Celebrate the “Crafts-Mas” Season in Arts & Crafts Style!

by Kate Nixon

 

Tours by candlelight or twilight, Christmas-themed Happy Hours, decorated open houses of your favorite historic sites, a visit from Father Christmas, and juried winter festivals and shows guaranteed to please the arts and crafts collector in your life; we’ve got an ongoing list of events for all collectors to get into the holiday spirit and to indulge in some holiday shopping for all your “Crafts-Mas” needs! We’ve got events from the West Coast to the East coast and plenty in between! See our list below and if you’d like to add an event, please email us at [email protected]!

 

November 29th through December 31st – Holiday Decorations in the Stickley Museum Log House and museum’s Crafts-mas Shop. See period Arts and Crafts style holiday decorations in the Log House and shop the Crafts-mas Shop Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4:00 pm. Visit www.stickleymuseum.org for more information. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms: 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.

December 1st – January 6th – Holidays Tours at Riordan Mansion, Flagstaff. Available Thursdays through Mondays with tours on the hour from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, the mansion is decorated in turn-of-the-century style with wreaths, garlands, greenery and a towering fir tree trimmed with old-fashioned ornaments. Guided tours will include glimpses of folklore and traditions of Christmas. Reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit the Riordan Mansion’s website at https://azstateparks.com/riordan-mansion/ Riordan Mansion: 409 West Riordan Rd
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

 

 

Starting on December 5^th, the Copper Shop Gallery at the Roycroft Campus Corporation will be hosting three Holiday Happy Hours on Thursday evenings from 5 – 7pm. A different holiday song theme will dictate the sales each week, starting with Santa Claus is Coming to Town, followed by White Christmas on December 12^th, and All I Want for Christmas is You on December 19^th. Complimentary refreshments will be served. The Happy Hour continues at the Roycroft Inn with drink specials and live music. For more information, visit the Roycroft Campus’s website at https://www.roycroftcampuscorporation.com/ Roycroft Campus Corporation: 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052.

December 6th – VIP Crafts-mas Shopping Night at Craftsman Farms, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm The Crafts-mas Shop doors will stay open late during this special “shopportunity.” Meet jewelry maker and guest artisan Sheila Fernekes. Enjoy VIP early access to her trunk show, which opens to the general public the following day during our Crafts-mas Open House. Enjoy Fernekes’ elegant, finely-crafted jewelry and demonstrations of her beading techniques, while buying gifts for everyone on your list. Visit www.stickleymuseum.org for more information. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms: 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.

 

 

December 7th – Crafts-mas Open House at Craftsman Farms. 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Slow down and treat yourself to the sights, sounds and smells of the season at our annual Open House as we suspend tours and welcome visitors to stroll the Log House at their own pace—plus a chance to see the American Arts and Crafts Chair exhibition before it closes! Round out your visit with holiday shopping and meet guest artisan, jewelry maker Sheila Fernekes. One day only! Visit www.stickleymuseum.org for more information. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms: 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.

 

December 7th – Holiday Open House at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio. Presented by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, a free tour is offered of Frank Lloyd Wright’s home, decked for the holidays with a spectacular tree decorated with traditional German glass ornaments, poinsettias, fresh flowers, evergreens and wreaths in keeping with the Wright family tradition. Enjoy family craft-making activities in Wright’s Studio and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies! Every registration includes a drawing for a special prize, free gift wrapping for purchases from the museum shop, and a $20 discount offer on a Trust membership. If interested, please register at https://flwright.org/programs/homefortheholidays Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio: 951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302.

 

December 7th and 8th: It’s the Roycroft Campus Holiday Show! Join us at the Roycroft Campus from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm for our Art Show as we feature over 30 local artists and vendors, and activities for the whole family. There will be several shopping locations throughout four Campus buildings; guests will receive a free ornament (while supplies last) if they visit all locations and get their program marked. Visit with furry friends from Thistle Creek Alpacas and watch demonstrations in glassmaking. Also, make sure to bring the little ones to visit Santa at the Roycroft Chapel from 1-4pm on Saturday and 2-5pm on Sunday, and take a horse-drawn carriage ride on Saturday. Fresh-made kettle corn, food trucks and Kornerstone Café will be on site throughout the weekend. For more information, visit the Roycroft Campus’s website at https://www.roycroftcampuscorporation.com/ Roycroft Campus Corporation: 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052

December 7th and 8th: The Roycroft Winter Festival, hosted by the Roycrofters-At-Large Association, will start at 10am and run until 5pm at East Aurora Middle School, across the street from the Roycroft Campus. With only $1 admission, collectors of all ages can enjoy food and refreshment as they explore the selections of original craft and art works that best represent the traditions of the Roycroft. The Arts and Crafts style fan in your life will enjoy exploring the works of juried artisans who specialize in all forms of media that will delight collectors, young and old alike. For more information on the Winter Festival, visit the Roycrofters-At-Large Association website at https://www.ralaweb.com/ East Aurora Middle School: 430 Main St, East Aurora, NY.

December 7th – Children’s Gingerbread House Decorating Party at the Glessner House. Be Your Own Architect!  Come create a holiday masterpiece at Glessner House’s third annual Gingerbread House Decorating Party!  Create your own mini gingerbread house to take home.  All supplies are included.  We’ll have lots of helpers on hand, so no previous decorating experience is necessary.  We’re offering two event times, 10:00-11:30am and 1:00-2:30pm. Select time at checkout. Advance registration is required as space and supplies are limited. This event is recommended for ages 3-13 – children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, go to https://www.glessnerhouse.org/programs/childrens-gingerbread-house-decorating-party. Glessner House: 1800 S. Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616.

December 8th – Father Christmas Visits Pleasant Home. Victorian Father Christmas will be at Pleasant Home from 2:00pm to 5:30pm to greet children. Registration is through the Parks District of Oak Park, IL and can be found here. Please join us for a visit for a chance to whisper your Christmas wishes, enjoy a cup of cocoa and children’s activities. Currently, only the 2:00pm to 3:00pm slot is open for registration – other slots have a waitlist available. Pleasant Home: 217 Home Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois 60302.

December 12th – Happy Hour at the Copper Shop Gallery. Theme of White Christmas. 5:00pm- 7:00pm, Copper Shop Gallery at the Roycroft Campus Corporation. See above for details or visit the Roycroft Campus’s website at https://www.roycroftcampuscorporation.com/ Roycroft Campus Corporation: 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052.

December 13th and 14th – Candlelight Tours at Craftsman Farms, 6:00 pm. Explore early 20th century holiday traditions and Gustav Stickley’s own ideas about the season on after-hours guided Candlelight Tours of the decorated Log House. Advance reservations required; space is limited. Visit www.stickleymuseum.org for more information. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms: 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.

December 14th and 15th – Candlelight Tours at the Glessner House. These special 45-minute docent led tours will highlight Christmas customs and decorations of the late 19th century. The house will feature elaborate decorations of the period including a live tree decorated with period ornaments, toys and holiday crafts, and the dining table set for an eight-course Christmas feast. After the tour, enjoy light refreshments in the coach house. Tours start every fifteen minutes beginning at 4:30pm, with the last tour starting at 6:30pm. For more information, visit the Glessner House website at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/programs Glessner House: 1800 S. Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616.

 

December 19th – Happy Hour at the Copper Shop Gallery. Theme of All I Want for Christmas is You. 5:00pm- 7:00pm, Copper Shop Gallery at the Roycroft Campus Corporation. See above for details or visit the Roycroft Campus’s website at https://www.roycroftcampuscorporation.com/ Roycroft Campus Corporation: 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052.

December 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd – Christmas Twilight Tour at the Riordan Mansion. The original 1904 light fixtures with Edison style bulbs will provide a beautiful glow in the Riordan Mansion for these evening tours. The tour will focus on the history behind Christmas traditions and guests will have the special treat of seeing the tree and Billiard room photo transparency windows at night. Weather permitting, luminarias will light the path around the grounds. Tours are recommended for ages twelve and older. For more information, please visit the Riordan Mansion’s website at https://azstateparks.com/riordan-mansion/ Riordan Mansion: 409 West Riordan Rd Flagstaff, AZ 86001.

December 21st – The Roycroft Campus Corporation presents A Holiday Spectacular featuring Rob Montone and the Lounge Lizard Society. Call (716) 655-0261 or visit www.roycroftcampuscorp.com for more information. Roycroft Campus Corporation: 31 South Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052.

 

December 21st – Farms Afield: Holiday House Tour from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m.  You’re invited inside three of Gustav Stickley’s beautiful Craftsman homes in Morris County, NJ. Begin and end at Craftsman Farms and in between, enjoy two exclusive visits to two exquisite private homes.  This festive evening starts with the cocktail hour at Gustav Stickley’s own home, the Log House at Craftsman Farms. Then board a bus for the main course at the 1913 Parker House, designed by Stickley for William C. Parker. And for dessert, we’ll transport you to the only privately-owned structure remaining on the grounds of Craftsman Farms, commonly referred to as the Herdsman’s House. Adored with beautiful holiday decor, both private homes retain Stickley’s characteristic sensibility and are furnished with reproduction and original Stickley furniture and Arts and Crafts period pieces.

The tour has limited space and has been planned exclusively for museum members (Not a member? You can join when you when you make a reservation.) Reservations are $90 per person through December 1 and $100 after December 1. Call our office at 973-540-0311 to make your reservation or to learn more. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms: 2352 Route 10 West, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.

 

 

December 30th – Architectural Legacy Tours – “Pasadena In The Movies”. Pasadena Heritage will offer a presentation of “Pasadena in the Movies”. See how Pasadena has long been a filming location due to our great historic architecture. Also offered are two neighborhood walking tours. One features grand estate mansions designed by famous architects Arthur and Alfred Heineman and Charles and Henry Greene and the other features modest homes with great design in the National Register Historic District, Bungalow Heaven. For more information on the Legacy Tours and to buy tickets, please visit the Pasadena Heritage website at https://pasadenaheritage.org/events-calendar/ Pasadena Heritage: 651 South Saint John Avenue Pasadena, California 91105

 

If you have a holiday event that you’d like to add to this list, please email us at [email protected] and we’ll update our list!