A Visit to Santa's House
Sunday, December 07, 2008
A Fairfield tradition continues this weekend as the historic Burr Homestead is transformed into Santa's House presented by the the Junior Women's Club of Fairfield.
Where:
The Burr Homestead
739 Old Post Road
When:
Saturday, December 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, December 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tickets:
$5 in advance
(Available at Blinn's, Yellow Moon Toy Company, Hobbytown USA & Budding Gourmet or from JWC members)
$6 at the Door
Inside, a winter wonderland awaits, each room resembling a page from a holiday fairytale. The fun starts on the first floor, where, after a stop for some Christmas crafts, families head to The Bake Shop for favorites such as quick breads, cookies, brownies, and candy-dipped chocolate pretzels. Gingerbread houses—constructed of graham crackers by JWC members and decorated with gumdrops, peppermints and other candies—will also be for sale, alongside candy house kits and other giftable items.
Visitors still wishing to satisfy a sweet tooth can wander through to Mrs. Claus' Kitchen, where Entrees Made Easy (1879 Black Rock Turnpike, www.entreesmadeeasy.com) has arranged for Mrs. Claus to hand out free sugar cookies and water.
The Entertainment Room, sponsored this year by the music and movement program Music Together (www.mtfcinfo.com), stretches across the rear of the house. White lights hang like icicles from the ceiling, illuminating the elegant presents propped under two white Christmas trees. The back-to-back schedule includes magic, a capella music and Irish dancing, plus hands-on activities for young and old alike.
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From there, it's up the stairs to Santa's Room for a color photo on the big guy's lap and a free red or green toothbrush, courtesy of room sponsor Kids First Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics.
In the Gift Shop, colorful, cellophane-wrapped suckers and lollipops the size of Frisbees lend the walls a Willy Wonka touch. Potholders, pet items and ornaments prepared by the women in Mercy Learning Center's sewing program will be for sale, as well as holiday-themed trinkets for kids to purchase for themselves and their loved ones at kid-friendly prices. Adults will jump at the chance to win big in the Raffle Room, where themed baskets are packed with items donated by local businesses—everything from spa cards to baby gear to museum and sports passes.
Silhouette artist Deborah O'Connor will offer families a timeless treasure: fine art portraits cut freehand from paper, while across the hall, the whistle of the Polar Express sounds, as a black locomotive cuts through a snowy New England scene in the Model Train Room assembled by Hobbytown USA.
In the Face Painting and Tattoo Room, a Storybook Nook, complete with cushy beanbag chairs is a new addition to Santa's House. Join suzysaid.com and children's boutique Teagee Jane's (1492 Post Road, www.teageejanes.com) for readings of "The Elf on a Shelf: A Christmas Tradition," the book phenomenon that shares the secret of how Santa really knows who is naughty or nice. Copies of the book will be for sale for $30 apiece.
Finally, The Little Gym presents a new feature this year: an Activity Room offering gym activities and arts and crafts.
The event is made possible by the efforts of dozens of local volunteers and the donations of individuals and corporations, most notably Presenting Sponsor Newman's Own and House Sponsor General Electric. Proceeds from Santa's House benefit Mercy Learning Center, which provides basic literacy and life skills to low-income women in the greater Bridgeport area.
The Junior Women's Club, a member of the Connecticut Junior Women, Inc., is a non-profit service organization whose projects also include the Townwide Spelling Bee for fifth-graders and a Fall Festival to fund scholarships for high school students. For more information about the club and its activities, call 254.4660 or see website link below.
