Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. — PLYMOUTH NOTCH — Feeling overwhelmed by the rush of holiday shopping, crowds, and decorating? Return to a simpler time on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Coolidge Holiday Open House at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, in historic Plymouth Notch.
Many of the museum buildings, including the Homestead where President Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as president of the United States, will be open that day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and features special presentations and a variety of family activities.
An open house highlight will be a baking demonstration by Gesine Bullock-Prado at 2 p.m. Culinary artist and author of several books, Bullock-Prado will delight us with her lively presentations of elegant holiday confections.
Steve Morse of Montpelier will perform holiday organ and piano music throughout the day and will lead caroling in the village church at 1 p.m. Site administrator Bill Jenney will provide special tours of the Coolidge Homestead at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
There will be horse-drawn sleigh rides (or wagon rides, depending on weather) with Fred DePaul. A resident of Plymouth Notch, DePaul is well known for his local lore and engaging humor.
The Coolidge Foundation invites holiday makers of all ages to create decorations, cards, gift tags, and little books using papers, rubber stamps, punches, ribbons, and other embellishments. Try your hand at making fresh evergreen wreaths, and purchase one, with donations going to the Coolidge Site’s garden fund.
Fiber Arts in Vermont will offer textile demonstrations (spinning, weaving, felting, etc.); the group will also have a raffle for a beautiful hand-woven wool blanket – a realistic copy of one made by Calvin Coolidge’s grandmother – to support the conservation of the Site’s textile collection. Other artisans include The Chocolatorium (chocolate making & sampling), Dolores Furnari (theorem painting), Ellen Denton (creating holiday cards from nature), Leah Karo (rug hooking), and Marianne Fassett (paper quilling). Take home a quilled tree or snowflake ornament!
The Coolidge birthplace will be decorated as it would have been in 1872, the year the future president was born. Visit the Coolidge Museum & Education Center, Aldrich House, Coolidge Hall (the 1924 Summer White House office), Wilder House Restaurant, Union Christian Church, and Florence Cilley General Store. The store offers old-fashioned toys and unusual gift items. Visitors can purchase cheese and watch it being made at the Plymouth Cheese Factory, and enjoy a wine tasting.
The Plymouth Post Office has a special holiday cancellation from 1-4 p.m. The lighting ceremony for the Plymouth Memory Tree, a project that offers financial assistance to area residents in need, is at 3 p.m. Donations can be made by emailing arpcolby@yahoo.com.
For more info, call 802-672-3773 or visit www.HistoricSites.Vermont.gov/Coolidge.
