Celebrate Christmastime with carol singing, Christmas baking, candlemaking and more amid the beauty of historic buildings on Saturday, Dec. 19, when Old Salem Museums & Gardens presents a full day of seasonal festivities, crafts and food for all ages.

All visitors will enjoy baking Christmas Cakes to the sounds of the pianoforte in the Vogler House, as well as leatherwork demonstrations in the shoe shop and gunsmithing and blacksmithing in the gun shop.

Children will especially love sampling candy from the Vierling House's apothecary, and partaking in historic games and wagon rides in Salem Square — and a special puppet show, "Sophie & the Gingercakes," in the Single Brothers' Workshop.  Visitors will also have a chance to have their photo taken with St. Nicholas!

To cap off the day, there will be carol singing and a giant lighted Christmas tree, modeled after the traditional Moravian decoration.  (See schedule below)

For more information, call the Visitor Center at 336-721-7350. All activities included with an All-In-One Ticket.

Schedule for the day:

Historic Buildings open 9:30-5:30 (Vierling House & Barn closes at 4:30)

Activities:

Miksch House:                         Candlemaking

Single Brothers' House:            Trades Shops

                                                Special Music in the Saal

Single Brothers' Workshop:      Hands-on activity creating marzipan treats

                                                Puppet Show: Sophie & the Gingercakes 11:30, 1:30, 2:30

Tavern:                                     Hearth Cooking

                                                Violinist (Greg Munger)

Vierling House:                         Apothecary candy for children

                                                Flute 1:00-4:00 (Amanda Rogers)

Vierling Barn:                            Hands-on creating a watercolor & scherenschnitte nativity

Vogler House:                          Baking Christmas Cakes

                                                Pianoforte (Daphne Nichols)

Shoe Shop:                               Leatherwork

Gun Shop:                                Gunsmithing and/or blacksmithing

St. Philips:                                Open

Salem Square:                          18^th & 19^th Century Games for Children

                                                (Inclement weather location Single Brothers Workshop)

                                                Wagon Rides

                                    Closing event at 5:45—closing event will feature carol singing and a giant lighted Christmas tree (modeled after the traditional Moravian decoration)

About Old Salem

Old Salem Museums & Gardens is one of America's most comprehensive history attractions. Its three museums — the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) and The Toy Museum at Old Salem — engage visitors in an educational and memorable historical experience about those who lived and worked in the early South.  The Old Salem Visitor Center is located at 900 Old Salem Road.  The Web site address is www.oldsalem.org.