What To Do: Savor those last holiday fun days of the year

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

With Christmas coming in the middle of the week, holiday attractions have an extra weekend to remain open.

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 three tours each day — 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m. and 3-4:30 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 $17.50 for adults, $14.50 for students, seniors (62 and over) and active military and $9 for children (11 and under). At the end of each year, the Delaware Museum of Natural History (4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-9111, www.delmnh.org) presents a special event geared for families for the week between Christmas and New Year.

From December 27-30, the children-oriented museum in northern Delaware will be presenting its “Discovery Days.” The event, which is scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day, features four days of festive family fun, including hands-on nature and science activities, live animals, face painting, and special activities.

Participants will be able to meet owls and other amazing birds up close with “live bird encounters” scheduled for all four days.

Discovery Days is a special event with specific admission prices during the four days — $15 for adults, seniors and children and free for children two and under.

The Delaware Museum of Natural History is also presenting a new exhibition called “Be the Dinosaur” now through January 19, 2020.

Visitors will be able to travel back in time to see their world as they knew it and be the dinosaur. Drawing on today’s modern technology and tested and approved by the world’s top paleontologists, “Be the Dinosaur” is an interactive and engaging exhibit where guest will experience what it was like to roam the Earth 65 million years ago – hunt, eat, hide and survive.

Admission to the museum is — Ages 3-59: $9; Seniors (60 and up): $8; Toddlers (ages 1-2): $3; and Babies under 12 months: Free.

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 29 – the 2019 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 its Yuletide Candlelight Tours during the days following Christmas. This year’s events will be staged from December 26-28.

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.

This year, candlelight tours will be held on December 27 from 4-8 p.m. There be a special Yuletide Daylight Tour on December 28 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

For the candlelight tours, the Georgian-style mansion will be decorated with holiday greenery and illuminated by the glow of lighted candles.

During the evening tours, visitors will be able to listen to live performances of period music and watch early American dancing in the great hall. Authentic 18th-century music of the season will be performed during the candlelight tours.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors (65 and older) and children (ages 6-12).

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 $14.95 for adults and $11.95 for children (ages 4-12).

Now though January 5, people can get in a happy mood by visiting HAPPY PLACE (HappyPlace.me).

Live Nation Philadelphia has brought HAPPY PLACE, an interactive, immersive pop-up exhibit with larger-than-life installations and multi-sensory themed rooms, to the King of Prussia Mall where it will run now January 5, 2020.

HAPPY PLACE is filled with multi-sensory immersive rooms inducing smiles and laughter, plus larger-than-life, one-of-a-kind installations including seven-foot stilettos made of a million candies and six-foot tall mirrored X and O letters surrounded by a wall of one thousand red lips. It features more than 15,000 square feet of playful spaces and cheerful moments.

HAPPY PLACE is created for an audience for all ages. Minors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets start at $30 for adults and $20 for children (ages 4-12).

Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is presenting “A Longwood Gardens Christmas” now through January 5.

The exhibit 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.

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.

The organ sing-alongs will be featured in the Ballroom either three or six times a day. There will also be performances by choirs and musicians almost every evening throughout December.

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 $30 for adults, $27 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students and $16 for students (ages 5-18).

“A Brandywine Christmas”, which runs now through January 5 at the Brandywine River Museum (Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org), is an annual event that is fun for the entire family.

The museum’s ever-popular “critter” ornaments will be used to decorate holiday trees, wreaths and diorama settings throughout the museum. The intricately designed ornaments are made from all-natural materials by museum volunteers and have found homes on trees at the White House and the Smithsonian Institution.

“A Brandywine Christmas” also features an extensive O-gauge model. Five moving trains operate at all times and include a 60-car freight train winding past a village, stone quarry, oil refinery, mountains, Herr Foods plant, running waterfall and animated skating scene.

Special events include a “Sensory-Friendly Train Morning” on January 4.

Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors (65 and older) and $6 for children.

The holiday season at Herr’s Snack Food Factory (20 Herr Drive, Nottingham, 610-932-9330, www.herrs.com) is bright and lively. 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.

Now through January 5, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, https://philadelphiazoo.org/) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that transforms the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.

LumiNature will feature 12 experiences that include hundreds of illuminated penguins, oversized bold-colored illuminated flowers, a 21-feet tall brilliant colored snake, giant cat eyes glowing in the dark of night, and a 25-foot tree made entirely of lit flamingo lawn ornaments.

LumiNature will be Philadelphia’s Zoo’s first major night-time installation and also represents Philadelphia Zoo’s first-ever major light and sound installation.  LumiNature, which was designed exclusively for Philadelphia Zoo, is a $3.5M investment and has been in the works for over two years.

According to Philadelphia Zoo Chief Marketing Officer Amy Shearer, “This tailor-made fantastical adventure brings the joy of animals, nature and the holiday season together in a way that will take your breath away. And of course, seasonal fare, strolling performers, unique retail, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages will spark the holiday spirit in everyone.

“This is a first for Philadelphia Zoo and I can tell you, we are all very, very excited! LumiNature is made possible by the generous support of key donors excited to bring this one-of-a-kind spectacular to our region.”
Dancing lights, sounds and media throughout the Zoo will create magical illusions of big cats and peacocks coming to life; flamingos flocking on a 25-foot-tall tree; and all four seasons hosting their very own party. LumiNature is designed to inspire a sense of wonder and connection as all these elements come together in this first-of-its-kind experience.

LumiNature will feature more than 600,000 lights, 6.5 miles of power cord, 500 colorful illuminated flamingos and a 25 feet tall flamingo holiday tree, 200 festively lit penguins, 45 completely custom LED light structures and a 21-foot snake.

Tickets are $24 for adults and $19 for children.

Now through January 5, “Wild Lights” will be presented at the Elmwood Park Zoo (Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org).

Visitors are invited to celebrate the holiday season with the return of “Wild Lights” to Elmwood Park Zoo featuring millions of lights that will shine throughout the zoo’s entire 16 acres.

Each night of “Wild Lights” will feature live entertainment, including unique animal encounters, performances, character appearances, and more.

Guests will be able to take a stroll through Snowflake Central and be dazzled by Rainbow Runway. They also can check out a giant video show in the giraffe yard, and marvel at the custom decorations in the Wonder Way Christmas Tree exhibit.

Another attraction will be a visit Santa’s Workshop for photos with the big man himself.

Admission is $14 for adults and $9 for children.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Rd, Schnecksville, https://www.lvzoo.org/) is hosting its “Winter Light Spectacular” now through December 29.

This season’s “Winter Light Spectacular,” which runs from 5:30-10 p.m. nightly, will feature 31 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.

Admission on Wednesdays and Thursdays is $13 for adults and $8 for kids while weekend admission is $15 and $10.

The “Deck the Hall Light Show on City Hall” (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, www.cenrecityphila.org) features technicolor projections synchronized to holiday music on the western façade of City Hall.

The spectacle returns this season with nightly show times and a touch of holiday magic. Visitors can enjoy shows daily from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. now through January 1.

New this season, “Play the Lights” will allow visitors to become a part of the magic with every note played. This interactive instrument will function like a normal keyboard but with added visual effects that are projected onto the façade of City Hall with each note played. Local, professional pianists and organists will be on-site every week to showcase this one-of-a-kind experience.

Play the Lights will be active every Tuesday and Wednesday night from 8:45 p.m.-9:30 p.m. through January 1.

Entry is on a first come, first served basis and is free for visitors of all ages. Hours or schedule subject to change due to weather.

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular at the Comcast Center is running now through January 1 at the Comcast Center (1701 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, https://comcastcentercampus.com/holidays).

Shown on the state-of-the-art Comcast Experience video wall at The Comcast Center, the Comcast Holiday Spectacular is filled with sights and sounds of the season.

An annual holiday tradition, the 15-minute Comcast Holiday Spectacular takes visitors on a festive, musical journey featuring classic favorites like “Carol of the Bells,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

The show, which is free and open to the public, also includes a snippet of The Nutcracker performed by the renowned Pennsylvania Ballet.

Since its debut in 2008, more than two million people have experienced the wonderful must-see holiday show in the Comcast Center lobby.

The 2019 Franklin Square Holiday Festival (200 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/holidays-in-franklin-square/) opens its season this weekend and it will run until December 31.

The Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show will be open from 4-8 p.m. daily and 4-9 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.

This weekend’s schedule also features activities at the Center City Parks District’s Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia,http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park).

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.

Hours are Monday-Thursday: Noon-9 p.m.; Friday: Noon-11 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; and Sunday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Admission is $3 for Kids 10 & Under and $5 for Adults. Skate rental is $10.

Another top-flight holiday attraction in Center City Philadelphia is Macy’s Christmas Light Show at Macy’s Center City (1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, 215-241-9000, https://www.visitmacysusa.com/philadelphia).

With more than 157,000 square feet of the latest fashion and home décor trends and nearly 100 years of retailing history, Macy’s Center City in the landmark Wanamaker building is a must-see destination.

The Macy’s Christmas Light Show has been a Philadelphia tradition since 1956.

During the light show, more than 100,000 energy-efficient LED lights combine to create fantastic holiday images. For shows starting at noon, the finale of the light show is accompanied live by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Grand Organ.

Now through December 31, Macy’s Center City also features another classic Philly tradition — Dickens Village.

The 6,000-square-foot Village on the third floor of Macy’s Center City brings Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” to life with more than 100 fully animated figures reenacting 26 of the story’s most memorable moments. The Village is open daily, excluding Christmas.

It’s a sure sign that winter has arrived when season opens for the Blue Cross RiverRink (Delaware Avenue at Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-925-RINK, www.riverrink.com).

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.

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 1-10:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1 p.m.-12:30 a.m. on Fridays, 11 a.m.-12:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on Sundays. Skating admission prices are $4 for admission and $10 for skate rental.

There will be a special holiday attraction at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Philadelphia (500 West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com). “Holiday Bricktacular” features special seasonal programming and themed attractions throughout December.

LEGO Santa will return to the Center throughout the holiday season to greet families and spread holiday cheer. Additionally, guest can participate in holiday-themed build activities including an ornament building station, explore the Winter Wonderland version of MINILAND Philadelphia, and take part in The Elves Workshop with the model builder team.

Ticket prices start at $19.95.

There are plenty of reasons to take the short drive to Delaware this holiday season with tax-free shopping on everything at the top of the list. Another major reason is the annual staging of “Holidays at Hagley” — 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, continues through January 1 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 $15 for adults, $11 for seniors and students and $6 for children (ages 6-14).

One of the best holiday events in the area is the annual “Yuletide at Winterthur.” This year’s 40th annual staging of the event, which runs through January 5 at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware,800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org).

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 years. 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 garden – including the popular Dried Flower Tree in the Conservatory.

Timed Yuletide Tour reservations are required. Admission to Yuletide at Winterthur is $20 for adults, $180 for seniors (age 62 and older) and $6 for children (ages 2-11).

The Historic Odessa Foundation’s 2019 Christmas Holiday Tour and Exhibit “The Secret Garden” is an event with an appeal that spans generations. The tours will be presented now through December 29 in Odessa’s historic district (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org).

This holiday season the Historic Odessa Foundation (HOF) is celebrating the 33rd anniversary of the Historic Houses of Odessa’s annual Christmas Holiday Tours and Exhibits inspired by works of classic children’s literature.

For the past 33 years, 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.

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden” was first published in book form in 1911, after its serialization in The American Magazine, from November 1910 to August 1911. Set in England, this story of regeneration and rejuvenation is one of Burnett’s most popular novels and is considered a classic of English children’s literature.

Visitors to Historic Odessa’s Corbit-Sharp House will be transported through the pages of Burnett’s novel as the Historic Landmark’s period rooms are transformed into scenes that include Misselthwaite Manor and its secret garden.

This year’s Storybook Trees exhibit of more than 30 trees decorated by local families, schools, and organizations showcasing books and works of children’s literature will be displayed in the Wilson-Warner House (built in 1769). Appropriate for all ages, Historic Odessa’s Storybook Trees exhibit is designed to promote reading and literacy.

Special events and tours will be held throughout the holiday season including “Festive Foods/Hearth Cooking Demonstration” on December 28 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Historic Houses of Odessa are open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. The last full tour of the Historic Houses starts at 3 p.m.

Admission to the Historic Odessa Foundation holiday tour is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and students and free for children (under 6).

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 us running now through December 29.

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.

New this year, the Estate will feature a Gift Shop located in the Chauffer’s Garage. This charming pop up is an extension of the Rocco and Mary Abessinio Gift Shop located in the Hospital Atrium. It is operated by the Volunteer Auxiliary and all proceeds of the shop will benefit the hospital and its patients.

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 5.

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.

The 45-minute “Christmas in the Castle” guided tours focus on the way Christmas was celebrated at Glencairn during the Pitcairn couple’s 40 years in the house. Guided tours cost $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. The suggested donation for self-guided tours is $5.

The Wilmington & Western Railroad (2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-998-193, www.wwrr.com) will run its

special “Holiday Night Express Trains,” featuring a peaceful evening ride in the railroad’s 1929 Doodlebug rail car. Tickets for these trains, which are running now through December 30, are $15 for adults, $14 for senior citizens and $13 for children.

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 20. 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.

One of the most elaborate model train layouts in the Delaware Valley can be found at the Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-247-5777,http://www.morrisarboretum.org). The popular Garden Railway Display that has become a summer fixture at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum returns again for a special holiday display.

The display, which is open to the public now through December 31 in the winter garden of the Morris Arboretum, has a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.

The buildings and the display 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 miniature rivers. Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle.

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

Several historic sites in Montgomery County have their own holiday celebrations.

Pennypacker Mills (3 Haldeman Road, Perkiomenville, 610- 287-9349, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) is hosting “Victorian Holiday Tours” now through January 5 while “Twelfth Night Tours at Pottsgrove Manor” (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) are running now through January 5.

For the next five weeks, Pennypacker Mills will offer free tours of the 18-century mansion used by General George Washington as temporary headquarters during the Revolutionary War. The home will be decorated for an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas and will feature the warm glow of oil lamps, festive decorations and a candy-making demonstration.

The event at Pottsgrove Manor features guided tours through an elegant 18th-century Georgian mansion that is decked out in period holiday decorations. Tour guides will discuss Twelfth Night celebrations and Christmastide traditions.

Visitors will be able to view the parlor and kitchen as it would have been during colonial times when the Potts family prepared for their holiday guests. They will also be able to check out the servants’ quarters and see the rustic holiday celebrations as enjoyed by the household staff.

Suggested donations for these events are $2.

The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-648-4102, www.AMTshows.com) has its holiday show running now through December 30.

The AMT’s 2019 show “Joy to the World” 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 dancing 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 for adults and $23 for children.

“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 1, 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” are $30.99.

“Christmas Candylane,” which is the annual holiday event at Hersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypark.com), is running now through December 31.

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 $30.95.

Adventure Aquarium’s “Christmas Underwater,” which provides visitors with a different look at Christmas, is running now through December 30 at the Adventure Aquarium (1 Riverside Drive, Camden, New Jersey, www.adventureaquarium.com).

The attraction features the “World’s Tallest Underwater Christmas Tree.” At over 18 feet tall, the tallest underwater Christmas tree on Earth has arrived in Shark Realm. Scuba Santa has collected corals from all over the world’s oceans to decorate the tree along with colorful shells, thousands of twinkling lights, enchanting bubbles and a bit of magic.

“Christmas Underwater” offers a variety of activities geared for all ages including “Milk and Cookies with Santa,” “Dry-side” Holiday Photos with Santa Claus,” “Merry Elfish Storytime,” “Snow Shower Dance Party,” the “I Believe in Scuba Santa Live Show,” and “Scuba Santa Appearances.”

Admission to Adventure Aquarium is $31.99 for adults and $23.99 for children.

Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (2249 Route 30 East, Lancaster, 866-386-2389, www.dutchwonderland.com) is hosting its “Dutch Winter Wonderland” from Now through December 30 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.

Tickets are $11.99 in advance and $13.99 at the gate. Children age two and under are admitted free.

If you really want to get into a Christmas mood in a big way, visit Koziar’s Christmas Village (782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, 610-488-1110, www.koziarschristmasvillage.com).

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).