A Historical Christmas in KC
2019 Edition
Step back in time and enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas at one of these historical holiday events or exhibits in Kansas City.
This list may not be reproduced or used without permission. Please email kristina@kcparent.com with additions.
Historical Christmas Exhibits & Holiday Homes Tours
These exhibits are available to enjoy throughout the holiday season:
Historic Lecompton's Annual Christmas Tree Display
Oct. 15- Jan. 1 Lecompton, KS: Come enjoy the holiday magic of the annual Christmas Tree display featuring 170 trees adorned with antique, vintage and themed ornaments and garland filling the Territorial Capital Museum. While visiting the quaint town, enjoy eateries and local businesses. Special hours during the holiday season are Monday through Saturday from 10am – 4pm and Sundays from 1 – 5pm.
Weekends Nov. 9 - Jan. 5, Strawberry Hill Museum (720 N. 4th St., Kansas City, KS): Just like the regular weekend tours -- but for the rest of the year, with beautiful Christmas lights and decorations! As always, tickets are purchased at the door; cash or check only. The Strawberry Hill Ethnic Cultural Society was formed in 1988 to promote, sponsor and preserve the ethnic heritage prevalent in Kansas City, Kansas. The Strawberry Hill Museum and Cultural Center celebrates the many nationalities of Kansas City residents. Built in 1887, the core building is an outstanding example of Victorian Queen Anne Style architecture and was home to the Cruise-Scroggs family for 32 years. In 1919, the mansion was opened by the Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King, to care for children orphaned during the 1918 influenza pandemic. The orphanage, operated in connection with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, closed in 1988 for conversion to the Strawberry Hill Ethnic Cultural Society.
FREE Nov 23 from 11am-1pm, Mount Gilead Church & School 15918 Plattsburg Rd., Kearney, MO. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the one room school, make and take holiday crafts, live musical performances in the historic church, hot cider and cookies. All free
Nov. 29- Dec. 30, 1859 Jail Museum, 271 N. Main St., Independence, MO. The 1859 Jail is taking you back 100 years to 1919. Explore the house and jail to learn about the family that lived here and what their Christmas looked like. As you tour the Museum Gallery, you will learn what was happening in 1919 and how this changed Christmas. Regular admission fees do apply.
Nov. 9-10 from 1-5pm each day, Liberty, MO. Red Apron hosts our 5th Annual Liberty Holiday Homes Tour! Homes featuring beautifully decorated homes and shop at Red Apron's exclusive tour day shopping event!
Nov. 29 - Dec. 30, Bingham-Waggoner Estate, 313 W Pacific Ave, Independence, MO. Admission charged. Closed Dec 23, 24 & 25. Walk-in and reserved tours are offered Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The house is beautifully decorated for the holiday season.
Nov. 29 - Dec. 30, Vaile Mansion, 1500 N. Liberty St., Independence, MO. Hours: Closed Dec. 23-25, Monday-Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM, Sunday 1 PM - 4 PM. Admission charged. Vaile Mansion will be decorated for the holidays showcasing the beauty of this Victorian Mansion.
The John Wornall House Museum 1850s Christmas
After Thanksgiving thru Christmas, John Wornall House 6115 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, MO. Tour the home at the crossroads of conflict between Kansas and Missouri, free and enslaved, and Union and Confederate as it is decorated for the holidays.
Historical Christmas Events
A Christmas Carol with Gerald Dickens, A Special Engagement
FREE The great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens is returning to Mid-Continent Public Libraries for a special engagement. A professional actor in England, the energetic Gerald Dickens leaps, laughs, and sobs as he portrays the voices of A Christmas Carol. His striking resemblance to his great-great-grandfather and his dramatic rendition of A Christmas Carol bring the classic to life. Refreshments will be served. No audio or visual recordings or still photographs are allowed during the performance.
2019 Dates:
- Sun, Nov 10 2019, 2:00pm - 3:30pm, Woodneath
- Mon, Nov 11 2019, 7:00pm - 8:30pm, 612 Tiger Drive, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024.
- Tue, Nov 12 2019, 2:00pm - 3:30pm, MGC Community Hall A, B, C & D
- Tue, Nov 12 2019, 7:00pm - 8:30pm, 520 NW Murray Rd, Lee's Summit, MO 64081
FREE Join Charles Dickens in his study for a very special night as he creates his holiday classic, "A Christmas Carol." Join David zum Brunnen as he portrays the story’s 17 characters as well as Charles Dickens himself. Recommended by the Dickens family, Mid-Continent Public Library is privileged to offer this performance to continue its Dickens tradition.
2019 Dates:
- Mon, Dec 2 2019, 2:00pm - 3:00pm, Blue Springs South Community Room
- Mon, Dec 2 2019, 7:00pm - 8:00pm, Colbern Road Programming Space
- Tue, Dec 3 2019, 10:00am - 11:00am, Antioch Community Room 1
- Tue, Dec 3 2019, 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Woodneath Community Hall 1 and 2
Dec. 6-7 from 6-7:30pm at Alexander Majors Home 8201 State Line Rd., Kansas City, MO, Join us at the Alexander Majors House for a frontier Christmas celebration sure to get you in the holiday spirit. Explore how the holidays were celebrated for settlers on the Missouri-Kansas border through festive music, treats, presentations, and performances. The museum will also be decorated in rustic finery - true to the hand-crafted and homey touches families would use in the nineteenth century. $15/general admission, $10 members
FREE Dec. 7, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm, 1200 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe KS. Enjoy the Heritage Center decorations, make an ornament and visit the historic Mahaffie House! Activities may include music by the Shady Grove String Band, visit Santa in the Heritage Center, make an ornament,1860s living history activities such as blacksmith and cookstove demonstrations, stringing popcorn and cranberries, and stagecoach rides (weather and ground conditions permitting). FREE admission! Stagecoach rides $3/person ages 3 & up, making a gingerbread house is $4/house.
Dec. 7 from 10am-4pm at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures (5235 Oak St., Kansas City, MO). Special experience! For one day only, the museum will open the doors of the 9-foot tall Coleman Dollhouse. Get a close look at the dollhouse and enjoy informative talks about the house and its contents at 10:30 AM, 1 PM, and 2:30 PM. Included with admission. Free for members.
Dec. 7 from 10am-2pm at Shoal Creek Living History Museum 7000 NE Barry Rd., Kansas City, MO. Take a break from the present and experience a 19th century Christmas. Join us for a walking tour through our holiday decorated homes and log cabins of the 1800’s while re-enactors bring the village to life. Visit St. Nicholas in the Thornton Mansion in his resplendent green velvet robes, make your Christmas purchases at the Mercantile and post your St. Nicholas letter. Experience a Civil War encampment, warm up by the “potbellied” stove in the school, find peace in the serene setting of an 1884 Church, see how 1880’s Swedish immigrants celebrated Santa Lucia Day and watch how lace was made in the Arnold Home.
Missouri Town 1855: A Christmas Celebration
Dec. 7, Missouri Town 1855, 8010 E. Park Road, Lee's Summit, MO. The chill of winter cannot stop staff and volunteers from sharing the joys of the holiday season with the many visitors who have made this annual holiday event a must. Warm hearth fires, simple but delicious food, period music, an appearance by Belsnickle, and piping hot cider are but a few of the treats awaiting our guests.
FREE Dec. 7, Watkins Mill State Park, 26600 Park Road North, Lawson, MO. Visit with costumed interpreters as you stroll along lantern-lit paths to the Watkins family home, where you will be greeted by the smell of hot cider and wassail, and the sound of Christmas carols. Enjoy free samples of traditional treats, flaming of the plum puddings, reading of the family letters and a visit with Father Christmas. Activities at the visitor center will include kid’s crafts and live traditional holiday music. This event is free of charge and the Watkins home is open for the duration of the event. For more information, contact the historic site at 816-580-3387.
Dec. 7 & 8, Historic Weston, Weston, MO. Experience the magic of yesteryear with yuletide decor and music when Weston homeowners open their doors for the 38th Annual Candlelight Homes Tour. The tour includes five treasured homes and three churches all rich with history and dressed up for the holidays. While in Weston, visit the wide array of restaurants, shop the boutiques, enjoy the music and attractions, and of course, watch for Father Christmas during this festive weekend.
FREE Dec. 14 from 7-9pm, Atkins-Johnson Farm & Museum, 4109 NE Pleasant Valley Rd, Gladstone, MO. Experience the magic of the holidays at the historic Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum. A free night of holiday cheer for the entire family, this evening event includes live holiday music and carolers, holiday crafts for adults and kids alike, spiced cider, vintage toy display and selfie stations, all in a traditionally decorated farmhouse. Enjoy the crisp night air as you stroll down the holiday luminary trail. Children will enjoy the writing station with letters to Santa and vintage Christmas cards and a special guest appearance from Santa himself!