Liberty Hall Museum Spreads Holiday Cheer

Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University celebrates the Yuletide season with a series of special events throughout the month of December. Designed for young children and their families, visitors to the museum will enjoy holiday activities in the historic Victorian mansion of New Jersey's first elected governor, William Livingston.

On December 4th and 11th, Liberty Hall presents the Gingerbread Workshop. Recommended for children ages 7 to 12, children are provided with the materials and instruction to design and build their own edible houses of gingerbread, candy canes, gum drops and more. The fee is $17 per child at two sessions each day from 10:00 to 11:30 am and from Noon to 1:30 pm.

A Christmas Tree Ornament Workshop will be held on December 5th from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm for $10 per person. Participants will create old fashioned ornaments to adorn the Christmas tree in the museum's Great Hall. Guests will bring two decorations with them and leave two for display on the Liberty Hall tree.

Santa Claus will be on hand for photo opportunities when he takes his sleigh to Liberty Hall on December 12th for Breakfast with Santa. Naughty or nice, all are welcome to enjoy a visit with St. Nick and a delicious hot breakfast filled with cheer and tasty treats. For $20 per child and $25 per adult, two seatings are available at 8:00 to 10:00 am and 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Inspired by the beloved Dr. Seuss classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", Liberty Hall prepares a Whoville Feast on December 19th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Guests will dine on Grinchy grub that includes "roastbeast on a bun, Suess spuds and Cindy Lou Who cider." Admission is $20 for children and $25 for their adults.

Afternoon Teas are offered every Wednesday of the month from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Dec 1, 8, 15, 22, 29). The Christmas themed socials are perfect for sipping tea and lunching on finger sandwiches and desserts while relaxing in the glass-enclosed porch overlooking Liberty Hall's formal English gardens. Reservations are required for all events for those wishing to eat, drink and be merry while discovering the living past!

The ongoing exhibit at the museum is Stitches in Time: Three Centuries of Hemlines, Necklines and Everything in Between. The display features items from the museum's vast collection of elegant gowns, glittering accessories and refined evening attire. The genuine historical artifacts represent styles and taste from three centuries of American life, showcasing a medium of art that is most revealing about past generations.

Also in the spirit of the season, Liberty Hall Museum and the Kean University Center for Leadership and Service will be collecting items for Toys for Tots this holiday season. Kean urges the community to help the needy young people in Union County by bringing an unwrapped gift for children ages 0-15 to Liberty Hall's Blue House or to drop locations throughout the campus now until December 15th.

Liberty Hall Museum at Kean University, chronicling more than 200 years of American history is a treasure trove of significant riches. Along with forgotten letters from Thomas Jefferson, Liberty Hall also houses extensive collections of antique furniture, ceramics, textiles, toys and tools owned by seven generations of the Livingston and Kean families. The Firehouse is the latest addition to the Museum's complex housing two antique fire engines and a collection of fire memorabilia.

General admission to the museum for regular visits is $10 for adults, $6 for students and free to children under three, Liberty Hall Museum members and Kean University students, faculty and staff. Liberty Hall is located at 1003 Morris Avenue in Union, New Jersey. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For reservations and further information, call (908) 527-0400, e-mail libertyhall@kean.edu or visit www.kean.edu/libertyhall.

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