Relive an 1842 Pennsylvania German Christmas on Saturday

People of all ages can step back in time and experience Christmas Eve 1842 with a Pennsylvania German family while visiting the historic 1756 Pennsylvania German Troxell-Steckel Farmhouse in Whitehall Township. Special hourlong holiday tours will take place from 1 to 5:15 p.m. Saturday. The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is hosting the event.

"This is a rare opportunity for children and adults to relive Christmas before it became a shopping frenzy," said Joseph Garrera, executive director of the heritage museum.

"Our goal is to let the public relive early Pennsylvania German Christmas customs, many of which have become national holiday traditions."

Museum curators will re-create a Christmas Eve in the home of a Pennsylvania German farmer, who will greet visitors as he explains why Christmas is so important to his entire family.

"The Pennsylvania German Belsnickel, also known as St. Nicholas in furs, will give treats to all visitors. In another scene, visitors can help the son of the family as he decorates the family Christmas tree of 1842. Unlike our modern glitter and lights, visitors will learn how families decorated the earliest Christmas trees in America.

"Nuts, apples, pretzels and cookies served as Christmas tree ornaments from the past," said Garrera. "We developed this event so visitors can celebrate the true spirit of Christmas."

Tours will depart every 15 minutes from the farmstead's old barn, where visitors can enjoy cookies and crafts while waiting for their tour.

Tickets will be available in the barn and are free to historical society members; nonmembers pay $8 for adults, $3 for children. The historic Troxell-Steckel Farm is located at 4229 Reliance Street in the Egypt section of Whitehall Township.

The event is sponsored in part by a grant from the Lehigh County. For more information, contact Garrera at 484-553-2592 any time of day or at 610-435-1074. Visit www.lehighvalleyheritagemuseum.org or Facebook.

The 1756 Troxell-Steckel Farm Museum is owned by the Lehigh County Historical Society, a teaching institution that attracts a diverse audience.

Its collections of historical Americana, located primarily at its headquarters, the 30,000-square foot Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, 432 W. Walnut Street, Allentown, include over 35,000 three-dimensional objects, 3 million documents and more than 80,000 vintage photographs.