Holiday Delights: A Step Back in Time will be a fun mix of the old and the new this December 3 at The Bryan Museum. This fun, free family event is a delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Galveston.
Visitors will “step back in time” upon entering the beautiful Museum grounds by making their first stop
the working chuckwagon where real-life cowboys will be on hand to talk about the good old days and to
demonstrate campfire cooking techniques. Many people don’t know that famed Texas cattleman
Charles Goodnight invented the chuckwagon as a way to easily bring food and supplies out on the trail
as he moved thousands of head of cattle across hot, dusty West Texas. Visitors can find items related to
Goodnight and other cowboys (and cowgirls) inside the Museum.
The next stop on the trip through yesteryear could be a picture with Santa in a 1908 Model T- style golf
cart provided by Carriage Haus Rentals. This miniature version of a Model T is definitely a classy way for
Santa to travel while his reindeer rest up for their big night. A professional photographer will be on hand
to take a memorable family photograph to cherish for years.
Although pomanders were originally used to ward off sickness found in unhealthy air, now they make
festive holiday decorations with a nod towards a simpler time. The featured craft at Holiday Delights this
year will be orange pomanders studded with cloves and dusted with spices such as cinnamon and
nutmeg. These old-fashioned decorations are fun for small hands to make and will also scent the air with
nostalgia.
The first printed picture of a child mailing a letter to Santa was published in 1879. Since then, millions of
youngsters have penned letters to that jolly old elf in hopes of getting the perfect gift for themselves or
a loved one. During Holiday Delights, we encourage letter writing by setting out Christmas themed
paper in our beautiful library and by providing a mailbox with service directly to the North Pole.
The Museum’s library will also be humming with story time featuring some old favorites such as How the
Grinch Stole Christmas and The Night Before Christmas in addition to more modern winter stories.
Visitors to the library might also notice a hidden elf peeking out from inside a display case. The Museum
Elf Hunt will take guests on a merry trip through all the galleries looking for these tiny sprites. After
finding them all, guests are invited to head to the Museum Shop for a small gift.
Along with these activities reminiscent of days gone by, Holiday Delights: A Step Back in Time also offers
modern fun including a visit from a certain snow queen who’s sure to bring her own weather system, a
petting zoo with the cutest little critters around, food trucks offering a delicious selection of food and
coffee drinks, outdoor games for those with excess holiday energy, and live music to ring in the season.
The Bryan Museum’s Holiday Delights: A Step Back in Time has it all from the old to the new. We hope
you can join us between 10AM –2PM on Sunday, December 3 to celebrate the Christmas spirit.
Admission to the Museum is free all day. Everyone’s invited!
