Experience an Old-Fashioned Christmas at Hearthside House on Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15

The beauty of the season comes to life during December at the majestic stone mansion along Lincoln’s Great Road known as Hearthside House. Several dates for celebrating an Old-Fashioned Christmas offer opportunities to visit and get into the holiday spirit. From the moment you walk through the doors, the feeling of warmth comes over you, followed by a deep sense of nostalgia in recalling Christmases from long ago. The smell of cocoa and hot cider, the warmth of a cozy fire in the parlor, twinkling lights all around, and lavish decorations to explore in every room is a real treat for the senses. Not only are the main rooms decorated, but also the attic where the antique looms are set up just as they were when the Talbot family lived at the house during the early 20th century. The Hearthside dollhouse also is decked out with every room decorated just as it is in the actual house.

The extraordinary beauty of Hearthside is experienced outside too, with festive wreaths on every window and a bough of holly on the door, a tradition that has carried on at this house since Daniel Meader owned the home in the later part of the 19th century. The gazebo is adorned with garland and a tree in the center, an ideal spot for a family Christmas photo. At night, the house is all aglow with candles in every window, toy soldiers peeking out from the attic windows, and twinkling lights on the weeping mulberry tree at the front porch and along the front wall.

Visitors are welcomed to warm up by the fire and take a journey through three floors where volunteers dressed in Victorian finery will share the history of popular Christmas traditions. A stop in the kitchen is a must to savor a cup of hot cider and enjoy a home-baked cookie. Guests will enjoy seasonal music performed by various musicians at each of the Old-Fashioned Christmas events held prior to the holiday, as well as visits with Santa Claus, a favorite with all children, and adults too. Children are invited to drop off their letter with wishes to Santa in the special mailbox at the rear of the house before December 10th for a personal reply by phone. All of these features are included at each of the dates prior to the holiday. The Gift Shop is open at all the events, fully-stocked for picking up a gift for the history lover, or an ornament as a special memento.

Other features of the Old-Fashioned Christmas include a visit by St. Nicholas' horse on opening day, Saturday, December 7th. Before Santa's reindeer, it was the horse that was the carrier. Photos are welcomed of the beautifully, poinsettia adorned horse by the gazebo. On Sunday, December 8th and Sunday the 15th, the Pullen's Corner (Hot Potato) School will hold a children's holiday performance at the one-room schoolhouse. The theme of a Civil War Christmas features letters being written between the family and soldier.

Reservations are strongly suggested for the Old-Fashioned Christmas with staggered admission times for the comfort of visitors and capacity in rooms. Tickets are $15; $10 youth over age 10; age 9 and under free. The schoolhouse performance has limited capacity, with performances at 1:00 and 2:00 at each of the openings on Dec. 8th and 15th, so advance reservations are required. Tickets are $5. For reservations and tickets, www.hearthsidehouse.org.

Hearthside is located at 677 Great Road, Lincoln, RI and is managed by the all-volunteer organization, Friends of Hearthside, to raise funds for its ongoing maintenance and preservation. It is one of four town-owned historic sites of the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park that the group is responsible for.