What To Do: Ringing in the new year

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

New Year’s Eve is about partying – dining, drinking, welcoming the new year and…partying.

The biggest party night of the year is the highlight of the schedule for the next week. Friday night is December 31 – New Year’s Eve.

On New Year’s Eve, Kennett Square will be partying in style when the Mushroom Festival and Kennett Area Restaurant & Merchant Association are again hosting the annual Mushroom Drop.

The Ninth Annual Mushroom Drop – a.k.a. “Midnight in the Square” — is being held at State and Union streets this year.

The opening celebrations are a family event starting at 7:30 p.m.

Live entertainment in the “Circle” (under the Mushroom) will feature Kevin Pierce, KMC Dancers and Jack Marshall.

Weather permitting (no wind), the lighted Mushroom will be raised 80 feet at 8:55 p.m. The brightly lit massive fungi will start drop at midnight in celebration of the arrival of 2022.
The Funsters will take the stage on West State Street at 9 p.m. and play until 12:30 a.m.

Food will be available from On The Roll starting at 7:30 p.m. with meals followed by lighter fare later in the evening.

Parking will be available at Kennett High School and at 600 South Broad Street lot. A handicap accessible shuttle will provide transportation from parking to the event site.

As an added attraction, there will be access to the Laser Light Show and Live Streaming will return on the event’s website. People will be able to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home by watching the virtual event starting at 10:15 p.m.

Food will be available from On The Roll starting at 7:30 p.m. with meals followed by lighter fare later in the evening.

There are regulations on open containers in the Borough of Kennett Square. Open container laws refer to anything regulating open alcohol containers in public or in vehicles. Adherence to the local laws is mandatory and will be enforced.

Video link for “Midnight in the Square” — https://www.facebook.com/midnightinthesquare/videos/412911110133704.

The most famous New Year’s Eve “drops” are the extravagant Waterford Crystal ball in Times Square in New York City, the peach in Atlanta and the orange in Miami Beach.

There are quite a few “drops” worth checking out that are within a short drive from Chester County including Yuengling Beer bottle in Pottsville, strawberry in Harrisburg, Pac-Man in Hanover, Lebanon Bologna in Lebanon, Marshmallow Peep in Bethlehem, Hershey’s Kiss in Hershey and sled in Duncannon,

Other distinctive area drops include pickle in Dillsburg, button in Carlisle, white rose in York, anchor in Shippensburg, Bucky the Beaver in Beavertown, lightbulb in Sunbury, wrench in Mechanicsburg, kettle in McClure, coal in Shamokin, and duck decoy in Havre de Grace (Maryland).

Many “drops” around the country have vibes of their own – key lime pie in Key West, Florida; carp in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin; a doughnut in Hagerstown, Maryland; a chunk of cheese in Plymouth, Wisconsin; walleye fish in Port Clinton, Ohio; a bunch of grapes in Temecula, California; watermelon in Vincennes, Indiana; a live possum in Brasstown, North Carolina; eight-foot-tall glittering flip flops in Folly Beach, South Carolina; and a wooden flea in Eastover, North Carolina.

Philadelphia doesn’t drop anything on New Year’s Eve – even though it has great options like the Liberty Bell, a Rocky statue or a cheesesteak. Instead of dropping something down, Philly sends something up. Every New Year’s Eve, it sends a massive barrage of fireworks into the sky.

When evening arrives in the Philadelphia area on New Year’s Eve, it means that it is time for the Rivers Casino New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront — a gala pyrotechnics display that explodes over the Delaware River.

The Rivers Casino New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront features two major pyrotechnics displays over the Delaware River.

The fireworks can be viewed from either Penn’s Landing on Delaware Avenue or Wiggins Park on the Camden side of the river. Traditionally, the aerial fireworks extravaganza took place at midnight. This year, there will again be a show at midnight and another fireworks display at 6 p.m. on December 31.
Both fireworks displays, which last approximately 15 minutes each, will be launched from a barge in the middle of the Delaware River and will be choreographed to music played through speakers at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing and at the riverfront area in Wiggins Park.

This weekend, for the first time ever, visitors can enjoy a spectacular fireworks show presented by Visit Philadelphia on New Year’s Day at 6 p.m.

The show has a vibrant soundtrack, “Love + Grit,” featuring powerful and emotional anthems that will serve as inspiration for the year ahead.

The Visit Philadelphia New Year’s Day Fireworks Spectacular can be viewed for free along the Waterfront at Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest and the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing. Cherry Street Pier will be closed on New Year’s Day.

A popular New Year’s Eve destination along the Delaware River to watch the fireworks is RiverRink (Market Street and Delaware Avenue, 215-925-RINK, www.riverrink.com).
The rink will host its “Annual New Year’s Eve Party on Ice” not once but twice – from 5-8 p.m. and from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. The festive, non-alcoholic party with food, Mummers, party favors and live entertainment costs $40 for skaters and $30 for spectators.

Another riverside location to watch the show in the sky is the Independence Seaport Museum (211 S. Columbus Boulevard Philadelphia, 215-413-8655, www.phillyseaport.org) which will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve for the 6 p.m. fireworks.
Guests can observe the fireworks from the second-floor balcony overlooking the river. The event, which features music and a sparkling cider toast at 6 p.m., is included with regular admission – adults, $18; children and seniors, $14.

There are annual New Year’s Eve events in the area that begin long before the evening arrives.

The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, the Delaware Children’s Museum and the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, Delaware and the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill, N.J. offer special family-oriented matinee events on December 31 every year to celebrate the start of a new year.

Unfortunately, only one avoided the dreaded COVID-19 shutdown.
The Please Touch Museum (Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, 215-581-3181, www.pleasetouchmuseum.org) is known for its traditional “Countdown to Noon”.

Please Touch Museum has reimagined its New Year’s Eve event this year as it celebrates with a smaller in-person gathering with limited capacity.

Guests are invited to join the museum staff for a morning or afternoon timed ticket session that includes two-and-a-half hours of play at the Museum, art workshops, New Year’s Eve party hats and glasses, a visit from Squiggles, and a dance party in Hamilton Hall.

Tickets are $19. Please Touch Museum will close at 3 p.m. following this event.

The event in Wilmington, which is officially called “Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at Brandywine Zoo”, fell victim to COVID-19 again this year.

The Zoo’s website posted the following message –

“With the record number of positive cases of COVID recorded in Delaware and following guidelines for protecting public health, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Brandywine Zoo’s Noon Year’s Eve event scheduled for Friday, December 31, which had an expected attendance around 400 people. We are sorry we won’t be able to celebrate with you and your family this year, but your and your family’s safety is our priority.”

“Confetti Countdown on New Year’s Eve” was scheduled for December 31 at the Delaware Children’s Museum. Instead, it has been erased by coronavirus for another year.

The Museum’s website posted this message –

“Due to the rising level of COVID-19 in our community, as well as keeping in accordance with federal and local government’s recommendations to limit gatherings, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Confetti Countdown event and close the museum on Friday, December 31st.
“This decision was not made lightly, but the safety of our guests, many of which are unable to be vaccinated, is our first priority. The museum will reopen on Saturday, January 1st and will remain open with monitored capacity during regular business hours.”

The Garden State Discovery Museum usually presents a special program called “New Years at Noon” during the day on December 31.

Unfortunately, the museum is closed because of the pandemic until future notice.

“Betsy’s Birthday Bash” at the Betsy Ross House (239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, http://historicphiladelphia.org) is scheduled for December 31 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Betsy Ross was born on New Year’s Day all the way back in 1752.

The Betsy Ross House will celebrate her 270th birthday with storytelling, a pin-the-star-on-the-flag game, and goodie bags for all guests of her historic home.

The Betsy Ross House receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

New Year’s Day in Philadelphia is all about the Mummers Parade (215-336-3050, www.phillymummers.com) — a festive celebration featuring string bands, comic units and fancy divisions all strutting their stuff on Broad Street.
The event is celebrating its 123rd anniversary this year. The parade is always televised but you need to see it live if you want to really appreciate the sights and sounds of the annual extravaganza.

The Mummers tradition dates back to 400 B.C. and the Roman Festival of Saturnalias when laborers marched in masks throughout the day. Reports of rowdy groups “parading” on New Year’s Day in Philadelphia date back before the revolution.

The practice of awarding prizes was initiated in the late 1800’s and the first “official” event was held in 1901. The Mummers Parade has grown in size and stature and currently features approximately 15,000 participants.
The 2022 Parade will begin at 9 a.m. with the Fancy Division, followed by the Comic Division, Comic Wench Division and then the String Band Division.

The Mummers have a little bit for everyone. There are more than 10,000 Mummers broken up into five divisions — the Fancies, the Comics, the Wench Brigades, the String bands and the Fancy Brigades.

Because it is an outdoor event, inclement weather could come into play. The outdoor parade was postponed in 2003, the first time in 13 years. There have been 22 weather-related postponements since 1922. There was no parade in 1919 due to WW1 and in 1934 due to the depression and the lack of prize money.

For a unique way to kick off 2020, head south to Middletown, Delaware on New Year’s Day to celebrate town’s annual Hummers Parade (Main Street, Middletown, Delaware, 302-378-7545).

Every year on New Year’s Day, Middletown’s Hummers Parade slowly but not very methodically moves down Main Street. The parade, which is intended as a spoof of Philadelphia’s Mummers, is a loosely organized event that welcomes everyone to join in the fun.

On January 1, floats and groups will assemble in the parking lot in Middletown. The parade of spoofs is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. The parade gathers on South Cass Street in the vicinity of Middletown Environmental Testing, Inc. at 100 South Cass.

The parade travels from South Cass to Park Place, to Broad Street. The parade turns left onto Main Street from Broad and left onto South Scott Street, disbanding in the vicinity of South Cass.

Participants in the parade arrive around noon to put the floats together. The floats should be put together on site and are spoofs of national and local events. All are welcome to join in the parade. The parade is not sponsored by the Town of Middletown or any specific group.

Trophies will be awarded in categories that have yet to be determined. No registration or sign up is required and there are no rules. Actually, there are two basic unwritten rules — taste doesn’t matter, and no-one is permitted to work on a float or a costume any earlier than the morning of the event (and, if they do, they must lie and say they didn’t).

Delaware also has some New Year’s Day events that are more conventional — and definitely more on the healthy side. Delaware State Parks are celebrating the first day of the New Year with hikes in the park.

Parks around Delaware will host a “First State, First Day, First Hike” program to celebrate the national movement sponsored by America’s State Parks to have all 50 states offer First Day Hikes. Designed to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year-round recreation at state parks, all 50 state park systems joined together to sponsor First Day Hikes for the first time in 2012.

A participating state park in Chester County will be Marsh Creek State Park (675 Park Road, Downingtown, 610-458-5119).

Participating parks in northern Delaware that are close to Chester County include Alapocas Run, Auburn Heights, Bellevue State Park, Brandywine Creek State Park and Brandywine Zoo.

Rosca de Reyes, which translates to “Kings’ Ring,” is an oval-shaped pastry traditionally eaten to celebrate Epiphany on January 6. Epiphany is also known as El Día de Reyes (“Kings’ Day”) — a day to commemorate the arrival of the three Magi or Wise Men.

The tradition of placing a figurine of the Christ child in the cake goes back centuries. The baby Jesus hidden in the bread represents the flight of the Holy Family as it fled from King Herod’sMassacre of the Innocents.

Whoever finds the baby Jesus figurine is blessed and must take the figurine to the nearest church on February 2 (Candlemas Day, Día de la Candelaria). In the Mexican culture, this person also must host a dinner which includes tamales and hot chocolate.

On January 6 from 3-5 p.m., there will also be a free “Three Kings Day Celebration” at Taller Puertorriqueño (2557 North Fifth Street, Philadelphia, 215-423-6320, tallerpr.org). Taller Puertorriqueño’s El Día de Reyes comes to el Barrio on January 6 with live music, gift giving, and a parade.

The celebration will feature a musical procession filled with song and merriment. After the performance, children will receive gifts in tradition of the holiday.

In keeping with the tradition, the children must bring a small box with grass. Because this activity is for children, the child must be present to receive the gift. It is mandatory that children pre-register.

On January 3, Auburn Valley State Park (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, www.destateparks.com/History/AuburnValley) will host “Auburn Heights Mansion Tour” starting at 1 p.m.

Visitors to the park will be able to tour the Auburn Heights Mansion — a Queen Anne style Victorian mansion.

The mansion is the former home of the Marshall family and is furnished with original family furniture. The tour includes the two main floors of the mansion.

Please note that there are steps to get into the mansion and one flight of stairs during the tour. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. Reservations recommended, but not required.

Tickets for the tour are $8 for adults and $4 for children (under 13).

Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.

Building on the success of annual pop-up shows in San Diego, and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000 square foot gallery space in Philly a year ago.

Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective. The artwork ranges from award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction, to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.

New artworks rotate in every few months, creating an ever-evolving, year-round show.

Tickets are for entry at a specific date and time. Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they please during operating hours. The average time spent experiencing the show is 90 minutes.

A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.

The installation is open from noon-10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets are $24 for adults, $20 for seniors, teachers, healthcare workers, students and active military, and $15 for children (ages 3-12).

Christmas Day may have passed but the Christmas holiday season carries on.

“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 2, offers a wide array of family holiday activities.

On December 31, Sesame Place’s furriest friends Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and Count von Count lead the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade, which gives way to a dazzling 6 p.m. fireworks show — “C… is for Celebrate!”

Ring in the New Year with Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and Count von Count, as their music fills the air and the sky is covered with colorful bursts of brilliance.

Sesame Place staff will paint the sky red (and green and blue) from inside the park.

Ideal fireworks viewing areas include Lower Neighborhood, Carousel Area, Elmo’s World, Sesame Plaza and Cookie’s Monster Land.

Visitors to the park can sing along at three special Christmas shows and a spectacular music and light show at the 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” start at $34.99.

“Chester County Hospital Lights Up Holiday Weekends in West Chester” (greaterwestchester.com/events/featured-events/holiday-weekends-west-chester) are running now through January 1, 2022.

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce is reimagining what the holidays mean this year by launching the first-ever “Chester County Hospital Lights Up Holiday Weekends in West Chester.”

Transformed into a winter wonderland, the streets of historic West Chester are bathed in the glow of thousands of holiday lights every evening from November 26 to January 1. Each weekend features holiday festivities, shopping and dining, title sponsored by Chester County Hospital.

The final themed weekend is “New Year’s Weekend” from December 31-January 1.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) reopened to the public in November with the return of the Brandywine Railroad holiday train display and highlights from the permanent collection. The Brandywine has been temporarily closed to the public since September 1, after the remnants of Hurricane Ida brought historic flooding to Chadds Ford and across the Brandywine’s 15-acre campus.

Also returning will be the Brandywine’s whimsical Critter ornaments decorating the holiday trees in the Museum’s atrium. Each year since 1971, these distinctive ornaments have been carefully handcrafted by a dedicated group of volunteers using only natural materials such as teasel, pinecones, acorns, eggshells, flowers and seed pods.

While all of the art in the galleries at the Brandywine River Museum of Art were safe and unharmed by the storm, the Museum’s lowest level—containing a lecture room, classroom, offices and more—had significant flood damage, in addition to 10 other buildings on the Brandywine’s campus.

The Museum is now open seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed on Christmas day), with the Brandywine’s iconic O-gauge model train display on view through January 9, 2022.

A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad offers something for everyone with its dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others.

The display features trains running on 2,000 feet of track with more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, and even a carnival and a drive-in movie theater. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display, operated by hands-free foot pedals that allow for further engagement.

The fabulous holiday light display “West Chester Griswolds” (304 Dutton Mill Rd, West Chester, www.westchestergriswolds.com) opened on Thanksgiving night and will run through January 2.

This year’s display features more than 133,000 lights and 800 smart pixels.

This year, they have added a Cosmic Color Ribbon Tree (CCR) to our display. It is an exciting piece of technology with the ability to create any color of the rainbow. The exhibit will be playing throughout the night and “singing” with the bulbs, which are making their return this year.

Lights will be on now through January 2 — Monday through Thursday from 4:45-9:45 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 4:45-10:15 p.m.

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

Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) has shifted into holiday mode with the arrival of “A Longwood Gardens Christmas.”

The festive holiday display at Longwood Gardens, which is running now through January 9, 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.

There will be towering trees adorned in amber to fiery red tones, flickering flame lanterns, and an inviting mountain retreat, complemented by icy-hued plantings, a “frozen” succulent fountain, and a refreshing alpine waterway that is the ultimate winter wonderland.

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.

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 $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $18 for active and retired military and $16 for youth (ages 5-18).

Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular has taken up residence at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-3976, www.tinseltownholiday.com) now through January 2, 2022.

This brand-new event at the Fairground at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks invites guests to walk through a winter wonderland of light sculptures and displays, including illuminated recreations of local landmarks like the Liberty Bell. It features more than one million bulbs.

Activities include ice skating on a synthetic rink, photos with Santa (reservations required) and Gritty (Thursdays), shopping at the Mistletoe Marketplace, and seasonal treats and drinks in the heated Tinsel Lodge and McTinsel’s Pub.

Tickets start at $13.99 for kids under 13 and $19.99 for adults.

The Historic Odessa Foundation’s 2021 Christmas Holiday Tour and Exhibit “Little Women” is an event with an appeal that spans generations. The tours will be presented now through the end of the year in Odessa’s historic district (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org).

For the past three-and-a-half decades, 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.

After a one-year hiatus, Odessa is reviving its tradition of recreating scenes from classic literature through interpretive vignettes displayed in one of the foundation’s historic museum houses. Last year’s Holiday Exhibit was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

From November 16-December 31, the National Historic Register Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769) will be the setting of adapted scenes from the beloved autobiographical coming-of-age novel “Little Women or, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy” written by the American novelist Louisa May Alcott and first published before Christmas in 1868.

Visitors will be enchanted with old-fashioned room vignettes to include those of the March sisters’ Christmas parlor, festive dining room and well-appointed bed chamber. In addition, Historic Odessa is honored to present a display case full of “Little Women” memorabilia on loan from the Louisa May Alcott Orchard House Museum in Concord, Massachusetts.

All of Historic Odessa’s museum properties will be adorned with thousands of lights again this year, and on full festive display for the 2021 Holiday Season. Special school and public tours and events will celebrate “Little Women” and its accompanying exhibit in the Wilson-Warner House, including the Storybook Trees exhibit in the National Historic Landmark Corbit-Sharp House, holiday Festive Foods cooking demonstrations, as well as regularly scheduled Candlelight Tours.

This season, Odessa will present outdoor Candlelight Tours of the foundation’s museum properties every Tuesday and Thursday evening in December beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and include a libation at Cantwell’s Tavern. Reservations are required for the tours.

The Historic Houses of Odessa are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4:30 p.m. Admission to the Historic Odessa Foundation Holiday Tours is $10 for adults, $8 for groups, seniors, and students and free for children (under 6).

One of the highlight holiday events in the area is the annual “Yuletide at Winterthur.” This year’s 40th annual staging of the event, which runs now through January 2 at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware,800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org).

Visitors can 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 ears. 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’s gardens — including the popular Dried Flower Tree in the Conservatory.

Special holiday programs throughout the season include “Wonderful Wednesdays” in December, evening events featuring live jazz performances, caroling, and workshops. In addition to the Wednesday evening festivities, visitors can enjoy a live one-man performance of “A Christmas Carol” by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, wine and cocktail tastings, and family events with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

Timed Yuletide Tour reservations are required. Admission to Yuletide at Winterthur is $15 for adults, seniors (age 62 and older) and students and $6 for children (ages 2-11).

Delaware is also the home of the annual staging of “Holidays at Hagley: A Celebration of Family” — 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, is running now through January 2 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 $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students and $4 for children (ages 6-14).

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia (500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/) is presenting “Holiday Bricktacular!” now through January 1.

Participants can create their own LEGO ornament and display it in on the LEGO tree and check out all the holiday scenes in the Winter Wonderland in Miniland Philadelphia.

As an added attraction, LEGO Santa will be visiting from the LEGO North Pole.

Ticket prices start at $22.99.

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 17. 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.

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 $19.95 for adults and $13.95 for children (ages 4-12).

The Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-247-5777, http://www.morrisarboretum.org) annually presents its popular Garden Railway Display. This year, the Arboretum will keep it running through January 2.

The display and buildings 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 small streams. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.

The buildings are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle along the tracks and around the surrounding landscape. The Garden Railway Display has become one of the Arboretum’s most beloved attractions since it opened in 1998, and the Holiday Garden Railway is quickly becoming a favorite holiday tradition for many families.

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

Now through January 9, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that transforms the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.

The giant-sized holiday extravaganza will transform the entire Zoo into a nighttime winter wonderland. Guests will experience a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises. LumiNature will expand to feature 14 illuminated experience zones that will feature lively themed displays, newly-enhanced installations and thousands of twinkling lights.
Highlights for 2021 include: more than one million lights and 10 miles of power cord; more than 500 colorful illuminated flamingos and a 25 feet tall flamingo holiday tree;  200-plus illuminated penguins;  100 ft-long aquarium tunnel with enormous jellyfish; 22-feet-tall new Butterfly Tree;  21-feet tall brilliant colored snake; glee club made from talking trees that come to life’ brand new octopus tree that is sure to make you laugh’ cascading blue and white meteor light showers; giant cat eyes glowing in the dark of night; and a new Wilderness Express Train.

Additionally, seasonal fare, strolling performers,  hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages promise to additionally spark the holiday spirit.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Rd, Schnecksville, https://www.lvzoo.org/) is hosting its “Winter Light Spectacular” now through January 2.

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

Ticket prices start at $8.

The 2021 “Winter in Franklin Square Festival” (200 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/holidays-in-franklin-square/) is running through February 27.

The Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show will be open from 5-9 p.m. daily and 10 a.m.-10 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.

The Boathouse Row Festival of Lights: Kwanzaa (on the Schuylkill River Trail just off Martin Luther King Jr. Drive) will get underway this weekend.

The City of Philadelphia has been celebrating the season by lighting Boathouse Row in honor of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

The Christmas lights on Boathouse Row will be on display in honor of Kwanzaa from December 26 through January 1, with a virtual program led by the Philadelphia Kwanzaa Cooperative at 4 p.m. on December 26.

Center City Parks District’s Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park) has just opened for the season.

Visitors of all ages can enjoy a dramatic seasonal transformation as fountains have been replaced by the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Ice Rink and reindeer topiaries take up winter residence on the Greenfield Lawn.

In addition, a full lineup of free entertainment is planned, including the Deck the Hall Light Show, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cabin.

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.

Dilworth Park’s winter season began on November 1 with the opening of the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn presented by TD Bank.

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular (1701 John Fast Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia) is back for the 2021 season.

Typically shown on the Comcast Experience video wall in the lobby of The Comcast Center, the annual super high-res LED holiday show has moved outdoors and will be presented daily at the top of every hour from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. now through January 1, 2022.

The 15-minute family-friendly show will play on an outdoor video wall starting Thanksgiving Day! This Philly favorite tradition brings the magic of the holidays to life, featuring classic holiday songs and performances by the Pennsylvania Ballet.
For the first time, the Comcast Holiday Spectacular will have a sensory-friendly version. Guests may use their own personal mobile devices to access Audio Description (AD) of the show. AD devices will also be available upon request.

The Comcast Center Campus has another holiday activity at the Comcast Technology Center (1800 Arch Street), located a half block from the Comcast Center.

From Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Parks & Resorts and Comcast Labs, The Universal Sphere is a free, cinematic experience exploring the power of ideas. Get inspired by stories of creative minds who shaped our world for the better.

The Universal Sphere — accessible for guests of all ages — is wheelchair- and service animal-friendly. Descriptive audio and closed-captioning devices are available in English and Spanish, and full audio translations are available in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

Macy’s (1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, www.macysinc.com) welcomed the return of the free Christmas Light Show and Dickens’ Village to the former Wanamaker’s location at 13th and Market streets (across from City Hall).

Both the musical light show, which started in 1956, and the “Christmas Carol”-themed animated display, which had its start in the 1980s — have been Philadelphia holiday traditions for decades.

COVID-19 forced the cancellation of both events in 2020 and this year’s exhibit will be different than in previous years.

For 2021, the light show will run just once a day at 10:30 a.m. from Dec. 1-24 and moves to 11:30 a.m. from Dec. 26-31.

The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ annual Christmas in the Grand Tradition Concert, starring Peter Richard Conte, is held Sunday December 12, 2021, at 6:45 pm and is admission-free in the Grand Court.

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 9.

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.

Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, http://peddlersvillage.com) always gets into the holiday vibe and that means there will be a lot of activity at the site over the next few weeks.

Visitors to the Village can join special guest Mrs. Claus for festive fun and mini-lightings in a different Village neighborhood each night leading up to the Village-wide Grand Illumination Celebration. Village shops will be open until 9 p.m. with a distinctive assortment of merchandise, special promotions and refreshments.

The 20th Annual Grand Illumination will showcase thousands of tiny white lights outlining the Village’s buildings, colorful lights with less-than-common colors (teal, peach, and fuscia) adorning the trees and shrubs and a landscaped backdrop featuring a group of reindeer glowing in white light. Santa will arrive to turn on the lights and officially mark the beginning of the event. After the lights go on, visitors will be treated to free cider and toasted marshmallows.

Peddler’s Village “Gingerbread House Competition and Display,” which is slated to run through January 8, the “Gingerbread House Competition” features over $2,000 in cash prizes in such categories as Traditional and Authentic Reproduction of a Significant Building.

A popular Bucks County attraction is the “Holiday Light Show” at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, www.shadybrookfarm.com)

The farm features a three–million-light Holiday Light Show with “Dashin’ Through the … Lights,” a family-friendly two-mile drive-through on Thursday and Friday nights.

The main display allows visitors to drive or (if weather permits) ride in wagons past post-sundown displays including illuminated tunnels.

The “Holiday Light Show” is open now through January 10.

Timed tickets, which start at $40, are required.

“Christmas Spirit Light Show”  is running now through January 1 (except December 25) at Clipper Magazine Stadium (650 North Prince Street, Lancaster, christmasspiritlightshows.com).

“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is an exciting, one-of-a-kind Christmas light display that families can enjoy from the comfort of their vehicles.

As participants make the journey through the mile-long track, they get immersed and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights that are animated and dancing in harmony with favorite Christmas classics.

The drive-through event is billed as a “breathtaking holiday experience that you and your loved ones will never forget.”

The cost is $20 per car with eight people or less and $30 per car with nine or more people.

“Christmas Candylane,” which is the annual holiday event at Hersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypark.com), is running now through January 2.

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 $44.95.

Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (2249 Route 30 East, Lancaster, 866-386-2389, www.dutchwonderland.com) is hosting its “Dutch Winter Wonderland” now through January 2 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.

Ticket prices start at $29.99 at the gate. Children ages two and under are admitted free.

Anyone wanting to really get into a Christmas mood can visit Koziar’s Christmas Village (782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, 610-488-1110, www.koziarschristmasvillage.com) which began its 74th season on November 6.

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).