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Share in Hispanic Holiday Celebrations at the Eiteljorg Museum Arts & Crafts Weekend During Covered Bridge Christmas A Variety of Holiday Activities Planned for Dearborn County Celebrate the Season in the Covered Bridge Capital Santa Claus Celebrates Christmas Hoosier Faces Wanted!
Share in Hispanic Holiday Celebrations at the Eiteljorg Museum Las Posadas is Dec. 14 on Monument Circle If you're planning to head up to Indianapolis for some holiday shopping and cheer, come on Dec. 14 or 15 to take part in Hispanic celebrations hosted by the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. On Friday night, Dec. 14, recreate the biblical search by Mary and Joseph for an inn with the Hispanic celebration of Las Posadas. Traditionally, the celebration lasts for nine days and involves youngsters dressed as Joseph and Mary leading processions door to door. Since 1997, the museum has hosted the event on its grounds. This year, however, the procession will begin and end at Christ Church Cathedral, among the holiday lights and festivities of Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. The processions will end with refreshments and children's activities. The event is Dec. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. and will be presented in English and Spanish. To reserve your space, call (317) 636-9378, ext. 119, or e-mail [email protected]. The program is free, but please bring a canned good for local pantries. For even more Hispanic holiday cheer, come to the museum on Saturday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We will host a family holiday celebration that explores other Latino winter holiday traditions of Día de los Reyes (Three King's Day or Epiphany) and Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe). Visitors can make Mexican tinwork decorations with artist Helen Guzmán, decorate gourds, create safe piñatas and more. Free with museum admission ($6 adults, $3 children 5-17, free for children 4 and under). For more information about either program, contact Leon Jett, public programs manager, at (317) 636-9378, ext. 119, email [email protected]. Spanish-only speakers can call Tuesday through Saturday and ask for Adriana. Spend the night! Check out special winter hotel rates and packages at www.indy.org/winterspecials.htm. You can shop for gifts that have special meaning at White River Trader, the museum store. Fine art, candles, children's books and crafts, Native American and Western cookbooks and music, and more. Check out the cowboy scookie jar! Proceeds benefit the Eiteljorg Museum.
Arts & Crafts Weekend During Covered Bridge Christmas Enjoy holiday shopping in Parke County during Covered Bridge Christmas, December 7, 8 and 9. Country roads and covered bridges will lead you to quaint towns and villages dressed in holiday lights where you can shop for gifts, oil paintings, dolls, toys and Christmas decorations. Start at Covered Bridge Christmas Headquarters at the Parke County Fairgrounds, one mile north of Rockville on Highway 41, for the county’s largest indoor craft show. Shop here and pick up a map that will show you the way to holiday food, fun and shopping galore. NEW FOR THIS YEAR – daily bus tour of holiday activities leaving from Headquarters at the Fairground – includes Rockville Square, Mecca, Bridgeton and Mansfield. Tours will be offered Friday at 5:00 pm, Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. for $5.00 per person. Shops, stores and specially planned Christmas arts and crafts shows will offer a wide selection of gifts for that special someone or as a treat for yourself or your home. Be sure and stroll the brick lined streets of the Rockville Square where merchants will have open houses and holiday specials and the Covered Bridge Art Gallery offers a chance to view and purchase the works of Parke County artists. The Parke Players offer their holiday presentation on Sunday, December 9 at the Ritz Theatre at 2:00 and 5:00 pm. Tickets are available at the door. Use a Parke County map to find the way to Bridgeton with its decorated covered bridge and small shops open as well as the Bridgeton Mill and Miller’s Home. Mansfield will twinkle with thousands of tiny lights and welcomes you to its shops and a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Billie Creek Village welcomes you to its Old Fashioned Arts and Crafts Christmas with free walking tours. Santa and his helpers will be seen around the countryside so bring the family or make it an outing for a group of friends. Either way, don’t miss the fun! The good times continue December 7, 8 and 9, with the Covered Bridge Christmas Arts and Crafts. For information about events, call the Parke County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 765-569-5226 or access www.coveredbridges.com Calendar of Events. Stay home for the holidays and enjoy Parke County’s Covered Bridge Christmas!
A Variety of Holiday Activities Planned for Dearborn County Celebrate the season in style! The holidays are just around the corner, and this year, Dearborn County, Indiana is the place to be! Many communities, including Aurora, Dillsboro, Greendale and Lawrenceburg, will kick off the holiday season in November with spectacular displays of Christmas lights and decorations. As December approaches, there will be plenty of fun activities the entire family can enjoy. Get into the spirit! Be sure to make time in your busy holiday schedule to enjoy a few of these great Dearborn County holiday events: HISTORIC HOMES AND MANSIONS December 1 & 2 – Christmas in the County – Holiday Home Tour. 1-5pm. Step back in time as two historic homes (Hillforest and Veraestau) open their doors this holiday season. Both will be decorated in the splendor of a 19th-century Christmas. Admission: $12 adults, $6 students 7-18, and children under six admitted free. Special discounted rate for Hillforest Historical Foundation and Historic Landmarks Foundation members. For more information or reservations, call 812-926-0983 or 812-926-0087. December - Hillforest Holiday Luncheons & Dinners, Aurora. Enjoy a holiday lunch or elegant dinner followed by a tour of Hillforest Mansion. Reservations required. Luncheons will take place Dec. 6, 13 & 20, while dinners will be held Dec. 7, 14 & 21. Call 812-926-0087 for prices and to make a reservation. SPECIAL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES December – Lights at Lesko Holiday Light Display, Lesko Park, Hwy. 56, Aurora. This spectacular second-annual holiday light display is located along the Ohio River outside the charming rivertown of Aurora. The display, which features a 700-foot walk-through tunnel and lighted holiday figurines, will be lit every evening in December and will run through Jan. 1. Call the Dearborn County Visitors Center at 800-322-8198 for more information or for specific directions. December 7 & 8 – "A Merry Choo-Choo Christmas" – downtown West Harrison, Ind./Harrison, Ohio. 5-9pm, Dec. 7. 10am-5pm, Dec. 8. All aboard! Take a ride on the Christmas train as it makes its way between Harrison, Ohio and New Trenton, Indiana. The train will run two times on Friday evening and four times on Saturday and is sponsored by the Dearborn County Convention, Visitor & Tourism Bureau and Main Street Harrison, Inc. For more information or for tickets, contact Main Street Harrison at 513-367-5548. Other holiday activities are planned for the weekend as well, including Christmas tree lighting, parade, carriage rides, photos with Santa, a special Harry Potter book reading, and much more! Complete details are available from the Harrison Main Street office. December 7, 8 & 9 - Rivertown Players Christmas Concert – Hamline Chapel United Methodist Church, Lawrenceburg. 7pm on Fri. and Sat., 2pm Sun. matinee. The chorus of Rivertown Players presents beautiful choral music guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit. The performance of Christmas Memories will be filled with wonderful music, reflections of Christmas past, beautiful costumes and a delicious dinner. Ticket price: $15, reservations required. Call 812-532-3078 for more information or to reserve your seat. December 8 – Third-Annual Children’s Christmas Celebration in Lawrenceburg. A special holiday celebration for the young and young-at-heart. Breakfast with Santa, children’s program at the Lawrenceburg Public Library and holiday tour of the Dearborn County Historical Society included in $2.50 ticket price. Carriage rides will be offered as well. Door prizes and gifts worth a total of $3,000 to be given away. Santa will be on-hand for photos, and caroling and musical entertainment will be provided by Yuletide Brass. First breakfast begins at 9:30am, with at least one and possibly two additional breakfast times scheduled. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. Call 812-539-3113 for more information or to reserve your tickets. December 8 – Nutcracker Ballet, South Dearborn High School, Hwy. 350, Aurora. 2pm. The Anneliese Von Oettingen Ballet of Cincinnati will perform the classic holiday story of the Nutcracker. Tickets are $6 per person ($5 for Hillforest members), and are available by calling Hillforest at 812-926-0087. Dearborn County, Indiana is situated along the Ohio River where Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky meet. Located adjacent to Interstates 275 and 74, Dearborn County is just 22 miles from the heart of downtown Cincinnati and 15 miles from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport via Interstate 275 and U.S. 50. Famous for its Argosy Casino, Dearborn County also has a wealth of other attractions and events guaranteed to brighten your holiday. For more information, call us toll-free at 1-800-322-8198 or visit us online at www.dearborncvb.org. Happy Holidays!
Celebrate the Season in the Covered Bridge Capital Start the holiday season in Parke County with Covered Bridge Christmas, December 1 through 9. In the tradition of the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, the folks of Parke County invite you to return to the same scenic countryside you enjoyed in the fall. Follow twisting country roads through historic covered bridges to quaint towns and villages dressed in holiday lights. Visit Covered Bridge Christmas Headquarters December 7, 8 & 9. It’s located at the Parke County Fairgrounds, one mile north of Rockville on Highway 41. Our Covered Bridge Christmas Headquarters boasts the county’s largest indoor craft show. Shop here and pick up a map that will show you the way to holiday food, fun and shopping galore. A helpful hostess will assist you with planning your travels around the countryside. NEW FOR THIS YEAR – daily bus tour of holiday activities leaving from Headquarters at the Fairground – includes Rockville Square, Mecca, Bridgeton and Mansfield. Come early and be prepared to shop ‘til you drop! Shops, stores and specially planned Christmas arts and crafts shows will offer a wide selection of gifts for that special someone or as a treat for yourself or your home. Choose from oil paintings, dolls, toys and Christmas decorations to brighten your home. Home made goodies like fudge, persimmon pudding, breads and cookies are just a sampling. The little town of Mecca welcomes you to join in Christmas caroling in the Mecca Covered Bridge on Sunday, December 2 with a wiener roast at 6:00 pm, followed by carol singing at 6:30 pm. Be sure and stroll the brick lined streets of the Rockville Square where merchants will have open houses and holiday specials. The Covered Bridge Art Gallery offers a chance to purchase the works of Parke County artists. Don’t miss their Holiday Tour of Homes on Saturday, December 1. Tickets are available at the Gallery for $7.50. During the holiday arts and crafts weekend, December 7, 8 & 9 use your holiday map to find the way to Billie Creek Village which welcomes you to its Old Fashioned Arts and Crafts Christmas with free walking tours. Bridgeton will have its covered bridge decorated and small shops open as well as the Bridgeton Mill and Miller’s Home. Mansfield will twinkle with thousands of tiny lights and welcomes you to its shops and a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Rosedale will celebrate with decorated trees, music and a bake sale. Bring the kids, for Santa and his helpers will be seen around the countryside, or come alone with your sweetheart for a romantic holiday weekend at a Parke County inn or hotel. Either way, don’t miss the fun! The good times continue December 1 through 9, with Covered Bridge Christmas Arts and Crafts Weekend December 7, 8 & 9. For information about events or lodging, call the Parke County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 765-569-5226 or access www.coveredbridges.com. Covered Bridge Christmas in Parke County will warm your heart even though your toes are tingling! Come home for the holidays – to Parke County’s Covered Bridge Christmas! Enjoy a winter retreat in the Covered Bridge Capital with events slated from December through February and March. For lodging and event dates, call for our brochure at 765-569-5226 or check the calendar of events and lodging listing on our website at www.coveredbridges.com.
Santa Claus Celebrates Christmas The town of Santa Claus, in Spencer County, Indiana gets into full swing for the Christmas holidays. Have your Christmas cards postmarked with a unique Santa Claus postmark, and learn how “Santa’s Elves” are busy answering children’s Christmas letters. And don’t forget about the “Christmas in Santa Claus” holiday festival held December 8 & 9th of 2001. What better way to celebrate the holidays than this Southern Indiana tradition? Unique Holiday Postmark Available December 1st The Santa Claus, Indiana, post office is offering a unique "picture postmark" to cancel the postage stamps on holiday mail again this year. The postmark is designed by a local high school art student each year, as part of an annual contest. Rose Scheller, of Heritage Hills High School, created this year’s winning design. Rose is the daughter of Richard and Catherine Scheller of St. Meinrad, Indiana. "Postal patrons world-wide request the picture postmark each year," says Postmaster Sandra Collignon, who asks that anyone interested in having the unique cancellation on their holiday mail to please follow these guidelines:
Between November 15 and December 20, Postmaster Collignon expects 500,000 pieces of mail to come through her tiny post office. During the rest of the year, approximately 13,000 pieces of mail are processed per month. "We do more than that each day during the Christmas season," she says. A different picture postmark has been offered at the Santa Claus Post Office each holiday season since 1983. The Southern Indiana post office is the only "Santa Claus Post Office" in the nation. ‘Santa’s Elves’ Launch Letter Campaign "Children have been sending letters to our town since the turn of the century," says Patricia Koch, who is on the board of Santa’s Elves, Inc. a non-profit organization formed in 1974 to ensure that postage costs are provided each year. "Our records show that the first person to answer the children’s letters to Santa was the Santa Claus Postmaster, James Martin, in the year 1914. We’ve never missed a year since." Koch’s father, Jim Yellig, who assumed the role of Santa Claus while serving in the Navy during World War I, offered to help with the letters after the war, and soon enlisted the assistance of a friend from Tell City, Indiana, Roy Fenn. The number of letters increased each year; a series of features in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not turned the light dusting of letters into a blizzard. In 1939, Yellig and Fenn approached the American Legion and the "40 et 8" organization for help. To this day, both organizations continue to provide postage money and letter-writing assistance. "My father didn’t ‘play’ Santa Claus," says Koch. "When he put on that red suit, he was Santa Claus. As a girl, I remember him always carrying a box of letters in his car—and now I’m doing the same thing." Yellig was Santa Claus at the theme park Santa Claus Land, as well as many national events, including an appearance on the television game show, "What’s My Line." In 1974, Santa Claus Postmaster Mary Ann Long worked with local resident Mabel Ryan and attorney Clarence Price to form Santa’s Elves, Inc. so that donations could be accepted to help pay postage costs each year. The Christmasy letters and envelopes are printed and contributed each year by Patricia Koch’s family’s business, Koch Development Corporation, the parent company of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, formerly Santa Claus Land. Up to 10,000 letters are answered each year by the Santa’s Elves, who are assisted by the Christmas Lake Village Garden Club, local senior citizens, and other yuletide volunteers. Children wishing to write to Santa should address their letters to: Santa Claus, P.O. Box 799, Santa Claus, IN 47579. Koch urges parents to check that a legible return address is included. Donations to help pay postage costs may be sent to the same address. Christmas Fetsivals Planned in Santa Claus & Throughout Spencer County The town of Santa Claus, Indiana, will host the holiday festival, "Christmas in Santa Claus," this year on December 8 and 9. The Santa Claus Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the festival. Festival Chairman Michael Johannes says the festival presents the best of the Christmas Spirit. We want to create a festival atmosphere that represents the old-fashioned warmth of the holiday season," He says. "We will combine Christmas music performances with a craft show and Christmas parade to provide a full day of fun before the evening Festival of Lights driving tour through Christmas Lake Village." The festival will take place throughout the town of Santa Claus, starting Saturday morning, December 8, with Breakfast with Santa. The "Christmas in Santa Claus" Parade will feature the town’s namesake and a variety of floats, marching units and bands. Following an afternoon of musical performances, the 17th Annual Festival of Lights will begin at Christmas Lake Village’s gatehouse. The Festival of Lights presents 14 miles of themed, decorated neighborhoods with exquisitely lighted homes, animated displays, costumed Christmas characters, plus a live nativity scene. The festivities continue on Sunday, December 9, with Pictures with Santa, the final day of the Christmas Craft Show, additional musical performances, and the conclusion of the 2001 Festival of Lights. Many of the surrounding communities are also working together on holiday activities creating a variety of events that visitors can enjoy with their families throughout Spencer County. The other special holiday events taking place include the Rockport Christmas Parade and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial’s "December Holidays" on December 1; "Buffalo & Mistletoe" at Buffalo Run in Lincoln City on December 8 and 9; "Jonesboro Christmas" at the Colonel William Jones Home in Gentryville on December 7, 8 and 9; and Holiday Horseback Open House at Ramey Riding Stables in Rockport on December 16. To receive a "Christmas in Santa Claus & Spencer County" brochure and for more information, call the Spencer County Visitors Bureau toll-free at 1-888-444-9252.
Hoosier Faces Wanted! While we might not be able to completely escape the hustle and bustle, many of us see this year's holiday season as an opportunity to remind our loved ones how much they mean to us. If you are looking for a gift that offers a unique way to recognize your family and friends, consider contributing their photos to the Faces of Indiana exhibit in the new Indiana State Museum opening in downtown Indianapolis' White River State Park in May. The Faces of Indiana exhibit is a database of photographs of famous and not-so-famous Hoosiers who settled, lived in and built the state - the faces of Indiana. Museum visitors will be able to access the database through a computer station on the first floor of the new museum and then select images to be projected on the Faces of Indiana exhibit collage wall. "The Faces of Indiana exhibit is a photo album of Hoosiers who have made contributions to the state - both large and small," said Ron Newlin, executive director of the Indiana State Museum Foundation and creator of the Faces of Indiana exhibit. "By contributing a photograph to the exhibit, people can ensure that their loved ones will be remembered in a special way forever." Your $100 tax-deductible donation in someone else's name gives the recipient a truly one-of-a-kind gift - the opportunity to submit a photograph of his or her choice to the Faces of Indiana exhibit database. He or she can submit a family photo, a picture of a personal hero or even his or her own image. Or, if you have a photo in mind, you could submit that photo in his or her name. Then every time he or she visits the Indiana State Museum, your loved one can project that photograph onto the exhibit wall. Your gift recipient also will receive an invitation to the museum's grand opening next year, a one-year Indiana State Museum membership that includes a subscription to the membership magazine, and invitations to special events and discounts at the museum gift shop and IMAX Theater. To date, more than 200 Hoosiers have submitted photographs to the Faces of Indiana program. The photographs date as far back as the early 1800s to those taken within the past few weeks. No matter when the photograph was taken, each picture captures a piece of the Indiana story. There are photographs of weddings, family reunions, first-grade classes, basketball teams, Hoosiers at work and other scenes that capture life in Indiana during the past two centuries. Indianapolis resident Deirdre Bogard is planning to make two contributions to the Faces of Indiana program for family members this holiday season. "The Faces of Indiana program seems like a neat thing that few people would purchase for themselves," said Bogard. "I'm letting both the recipients decide what pictures they want to submit, but I'm hoping that they choose photographs of them with their families." Pearl Croxall of New Albany, Ind., submitted a photograph of her grandson, David A. Owen II. Last March, a car struck Owen while he was working on a highway construction project in Floyd County. He died eight days later. "I thought his face should be there," explained Croxall when asked why she was participating in the Faces of Indiana program. "David and I were very close, and I though this was an appropriate way to remember him." Montpelier, Ind., resident Bob Risk is another Hoosier who has submitted a photo to the Faces of Indiana program in memory of a loved one. The photo shows his brother, Jimmy, pitching horseshoes on the White House lawn in 1947. Jimmy Risk made a name for himself in the 1920s and 1930s as a professional horseshoe pitcher. In fact, he was honored in the Horseshoe Hall of Fame in 1979. "As time goes by, I feel like Jimmy's accomplishments are being forgotten, so I though the Faces program would be a good way to share his life with other people," Risk said. In addition to submitting a photo to the Faces of Indiana program, Risk also has donated his brother's national championship sterling silver trophy to the Indiana State Museum. As you make your holiday shopping list, consider giving an enduring gift that tells your loved ones how much they mean to you and to Indiana. For information on how to submit a photograph to the Faces of Indiana exhibit at the new Indiana State Museum, visit the museum's Web site at www.indianamuseum.org/faces or call 317.632.5010. |
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