Small Wisconsin towns get festive in December
The Edwardian era — from the end of the 19th century to World War I — is often recalled as the nostalgic period when the sun never set on the British Empire.
In Wisconsin towns such as Baraboo, it was a time when society ladies wore large, flamboyant hats to parties, people listened to music on Edison’s phonograph, electricity was being installed in homes and offices, telephones were catching on and automobiles were replacing horses on streets.
In 1904, Jacob Van Orden, chief financial officer of the Bank of Baraboo, and his family moved into a 7,000square-foot brick home, one that the Sauk County Historical Society says befitted a man of his rank.
The Van Orden mansion, which was designed by Milwaukee architects Ferry & Clas, featured a large ballroom on the third floor.
Now a museum, the home will play host to Edwardian Christmas festivities Dec. 8-9. The weekend willkick off with a wine and appetizer premier on Dec. 8, with a Jingle Bell Open House from noon to 7 p.m. Dec. 9. Visitors can enjoy live music throughout the day, holiday treats in the dining room and horse-drawn rides from 2 p.m. until dark.
Paul Wolter, executive director of the Sauk County Historical Society, said the Van Ordens were generally discreet, but the Edwardian period was an exuberant time and the family did once host a party for 125 in the house, according to a story in a Baraboo newspaper’s society pages.
Wolter said most rooms in the home at 531 4th Ave. will have a Christmas tree this season and they’ll be meticulously decorated in a “Holiday Inn” theme from the 1942 movie starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.
It’s just one of the holiday events taking place in Baraboo in December and in other small towns around the state.
Elsewhere in Baraboo, which has been decked out in garlands and lights, free horse-drawn wagon rides will be offered downtown from 11 am. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through Christmas.
The Very Merry Holiday Fair kicks off from noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 8 and continues from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 9th with more than 60 artisans selling
their wares at the Baraboo Arts Center, 323 Water St.
Dec. 22 has been dubbed “Date Night” in Baraboo for couples to do some last-minute holiday shopping, have a cocktail and head to the Al Ringling Theater to see “It’s a Wonderful Life.” For details on other things to see and do in Baraboo during December, see the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce website at baraboo.com.
In Mount Horeb, known for its Norwegian heritage and trolls, the Jangle SOAPworks Holiday Market & Artisan Fair will run from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Old School House, 110 N. 2nd St. The Friends of the Library Annual cookie walk will start at 9 a.m. Dec. 2 at the Mount Horeb Public Libary, 105 Perimeter Road. Kids of all ages can meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus at 10 a.m., also at the library.
The town’s Christkindlmarket will take place in the Century Barn, 2505 Highway 78 S., from 4 to 9 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and from 1 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3. There will be a silent parade of fire and emergency vehicles decked out for the holidays at 5 p.m. Dec. 9. After that is a tree-lighting ceremony in Foster Park, 225 W. Main St., followed by a communitywide holiday potluck dinner at the fire station, 120 S. First St.
If you’re looking to stock up on farm-fresh food and gifts, the Mount Horeb Farmers’ Market and Breakfast will run from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 9 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 315 E. Main St. See trollway.com.
In Ripon, you can have a Dickensian experience Dec. 1-3 strolling up and down the downtown historic district, accompanied by carolers spreading holiday cheer.
Saturday (Dec. 2) kicks off with breakfast with Santa and the Holiday Tour of Homes. Living Windows is the highlight of the festival, which takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday with more than 40 storefronts decorated with characters from the Victorian era. Other weekend activities include the Enchanted Forest, Gingerbread House Contest and the Dickens of a Quilt Show. See riponmainst.com.
Cedarburg will host a raft of Yule-related activities, including a Holiday Cookie and Craft Sale (Dec. 1-3) and the Cedarburg Artists Guild Holiday
Art Fair (Dec. 2-3). Visitors can browse holiday exhibits daily, including the Washington House Inn’s 100-year-old Feather Tree Exhibit and the Cedarburg Cultural Center’s Antique Toy Exhibit. There are also Santa’s workshops in a gingerbread house on Washington Ave. and a Santa’s Dash Away Walk/Run on Dec. 16. See cedarburg christmas.com.
In Hudson on the St. Croix River, the winter holidays mean candlelight strolls and carriage rides, Victorian Christmas Nights and tours at the Octagon House Museum, visits from Santa and his critters, as well as Yule-themed theater productions. See hudson wi.org.
Cambridge, which straddles the Dane/Jefferson County borders, will host a “Classic Christmas” celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 1-3, with a tree-lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Veterans’ Park, 100 E. Main St.
Other activities include Breakfast with Santa from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday at the Cambridge Elementary School, 802 Water St., and Third Thursday Graham Cracker House construction party at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21 in the Cambridge Community Library, 200 Spring St. See cambridgewi.com.