Holiday Magic in Bucks
BUCKS COUNTY - The holiday celebrations continue in Bucks County with Holly Nights at Pennsbury Manor, Winter Wonderland Holiday Tours at Fonthill in Doylestown, classic holiday movies in Newtown and Summerseat Remembers in Morrisville.
Winter Wonderland Holiday Tours - The castle home of Henry Mercer is decked out for the holidays for a series of captivating tours to celebrate the season. The Winter Wonderland Holiday Tours continue through Dec. 31. In the Winter Wonderland Tours, guests experience the visual splendor of Fonthill, replete with themed Christmas trees, Victorian decorations and greens throughout the castle. Reservations are recommended. Winter Wonderland Tours are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $6 for youth, ages 6-17. Bring the children to Fonthill Park for an afternoon of Holiday Festivities for the Family on Sunday, Dec. 9 from noon to 4 p.m. Guests will enjoy Fonthill’s holiday decorations, while sipping hot cider and making a handmade ornament. Rooms on view during the open house include the Conservatory, Saloon, Library and Morning Room. More free holiday festivities await guests at the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. Activities at the Tile Works include self-guided tours, refreshments, holiday music and a visit with Santa. Holiday Festivities for the Family is free and open to the public at both Fonthill Castle and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. Visitors will enjoy the evening festivities of Fonthill’s Holiday Lights Meander on Saturday, Dec. 15 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. A departure from the regular daytime guided tours, the Meander allows guests to wander at their own pace through Fonthill’s rooms to enjoy seasonal decorations, holiday music and refreshments. Docents are on-hand to answer any questions. Tours are $20 per person and registration is required. Fonthill takes on a candlelight glow
day Tours on Saturday, Dec. 29. Tours run from 6:30-9 p.m. and are $15 per person. Registration is required. For information, or to register for Fonthill Castle’s holiday tours, call 215-348-9461 or e-mail fhmail@fonthillmuseum.org. Visit Fonthill on the web at fonthillmuseum.org.
Classic Holiday Movies - Award-winning classic holiday movies will grace the screen of the nation’s oldest movie theater during December at the Newtown Theatre, 120 North State Street, Newtown. Admission to all shows is $2 or a donation of four cans of nonperishable food items for the Penndel Food Pantry. The series continues on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. The movie, sponsored by Haines Fire & Risk, will be “A Christmas Story.” The movie choice for 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 will be announced on the theater’s website www.newtowntheatre.com. “,t’s a Wonderful Life” will have showings on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 10 a.m., sponsored by TSG Creations, and again on Sunday, Dec. 23 at 1 p.m. A sponsor is still needed for the Dec. 23 show. Donations to the Holiday Food Drive may be dropped off at the Newtown Theatre at any time during December. For information about the Christmas movie series or to become a sponsor, visit www. newtowntheatre.com or call 215968-3859.
Summerseat Remembers – Historic Morrisville Society welcomes everyone to Summerseat and its winter festivities on Dec. 8. General George Washington and his troops (Historic Military ,mpressionists) will arrive at Summerseat to re-enact the General’s historic visit when he planned the Battle of Trenton that helped the colonists win the Revolutionary War. Thomas and Mrs. Barclay will greet the General and visitors, hear his historic words of encouragement and mingle with his troops. Visitors can then enjoy a colonial chair caning demonstration, visit with a colonial dentist, enjoy the holiday decorations and gingerbread house room, be a kid again as the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Historic Railway Society presents a toy, scale and N-gauge train display, or purchase a hot dog and soup lunch to ward off the cold of the season. Bake sale items, raffles for fund-raising baskets and HMS mementos and books can also be purchased for a nominal charge.Located at 140 Legion Avenue (Hillcrest and Legion Avenues) in Morrisville, activities will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information, call Sharon Hughes at 215-295-1706 or -ane Murray at 215-295-3645.
Pennsbury Manor Holly Nights - Pennsbury Manor continues its annual holiday tradition Dec. 6 and 7 with its “Holly Nights” celebration. Boasting activities for all ages, the two-night event will feature demonstrations of open hearth cooking, blacksmithing, joynery, beer brewing, and soap making by colonial craftspeople dressed in period clothing. Visitors to the 43-acre site will also be able to take a candlelit tour of the Manor House and take in a traditional “Mummer’s Play.” Throughout “Holly Nights,” which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. both evenings, holiday music from ensembles such as The Men of Harmony, Harmony Trio, Levittown Choraliers, Newtown Recorder Consort, Truman High School Holiday Ensemble, William Penn Middle School Chorus, Wing and a Prayer Brass Ensemble, Pennsbury High School Brass Ensemble, Bucks County Women’s Chorus, and the Pennsbury High School Falcon Strings. Admission to Holly Nights is $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens 65 and older, $6 for children 3-11, and children under 3 are free.