Canadians escape seasonal stresses with visits to historic villages
Christ Church in the heart of Upper Canada Village is light up for the holidays in Kingston, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HOKINGS LANDING, N.B. - The cosy Christmas atmosphere of long ago days is inspiring Canadians by the thousands to celebrate the season in heritage settings.
Candlelit dinners, the jingle of sleigh bells, the hint of wood smoke in the frosty air - Christmastime visits to historic parks like Kings Landing in New Brunswick and Upper Canada Village in Ontario offer a refreshing change of pace from the hurly-burly of modern life.
Across Canada, historic and pioneer villages - traditionally seen as summer destinations - are opening their picturesque, rural settings from November to January to lure visitors hungering for a taste of gentler times.
No shopping malls and traffic congestion, no jostling with impatient shoppers and endless lineups at check-out counters - the heritage villages that offer Christmas activities realize many Canadians are desperate for an escape from today's commercialized holidays.
"People want this kind of an outing as a break from the stressfulness and busy pace of the season," says Jancis Sommerville of Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg, Ont.
"It's away from the shopping centres. There's a quaintness in the surroundings, and to walk into this magical setting - people really enjoy it. The thing about Christmas is that when people find something they do as a family that they really like, it becomes a tradition. They come back every year."
The Christmas festival at Upper Canada Village attracted roughly 35,000 people last year with its glittering lights along the streets and around its 19th-century buildings, the wagon and carriage rides, skating and meals at the Harvest Barn in the village centre.
"We've been blown away by the reaction to it," Sommerville says of the lights festival, which runs from Nov. 29 to Jan. 5 in the evenings.
Not far from Fredericton, the Kings Landing Historical Settlement lies nestled in the St. John River Valley - a painstaking and evocative re-creation of 19th-century life in rural New Brunswick.
It is one of New Brunswick's most popular tourist attractions in the summer, and its traditional Christmas dinners - offered from Nov. 10 to Dec. 23 - are making it a desirable fall destination.
"We try to respect every historical aspect of a 19th-century Christmas experience," marketing manager Alain Boisvert says of the Christmas meals, served in the circa-1850s King's Head Inn.
"The decorations include evergreen boughs from the surrounding forests. All the details with respect to the authenticity of the celebrations are respected. So, for example, there are strings of popcorn and cranberries. The food - including preserves made with vegetables from our heritage gardens - is served by people in period costumes. It is an experience."
Fires crackle in the old inn's fireplaces, and the soft glow of candlelight creates a warm and cosy atmosphere. Local minstrels wander through the rooms of the inn, singing carols and telling jokes.
The meals, which cost $29 per person, include a choice of either roast turkey, roast goose or roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. The desserts are the kind of homely fare typical of the Victorian era in rural New Brunswick - such as gingerbread.
Even the beverages served at the inn are evocative of the period, from a locally brewed dark beer to rum and apple cider.
If there is snow, people can enjoy sleigh rides through the settlement. If not, wagon rides are available.
"It is now something we don't need to advertise because the word of mouth is so strong," Boisvert says.
"We have about 4,500 reservations now so everything is almost completely booked," he said in late October. "It's very much a tradition that people enjoy, and many make their Christmas reservations in the summer."
Kings Landing is also offering New Year's Eve dinners.
Not every historical village opens during the late fall and winter months, so people hoping to enjoy this kind of getaway should check with the settlement they wish to visit.
People who plan to travel to Upper Canada Village can check on hotels in nearby Morrisburg and Cornwall, some of which offer special packages. Ottawa is just over an hour from the site, which is located on the St. Lawrence River.
For travellers heading to Kings Landing, there are hotels in nearby Fredericton and Mactaquac, N.B.
By Chris Morris, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Topic: Canadians escape seasonal stresses with visits to historic villages (Read 1676 times)