National Christmas Center
I must have passed this place fifty times in the years I’ve lived in Lancaster and never had an idea what it was. I just assumed it was some sort of large Christmas goods store. Although there is a market on the premises, the National Christmas Center is actually a family attraction and museum! My mother-in-law told me I should check it out for review on daytrippermom.com. So on the fly, I took my 10-year old daughter and her neighbor friend on a Saturday afternoon. Wow-I was blown away! We spent almost 2 hours and could have stayed even longer had I not needed to get home to make dinner. Everything you love and remember about Christmas, plus loads of new facts and history is packed into 22,000 square feet of magic and memories. If Christmas is your favorite holiday, this destination is a must-see. Leave your hat and gloves at home, because it is completely indoors!
The museum is a self-guided, walk-through tour of 15 rooms arranged in a maze-like pattern of life-sized exhibits, animatronics, glass display cases, and dioramas. As someone who loves history, I was particularly fascinated by the exhibits which allow you to travel back in time and experience Christmas past as it was celebrated down through the centuries. You may even learn something new, like the stories behind using “X-mas” and the upside down Christmas tree. I will highlight some of our favorites but there is so much more. The theme of the changing images of Santa Claus was explored, as well as his origins, beginning with Saint Nicholas. “Christmas Around the World” was one of our favorites as we were able to learn how Christmas is celebrated in other countries such as Germany and Sweden. The girls were a little freaked out by the realistic wax figures, but they had the desired effect of drawing you into the narrative. We stepped into an old-fashioned “Five and Dime Woolworth’s” from the 1950’s, the shelves stocked with genuine antique goods for Christmas that were representative of typical merchandise at the time. It was so fun to see things I remember my grandparents and even parents having around the holidays. Loads of antique ornaments and other décor filled display cases in the “Antique Emporium,” along with an interesting piece on how WWII effected the celebration of Christmas in the United States.
We escaped reality and entered the magical world of “Santa’s North Pole Workshop
and Reindeer Barn” where the girls enjoyed petting the reindeer and seeing the floor-to-ceiling shelves of toys. There is an opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap here and have a photo taken (for purchase). One especially delightful exhibit was the walk-through storybook called “Christmas comes to TudorTowne” showcasing whimsical animals in highly-detailed dioramas set up like a little village. Stations along the way told the story, and it was like visitors are experien
cing the story in 3D. The lighting, sound effects, and animatronics reminded me of something you would see at Epcot in Disney World. Another fanciful place was “Toyland,” an artistic rendering of what it would be like to be a small boy laying under a Christmas tree amongst the train set. Train lovers will want to spend some time here exploring.
Lest you worry National Christmas Center only focuses on Santa and the secular side of Christmas; the last several exhibits highlight the Nativity scene and the story of Jesus’ birth. We saw samples of Nativity sets created in many countries around the world. Everyone looked for their favorite country and compared differences. Of course, there was interesting historical information to learn. My daughter loved the huge diorama of the biblical story, set up like a mini-theater, complete with a dramatized reading and changing spotlights on the featured section in the story. The final exhibit allowed visitors to step into ancient Palestine and walk in the footsteps of Mary and Joseph as the story progressed until the final manager scene. It was fascinating to imagine what the first Christmas actually looked like as we learned how people lived and worked in that time.
Even though so much material was covered and the place is jam-packed with colorful, stimulating stuff, I did not come away feeling drained. Maybe because it was not crowded, or because I didn’t have all my children with me, but I left feeling happy and at peace. Maybe the pure pleasure of Christmas is the memories we make, and the National Christmas Center will stir them all up.
Admission: $12.50/adults, $5/children 3-12, FREE/children under 3
Hours: Weekends in March and April, then open 7 days a week, May 1 through New Year’s. 10AM-6PM but check website for special extended holiday hours.
National Christmas Center
3427 Lincoln Highway (Route 30)
Paradise, PA 17562
(717) 442-7950
Visit www.nationalchristmascenter.com for all the details!
