Here are some scenes from past Christmas Open House events at
the Bushong Farm-- just as it may have been in 1859.
Plan now to attend on December 1, 2012.

Good things were happening inside the kitchen.
Preparing the feast.
A timeless tradition-- guests always gather in the kitchen,
Open-hearth cooking.
The pleasant day encouraged outside activities.
Hoop rolling was a favorite among valley children, as was. . .
Graces-- the action of using two sticks to toss a decorated ring (can you find the ring in the picture?) to a friend who must catch the ring on two sticks--- consider it 19th century lawn darts.
What shall it be: hoops or graces?
Off to storytelling. . .
in the warm basement of the main farm house. Story telling was interrupted by a visit from. . .
the Belsnickel-- a masked stranger who traveled from farm to farm rewarding good children and punishing the bad ones. Our children were rewarded.
The day ended with caroling with friends and family.