour of this one-of-a-kind museum by Christmas historian Jim Morrison. (Lunch will be available for purchase at National Christmas Center. Transportation to the NCC is not provided. You will be given printed directions during the morning session.)

Christmas in July lecture series

We are considering hosting a series of 3 lectures during July, probably Thursday evenings. Jim Morrison, our curator and historian, would speak, then offer a guided tour of the Center. Possible topics are Lancaster's Christmas history, Christmas in Black and White (photos)...

Does anyone have any other ideas or suggestions for topics?

We are thinking about having a fee for the lecture only, and a fee for the lecture plus the tour.

Jim has an extensive archive of Christmas advertisements, postcards, photographs, sheet music, literature, research and more from which to draw. He probably could cover just about any aspect of Christmas in a lecture.

Please feel free to share your ideas.

Welcome to National Christmas Center!

So glad you stopped by! Step into our blog and learn about National Christmas Center, a one-of-a-kind family attraction and museum. We have over 20,000 square feet of Christmas exhibits - all indoors, and open to the public weekends in March and April, then daily May through the New Year.

Have you visited us? Post your comments here!
Just discovering us? Check us out online!