Museum tradition perfect start to the holidays
It’s not that there’s anything wrong with getting in line outside a department store to get your kids’ picture with Santa Claus.
It’s just not the way Jen Hay prefers to do things.
Instead, for many years, the Niagara Falls resident has made her way to Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum, specifically the rustic old log schoolhouse, where the jolly old elf and Mrs. Claus greeted a steady stream of visitors for Sunday’s 42nd annual Grand Old Christmas.
“We’ve never been to the mall to see Santa,” said Hay, who was at the event with her two children and her sister.
“It’s the best place to see Santa,” Hay added. “It’s just kind of one of our holiday traditions.”
The family was joined by large crowds who took advantage of the warm and sunny weather to enjoy the event, which featured all manner of old-fashioned charm, including a wreath workshop, caramel-dipped apples, log sawing and branding, candle-dipping, a craft show and roasted chestnuts.
Museum director and curator Stephanie Powell Baswick said that when she arrived a half-hour before the noon opening, there was a lineup of people waiting to get into the carriage house, which offered takeout for Arabella’s Tea Room’s famous Christmas pudding and sauce.
Despite dealing with such a large number of people, Baswick said everything ran smoothly thanks to a team of 50-some volunteers, most of whom have done it before and were able to quickly go about their assigned tasks.
“We hit the ground running, and we haven’t stopped,” she said.
So while people were able to easily go between activities, many found the time slipped by quickly; there was simply so much to do. Baswick said she spoke with one group of people more than an hour after they arrived, and they couldn’t believe they still hadn’t done everything.
“They said, ‘We’re still here, and we haven’t go to the carriage ride yet,’” Baswick said, referring to the popular horse-drawn through city streets.
It’s been a luxury, Baswick said, to have been involved with the event for so long. This year is her 20th, and she’s seeing people who first came as youngsters bringing their own children.
“It’s pretty cool to see them come back and share the tradition,” she said.