Naper Settlement set up some holiday fun with the return of its Holly Jolly Days, which run from December 12 through December 16.
“It’s a late afternoon event, starting at 3 p.m., and ending at seven. It has a variety of things around the site for people and children and families to interact with.” said Associate Vice President of Naper Settlement, Jeanne Schultz Angel.”
Helping Santa’s Raindeer
One popular stop during the event is the blacksmith shop, where kids can watch some very special seasonal work going on.
“At the blacksmith shop, the blacksmith actually tells the story of how he’s charged with making reindeer shoes,” said Schultz Angel. “And they look a little bit different than horseshoes. And so the blacksmith is going to tell a story about how he needs to shoe the reindeer so that they’re having a safe journey on Christmas Eve.”
More Fun At Naper Settlement’s Holly Jolly Days
And that’s not the only story stop along the way.
“At the schoolhouse, we have storytelling going on,” said Schultz Angel. “So there’s going to be a variety of stories that children can listen to in the schoolhouse. Also at the Martin Mitchell mansion, we have an opportunity for a family to take a picture with a beautiful Victorian backdrop. So that’s really exciting. There are crafts at the meetinghouse and also all of this is around our Christmas exhibit called The Wish List.”
The Wish List: A Season Of Holiday Catalog Dreams
The Wish List exhibit is a timeline of holiday wish lists and toys throughout the 20th century. Strolling through, guests might see anything from handmade wooden toys to board games or electronics, while taking in holiday catalog pages from years past along the way. The exhibit, coupled with the Holly Jolly Days event, is meant to offer some relaxing time with family and friends amidst all the holiday bustle.
“It’s just fun family entertainment for an afternoon and it just really resonated with people wanting to get out, wanting to do something a little bit simple, wanting to maybe stop shopping for a few minutes and come on out and have some fun with their kids,” said Schultz Angel.
Naperville News 17’s Joe Kennedy reports.
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