An Old Fashioned Christmas At The Historic Hearthside House

One step inside the historic Hearthside House (c.1810) and the beauty, charm, and magic of Christmas’ past comes alive. The feel of a warm and cozy home with a fire in the fireplace, gaily appointed Christmas trees, festively decorated mantels and garlands adorning the staircases and doorways, and a Victorian–style Santa Claus, this elegant 200-year-old mansion welcomes guests for a nostalgic journey back in time.  Six openings are offered during December to experience an “Old-Fashioned Christmas."

Dozens of twinkling trees and elaborately decorated mantels on all ten fireplaces are displayed in every room to bring the joy of the season to life for guests of all ages.  Even the dollhouse is decked out with miniature trees and gifts to spark the imagination and bring the magic of Christmas to life for all ages.  

Volunteers dressed in their Victorian finery will welcome guests with history and tales of the traditions of Christmas. The festive feel in the house is accented by the sights, sounds and aromas of the holiday, including traditional music and seasonal treats of hot cider and cookies from the Colonial kitchen.

Self-guided tours through the house allow guests to view decorations at their own pace at all four openings prior to Christmas. The season kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 3rd between 1:00-4:30 p.m. with additional openings on Sunday, the 4th, and the following weekend of Dec. 10th and 11th at the same times.  Staggered admission slots that are reserved in advance help to avoid crowds at any one time.  Reservations and ticket purchase may be made through the hearthsidehouse.org.

Each of the pre-Christmas openings feature Santa Claus, where visits will take place in the library with photos encouraged.  Since many children may be too shy to sit with Santa in person, they may still have an opportunity to drop a letter off to him at the special mailbox designated for Santa at the rear of the house, outside of the gift shop.  Letters may be dropped off between Dec. 3rd-11th, and Santa will make personal calls to the children before Christmas.

Next door at Chase Farm Park, the charming one-room Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse, also known as "The Hot Potato Schoolhouse," will be a part of the holiday celebrations as well. On Sunday, Dec. 4th and Sunday, Dec. 11th, two 30-minute performances of caroling and recitals of poems by youth schoolhouse volunteers are offered, one at 12:30 and the other at 1:30 p.m. on each of these dates.  During the 19th century when the schoolhouse held classes for children ages 5 to 15, the teacher would organize a performance for the community each year with the children.  This event is a portrayl of what might have been offered in 1871 when Lincoln was first formed as a town.   
 

Once the holiday rush is over, there are two more opportunities to visit Hearthside for guided tours by the interpreters in period attire and to still enjoy the decorations with special “Home for the Holidays” candlelight tours given on Wednesday, December 28th and Friday, December 30th. These evening tours are geared toward adults who are interested in the history of the house and not appropriate for younger children.  The tours will conclude the 2022 season, and Hearthside will re-open in the spring. Advance tickets are required for the "Home for the Holidays" tours, as space is limited for each tour.  The tours begin at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 and the last one at 6:30 p.m. and last an hour.  

The award-winning Hearthside House Museum is located at 677 Great Road, Lincoln, Hearthside is decorated and managed by the Friends of Hearthside, an all-volunteer organization that has worked to preserve the Town-owned historic house and the other historic properties at the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park. Funds raised through the tours and events support programming to keep history alive.