Journey through local holiday traditions and events

Winter holidays are a time when traditions and events — both old and new — bring joy and a sense of belonging. Some of these customs date back centuries, such as the ancient Norse use of mistletoe during the winter solstice or the 15th century German practice of decorating trees at Christmas.

Others, like the modern image of Santa Claus shaped by 19th century American writers and artists, are more recent. Yet, there are holiday traditions here in the local community that have taken root and flourished, becoming an essential part of the seasonal celebrations.

From the dramatic reenactment of Washington’s Delaware River crossing to various musical and stage performances, this area is rich with holiday customs that have become as cherished as the more well-known global ones.

With offerings like tree lightings, holiday markets, concerts, dance and theater performances and seasonal displays, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Whether looking for family-friendly activities, a unique shopping experience, or a chance to give back, there’s a little bit of something for everyone to help make the most of this magical time of year.

A Christmas Crossing like no other

For residents of the Delaware River region, George Washington’s famous Christmas Day crossing in 1776 is not just a historical event — it has become a local holiday tradition.

Each year, thousands gather at Washington Crossing Historic Park to witness a reenactment of Washington’s daring maneuver, where colonial soldiers, played by dedicated actors in uniform, row across the icy river in replica Durham boats.

In their recent book, “Washington Crossing,” Ewing historians Bob Sands and Patricia Millen provide the details and some surprising history.

That includes noting that regionally based actor St. John ‘Sinjun’ Terrell began the first modern re-enactments of the crossing of the Delaware in 1953.

With six friends in rented costumes in a half-scale Durham boat built by Lambertville carpenter Elmer Case, he staged Emanuel Leutze’s iconic painting.

Interestingly, the “first modern” reference suggests another reenactment between Washington’s 1776 original and Terrell’s. The authors write that on Jan. 23, 1947, some 40 pledges of Phi Sigma Nu fraternity from Rider College staged Frank Ewart and Donald Reynolds staged crossed the river as an entertaining way to draw attention to the fraternity.

According to Sands and Millen, “In keeping with the historical accounts of the Christmas night crossing, George Chafey, portraying Washington, led his band of ‘Colonial’ fraternity brothers up Continental Lane to Bear Tavern. Chafey, who was fearful of horses and nursing a bad cold, chose to ride a bicycle,”

The event also got into the pages of Life magazine, which ran a four-page photo spread of the event, and perhaps inspired the more polished theatrical event now celebrating its 75th anniversary.

This year public has two opportunities to view the reenactment at Washington Crossing Historic Park. The first is on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (the actual crossing is at 1 p.m.).

In addition to the crossing reenactment, special colonial-era activities and demonstrations in the historic village will offer a full day of family fun and learning. $9/adults, $5/ children ages 5-11, free for children younger than 5. Family rate (2 adults and 2 children) is $25.

The second opportunity is the Christmas Day Crossing on Wednesday, Dec. 25, Noon to 3 p.m. (actual crossing at 1 p.m.). Free. washingtoncrossingpark.org/cross-with-us.

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Another annual historic celebration is Patriots Week in Trenton—a week-long commemoration of an event that put the American colonists on the path to victory.

The historic Battles of Trenton— a surprise attack by George Washington’s Continental Army on a garrison of German Hessians in Trentonon December 26, 1776—marked a turning point in the war.

Patriot’s Week celebrates that victory with festivities that include reenactments, lectures, tours and family-friendly activities, offering visitors an immersive experience of Revolutionary War history.

Hosted by local organizations, Patriot’s Week draws history enthusiasts and tourists alike to explore Trenton’s rich past and its significance in the fight for American independence.

Patriot’s Week returns this year on Thursday, Dec. 26, and continues through Friday, Dec. 31, with historical tours, lectures, films, art, music, living history events and reenactments. Most events are free. For more information and a detailed listing of events, go to patriotsweek.com.

Municipal celebrations

Many towns across the get into the holiday spirit with a variety of festive events. Tree and menorah lightings, and holiday celebrations at local parks and town centers bring help communities together.

These events often feature live music, carolers, hot cocoa, and activities for families and children. The following are all the upcoming events that have been announced by area towns.

Ewing Township holds its annual tree lighting on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Betor Park (behind the Municipal Building at 2 Jake Garzio Dr.) from 3 to 7 p.m.

Santa Claus arrives for free photos at 4 p.m. and will flip the switch at 5:30 p.m., officially kicking off the holiday season.

The event features caroling, balloon artists, refreshments, and more. Rain date is Sunday, Dec. 8.

Hamilton Township’s annual tree Lighting and holiday sing-a-long will be at Kuser Farm Park (390 Newkirk Ave.)on Friday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. The event is part of the township’s Winter Wonderland celebration (see Festive destinations section below).

Hopewell Township is set to hold its community tree and menorah lighting on Monday, Dec. 2. The event will take place at 6 p.m. at the Hopewell Township Municipal Building, 201 Washington Crossing- Pennington Rd.

Hopewell Borough is slated to hold its tree lighting on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. It will be at Hopewell Fire Station 52, at 4 Columbia Ave. and is sponsored by the Hopewell Fire Co.

Lawrence Township has scheduled its Deck the (Town) Hall Tree Lighting for Thursday, Dec. 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event takes place at the municipal building, 2207 Lawrence Road, and features a performance by the Lawrence High School Gospel Choir

Featured will be the annual tree lighting, the arrival of Santa Claus, a trackless train ride, face painting, children’s crafts, cookie decorating and free hot chocolate and cookies. For more information, call the recreation department at (609) 855-7067.

Pennington Borough holds its 40th annual holiday walk on Friday, Dec. 6, starting at 6 p.m. at Howe Commons (65 S. Main St). The events will feature a tree and menorah lighting, pictures with Santa, hot chocolate and treats, music and dance, and a wine garden. For more information, see lovehopewellvalley.com.

Robbinsville Township holds its Christmas tree and menorah lighting on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the municipal complex at 1117 Route 130. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with CARE crafts for children and photos with Santa. The lighting of the Christmas tree and menorah will take place at 6:30 p.m. Attendees can enjoy hot chocolate, choir performances and special giveaways throughout the evening. Rain date is Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The City of Trenton’s celebration starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 with the annual Christmas parade on West Jefferson Avenue (from Cherry to Maple streets). Afterward is the tree lighting outside city hall. The ceremony features musical performances, Santa Claus, cookies, hot cocoa and refreshments.

Dickens’ classic headlines a host of on-stage offerings

A tradition at McCarter Theater in Princeton since former artistic director Nagle Jackson presented it in 1980, the 1843 story of a cold-hearted miser who, after a personal journey, sees the inner light and opens his heart and wallet to others, is rooted in author Charles Dickens’ own personal experience with poverty. It also touches on the horrors of the child labor laws of his era.

But what about ghosts and Christmas? Historians note the connection was forged by none other than William Shakespeare. The plot of his c. 1600 “Hamlet” is propelled by a ghost wandering a castle in the days before Christmas.

As one historian noted, “Shakespeare seems to have invented this belief: in the fireside tradition ghosts were particularly active at Christmas — and would remain so once Dickens had re-energized the convention in ‘A Christmas Carol.’”

Given the reality that McCarter’s “A Christmas Carol” has been going strong for almost 45 years, there is more than a will to believe. This year, the show will be on stage from Dec. 10 to 29. For more information, go to mccarter.org/achristmascarol.

“A Christmas Carol” returns with an adaptation written and directed by New York-based theater artist and former Guthrie Theater associate producer Lauren Keating and starring “Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s” Joel McKinnon Miller as Ebenezer Scrooge. Ticket prices vary by date and time from $32 to $113.

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“A Christmas Carol” isn’t the only theatrical presentation to bring area stages to life with holiday traditions and fun new works. Others a listed below.

Bristol Riverside Theater. “An American Christmas Songbook” is a tradition at the Bristol theater, this year moved to an off-site location due to renovations at the theater. Demetria Joyce Bailey and Philip Chaffin serve as hosts as singers and musicians perform favorite carols and heartwarming holiday songs. $45. St. Ann Church, 357 Dorrance Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. Wednesdays through Sundays, December 11 through 22. brtstage.org.

Kelsey Theater. The Kelsey Players present the long-awaited midnight visit by Santa Claus, made famous in Clement Moore’s poem, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Friday, Dec. 6 to Sunday, Dec. 8. $14 to $16.

“White Christmas Movie Sing-Along,” featuring the Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen and Rosemary Clooney film classic, Saturday, Dec. 14, 8 p.m. $20 to $22. Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. kelsey.mccc.edu.

Actors’ Net. “Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley” by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon is a Jane Austen-inspired holiday slice of 18th century English life. This is the third and final play in the Pemberley trilogy. $24, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 6 through 22. actorsnetbucks.org

Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and other music of the season

The “Messiah” was born during a dark time in the composer George Frideric Handel’s life. When he started working on his 1741 masterpiece, originally written for an Easter presentation, the composer was dealing with both a sagging career and a serious illness.

But when he completed the famous “Hallelujah” chorus section, he sensed that something an awakening and wrote, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God himself.”

The work became a critical and box office success, and some presenters began using selections or the entire work for Christmas presentations.

Then, according to a musicologist at the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, “It was in America that ‘The Messiah’ came to be more closely linked to Christmas. There were some choral societies in the early to mid-1800s in the United States that just established a tradition of doing it on Christmas… The Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, in 1818, gave a complete performance. I think it was the first complete performance in the U.S. And that was done on Christmas Day. So now you have a tradition. Major city, major choir. And from that point on, people started getting used to hearing it at Christmas.”

“How many pieces of music are there that are popular to listen to at Easter?” asks Thomas Bookhout, chorus master for the Phoenix Symphony. “It’s really not a season that people go out to concerts like they do at Christmas. I mean, if it didn’t work as a Christmas piece also, it might have disappeared.”

So, that brings us not only to the annual regional presentations of the “Messiah” but to annual Community Messiah Sings at the Princeton Chapel.

The popular participatory event was started by Penna Rose, a director of chapel music. Rose said she initiated the Messiah Sings when the late Joseph Williamson, dean of the chapel, asked her to plan events that would draw people in to experience the newly renovated pipe organ.

As she recalls, “He said, ‘I want you to do anything you can to get people in to hear the organ. They’re not going to come to a service because not necessarily everybody in the community is going to come to a service here.

“Everybody has their own churches, denominations, whatever, or they’re not into that. So, he said, ‘Do anything you want to do, but just get people in here to hear this organ.’”

“Messiah sings were very popular, and so we did that,” Rose says.

This year’s Annual Messiah Sing returns on Dec. 9, 7:30–8:30 p.m. with organ, strings and trumpet, featuring soloists from the Chapel Choir. Admission is free. For more on the chapel offerings, go to chapel.princeton.edu.

The New Jersey Symphony also performs Handel’s work. This year’s traditional holiday presentation will be conducted by Jeannette Sorrell and features the Montclair State University Singers. $29 to $99.

It’s set for Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, Princeton, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21, 8 p.m. njsymphony.org.

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The performance of “Messiah” is just one of many musical events throughout the region. Here’s a few others.

Princeton University Chapel. A Yuletide Feast for Organ and Brass. University organist Eric Plutz is joined by Timberdale Brass in a concert highlighting music for brass quintet, organ solo and combined forces. The program will include several opportunities for the audience to join in singing Christmas carols. Dec. 8, 2:30– 3:30 p.m. chapel.princeton.edu

Westminster Choir College. Bell Choir Holiday Concert. Ringing on the world’s largest range of handbells and choir chime instruments, the ensemble will perform a selection of works, folk tunes and popular holiday favorites. Gillian Erlenborn, conductor. The Yvonne Theater, Lawrence Township. Dec. 7, 4 p.m. $15 to 20.

An Evening of Readings and Carols. Annual event created by WCC faulty members James Jordan and Kathleen Ebling Shaw. Based on the King’s College service in England, the event features Bible texts, hymns, prayers and other musical and spoken expression from around world. $25 to $70. Princeton University Chapel, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14, 8 p.m.

Find out more at rider.vbotickets.com.

Princeton Symphony Orchestra. “Holiday Pops,” another annual tradition, features internationally recognized vocalist, theatre performer, and recording artist Andrea Ross, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Devlin, and the Princeton High School Choir.

They present a lush rendering of seasonal favorites — including its annual sing-along. $5 to $100, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. Saturday, Dec. 14, 3 and 6 p.m. princetonsymphony.org.

Princeton Singers. “A Rose in Winter,” features a range of seasonal works. Artistic director Steven Sametz conducts the annual presentation with music by Steven Sametz, Paul Salerni, and Earl Kim. Free. Reservations recommended. Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton, Friday, Dec. 13, 6 p.m. princetonsingers.org.

Princeton Pro Musica. “A Feast of Carols” featuring sounds of the season, including favorites from Handel’s Messiah and the Christmas music of Bach, classic carols in sumptuous choral-orchestral arrangement, and more. $12 to $81. Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, Sunday, Dec. 15, 4 p.m. princetonpromusica.org.

Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra. Music director and conductor Chiu-Tze Lin and the Edison Chinese Chorus present a holiday concert featuring Christmas and Hanukkah music, selections from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and a sing-along, $20 to $50, Princeton Alliance Church, 20 Schalks Crossing Road, Plainsboro, Sunday, Dec. 8, 7 p.m. bravuraphil.org.

Voices Chorale. “Sing out My Soul” is the Hopewell-based chorus’s 2024 holiday event. The program includes Vivaldi’s Gloria performed with chamber orchestra, plus contemporary compositions and fresh arrangements of holiday traditional holiday songs. $10, children and $25 adults. Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street, Princeton. Saturday, Dec. 14, 4 p.m. voiceschoralenj.org.

New Jersey Capital Philharmonic. The Trenton orchestra’s annual New Year’s Eve concert opens with Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide and has music by artists including Johan Strauss, George Gershwin and Richard Rogers led by conductor Sebastian Grand. A champagne reception with desserts and a jazz trio featuring members of our orchestra will be held after the concert. $32 to $60. Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. Sunday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. capitalphilharmonic.org.

Rider University Bell Choir. The internationally known group founded by Kathleen Ebling Shaw presents its holiday concert, “Realms of Glory” performing arrangements by Gramann, Helman, McChesney, Dobrinski and more. Gillian Erlenborn conducts. Rider University’s Yvonne Theater, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township, $15 to $20, Saturday, Dec.7, 4 p.m. rider.edu/about/events.

Mercer County Community College. Off-Centre Stages presents the Kelsey Holiday Extravaganza (Remixed), a concert-style show that includes the melodies of Christmas, the vibrant tunes of Hanukkah and beyond. It features a lineup of singers who will deliver a mix of classic and modern holiday hits. Friday, Dec. 20 to Sunday, Dec. 21. $20. Kelsey Theater, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. kelsey.mccc.edu

McCarter Theater. “Un-Silent Night,” the Canadian-based Choir! Choir! Choir! music organization’s holiday sing-along, involves “two nice Jewish boys leading you the audience through some of the greatest songs of all time to ring in the holidays.” $25 to $45. 91 University Place, Princeton. Saturday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. mccarter.org.

Bucks County Playhouse. Edmund Bagnell – Home for the Holidays. Bagnell, internationally touring singer and violinist and star of Well Strungwill be joined by pianist and music director, Mark Hartman, for this all-new show featuring selections from his 2020 U.S.A. Today top ranked holiday album, “Christmas at Home.” Dec. 4. $55. 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania.

The playhouse also offers “Seán Heely’s Celtic Christmas.” Heely and a cast of Celtic performers preform the holiday music of Scotland and Ireland, featuring fiddle, bagpipes and dancers from Scottish and Irish traditions. Villa Victoria Academy, 376 W. Upper Ferry Rd, Ewing. Dec. 18, 8 p.m. $45. bcptheater.org.

Princeton Theological Seminary. “Carols of Many Nations” is the Chapel Choir and Seminary Singers’ annual welcoming of the Christmas season with a service featuring scripture readings, anthems, and carols in various languages representing the diversity of the seminary’s community. Free with required registration. Wednesday, Dec. 11, 3:30, 6:30, and 8:30 p.m. Princeton Theological Seminary Chapel, Mercer Street, Princeton. ptsem.edu.

Randy Now’s Mancave. The annual “Christmas With Ed Hamell/Hamell For the Holidays” features the New York-based musician who blends of a mix of personal storytelling, gritty wit, rock ‘n’ roll, and punk. Sunday, Dec. 22, 6 p.m. Free. Randy Now’s Man Cave, 119 West Ward Street, Hightstown. randy-nows-man-cave.ticketleap.com.

Holiday light displays

The first electric lights used to brighten up the holidays were switched on about 35 miles north of Princeton near Route 1 in Menlo Park. And, yes, Thomas Edison has everything to do with it.

As the Library of Congress reports: “Thomas Edison, the inventor of the first successful practical light bulb, created the very first strand of electric lights. During the Christmas season of 1880, these strands were strung around the outside of his Menlo Park Laboratory. Railroad passengers traveling by the laboratory got their first look at an electrical light display. But it would take almost 40 years for electric Christmas lights to become the tradition that we all know and love.”

The above report notes that before electric Christmas lights, families brightened their Christmas trees with candles. They would also accidentally cause house fires. It was Edison’s partner Edward H. Johnson who is credited with creating the first string of electric Christmas tree lights in 1882: 80 hand-wired red, white, and blue Edison’s Illumination Company light bulbs.

However, continues the Library of Congress note, “the world was not quite ready for electrical illumination. There was great mistrust of electricity, and it would take many more years for society to decorate its Christmas trees and homes with electric lights.

Some credit President Grover Cleveland (another Jersey guy) with spurring the acceptance of indoor electric Christmas lights. In 1895, President Cleveland requested that the White House family Christmas tree be illuminated by hundreds of multi-colored electric light bulbs.

“(Then) on Christmas Eve 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the country’s celebration of Christmas by lighting the National Christmas Tree with 3,000 electric lights on the Ellipse located south of the White House.”

For those wanting to get a charge out of a regional electrical lighting display, take a ride to “Martel Family’s Christmas Wonderland” in at 21 Phillips Ave. in Hamilton Township.

Nearing its 40th year, the local hot spot featuring more than 100,000 lights and hundreds of glowing figures was featured nationally on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.”

“I had two Italian uncles who decorated with lights and figures on South Broad Street in Trenton and in Ewing in the 1960s,” said Wonderland mastermind Bob Martel. “I used to get a kick out of it. You know, it grows on you. And I said, ‘If I ever did this, I’d overkill.”

And while the display gets brighter and flashier each season, a set of plywood choir boys painted more than 50 years ago by one of the uncles connects it to its roots and spirit.

Martel says the display, which he keeps going through Jan. 1, is “all about community” and attracts an estimated 10,000 visitors annually.

‘The Nutcracker’ and other dance performances

The creation of the popular seasonal ballet “The Nutcracker” is a story about things being dispersed and then finding a home.

The dance was originally performed in words, a fairy story created by in 1816 by a popular German romantic-era writer of supernatural tales, E.T.A. Hoffmann. His “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” deals with a young woman’s magical encounter with a Christmas gift, a soldier nutcracker.

Since Hoffmann’s stories are often dark and sinister (young girls meeting men-like rats in the dark!), French popular novelist Alexandre Dumas, author of “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “The Three Musketeers,” adapted it into a more family-friendly version in 1844.

It was the lighter and more commercial story version that attracted Russia’s Imperial Theater director Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who decided to bring it to the stage with the talents of choreographer Marius Petipa and composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

“The Nutcracker” ballet premiered on Dec. 6, 1892, at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia to poor notices. The music was considered too symphonic for a ballet, there was lack of complexity and cohesion, and it seemed more for children.

Although the work continued to be performed in Russia and the Soviet Union, the ballet was considered a minor piece and was little known in Western Europe, except for connected excerpts from the second act, “The Nutcracker Suite.”

The first full Western European production of the ballet was in 1934 in London. Former Imperial Theater dancer and theater manager Nicholas Sergeyev, who left Soviet Russia in 1918, choreographed by using notes that he had made and taken with him.

The music preceded the ballet in the United States. And while it was sometimes performed in concert halls, it reached mass audiences in 1940 when Walt Disney’s film “Fantasia” used animated fairies, flowers, and mushrooms to dance to the suite.

Four years later the American “Nutcracker” tradition started when San Francisco Ballet’s William Christensen produced the first full version. His work was informed by a discussion with expatriate Russian dancer Alexandra Danilova and choreographer George Balanchine (soon to emerge as one of the world’s most important choreographers and theater artists).

Balanchine, who performed several roles with the original choreography in St. Petersburg, then produced his own version of the ballet in 1954 for his New York City Ballet. Balanchine not only established an American production that could claim direct roots to the original but brought the ballet into American living rooms when he adapted his production for a television special in 1958.

All of these elements took root in Princeton, where the American Repertory Ballet is heir to a 60-year tradition — one of the oldest in the nation.

It was started by Audree Estey, the Canadian-born founder and director of Princeton Ballet Society that, after a few name variations, became the professional American Repertory Ballet (which maintains the Princeton Ballet School).

After a typical nomadic dance experience, Audree Phipps married Lawrenceville School English teacher Wendell “Bud” Estey and moved to the Princeton area in 1933.

Here she began providing classes at the Lawrenceville School and seemingly any place she could use, including the garage of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.

In the early 1950s she began working on creating a company and using full-length ballets for dance recitals. In 1956 the Princeton Ballet Society presented “The Nutcracker,” featuring Estey’s choreography, accompaniment by piano and harp, the Madrigal Group of Miss Fine’s School, and, according to the program, “150 dancers from the age of 5 to 18, all girls but one, and 12 adults.”

The notes also add that “scores of parents and friends of the society have helped in preparation of the sets, the program, and on other backstage problems,” setting the stage for the future company and the regional ballet tradition.

Several years later, in Dec. 1964, Estey proposed establishing an annual Christmas “The Nutcracker” presentation. Ballet Society member and later McCarter Theater special programmer William Lockwood embraced the idea and forged the partnership between the society and the theater (initiating what is now known as Dance-At-McCarter).

Area performances of the ballet appear below.

American Repertory Ballet. “The Nutcracker,” the company’s annual holiday presentation of Tchaikovsky’s musical journey through an enchanted world, features professional artists plus over 100 children from Princeton Ballet School. Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive Trenton. $15 to $35. Saturday, Dec. 14, 1 and 5 p.m. arballet.org.

Roxey Ballet. The Lambertville professional dance continues its annual production of the beloved classic “The Nutcracker,” choreographed by the company’s founder Mark Roxey and featuring 150 dancers and hundreds of costumes from Dec. 1 to 8, $56.95 to $64.95, Villa Victoria Theater, Route 29, Ewing, 609-397-7616 or roxeyballet.org.

Princeton Youth Ballet. The company celebrates 20 years with the annual “The Nutcracker” presentation featuring some 60 young artists and screen-projected backdrops. $30. Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, 16 Walnut Lane, Princeton. Saturday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, noon and 4 p.m. princetonyouthballet.org.

Kelsey Theater. The Dance Connection once again presents its abridged and narrated “The Nutcracker,” designed for young audiences and presented by young performers. $18 to $22. Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Friday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14 and 15, 1 and 4 p.m.

For those who want to see a little something different, Kelsey Theater offers its Student Dance and Performance Winter Show featuring music inspired by rich theatrical scenes and dances specially choreographed for this concert. Saturday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8, 1:30 p.m. kelseyatmccc.org.

Holiday shopping

With less than a few weeks separating Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, it’s as good a time as any to break with tradition and get a head start on your holiday shopping. If you’re stuck on where to begin, consider supporting regional artisans and causes at these upcoming holiday markets.

West Windsor Arts. The venue’s annual juried artisan market features unique and affordable gifts, from original artwork to jewelry, functional pottery to women’s accessories. Through Saturday, Dec. 21, shoppers will find carefully selected handmade items for sale in the arts center’s gallery as well as online at westwindsorarts.org. 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor

The event got its name from the affordable, original artwork also on display, ready to be purchased on the spot and literally taken “off the wall.” The exhibition of fine art by local and regional artists — working in oils, acrylics, photography, mixed media, watercolors and more — provides an opportunity for shoppers to pick up an original gift while supporting local artists.

“This show is all about providing an opportunity for local artists and artisans to share their craft and giving them space to sell their work,” says Aylin Green, executive director of West Windsor Arts. “You can feel good about it, knowing that you are sustaining the local arts economy, and finding one-of-a-kind items. We create a festive environment and encourage shoppers to get to know the makers, many of whom count on events like this to sustain their artistry.”

The participants this year are dozens of local artisans, including a mother-daughter team who specialize in hand-sewn gifts, an amigurumi crochet artist who crafts whimsical characters, a scented candle maker, and so many others.

Hours for the show are Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 7, 8, 14 and 15, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Additional special hours are Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 2 and 3, from 12:3 to 5:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about the show and participating artists, visit westwindsorarts.org.

The Arts Council of Princeton. The Council’s Artist Chalets have become a winter tradition in Hinds Plaza. These festive pop-up shops each feature local artisans offering fun and unique gifts from textiles and jewelry to candles, pottery, and beyond.

The shops are open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. through Dec. 22. Different vendors are featured each week: Dec. 5 to 8—Red Sean, lucid ladybug, D. Star Design and Fiona C Studios; Dec. 12 to 15—OverSea Creations, Redwood Durable, little b natural organics and Knitworked; and Dec. 19 to 22—Jean Ceramics, Yardsale Press, Joan Ramone and Vintage College Gifts. Located at Witherspoon Street, Princeton. artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Cobblestone Creek Country Club. Greenwood House’s Holiday Gift Boutique, 2170 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township. The senior healthcare facility hosts a holiday gift boutique along with a buffet lunch on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For more information or to register, visit weblink.donorperfect.com/HolidayGiftBoutiqueLuncheon2024.

St. Matthews Episcopal Church. The church’s annual Christmas Bazaar and Luncheon takes place Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The luncheon, $10 per person, features homemade “Creole Christmas” cuisine. Available for purchase are homemade made Norwegian waffles, a variety of hostess gifts, and jewelry. Attendees can also participate in a quilt raffle. St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 300 South Main Street, Pennington. stmatthewspennington.org/christmas-bazaar.

Garden Club of Princeton. The club’s Holiday French Market will be held on Friday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of Nassau Street and University place. A variety of holiday arrangements, amaryllis, narcissus and other gifts will be available for purchase. All proceeds support GCP Community Trust projects. gcprinceton.org.

William Trent House. The Trent House Association and the Garden Club of Trenton are continuing their decades-long partnership selling decorated wreaths for the holidays. The members of the Garden Club will decorate fragrant balsam wreathes from Maine, accented them with freshly harvested sprigs of silvery and aromatic eucalyptus, shiny magnolia tips, faux red berries and seasonal ribbons. The wreaths are available in two sizes: 22” diameter with red accents ($67) and 20” diameter with gold accents ($57).

New this year is pre-ordering online on the Garden Club website at gardencluboftrenton.org/products/seasonal-wreath. All wreaths will be available for pickup on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Trent House or in Pennington or Hopewell. Pick-up arrangements will be confirmed with buyers by Dec. 3. Proceeds to benefit the William Trent House and the Garden Club of Trenton. 15 Market Street, Trenton. williamtrenthouse.org.

Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market. The annual holiday “Wreck the Halls” festival returns featuring hundreds of artists and creators from more than 30 states. Also part of the fun are food trucks, celebrity guests, on-site tattooing, classic pop up arcades and art galleries, live music, and DJs. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14, 5 to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cure Insurance Arena, 81 Hamilton Ave, Trenton. trentonprfm.com/dec2024. General admission is $15.

Artworks Trenton. The annual “10X10 Red Dot Fundraising Exhibition opens with a reception on Saturday, Dec. 14, 6 to 9 p.m., and continues through Jan. 4. This unique annual tradition offers people the chance to give the gift of affordable art for the holidays while also supporting up-and-coming regional artists and the nonprofit Artworks Trenton.

More than 100 Trenton area artists — experienced and novice alike — create art on a 10”x10” canvas. The diverse works are created specifically for Artworks in oil, acrylic, mixed media, photography, pastel, watercolor, and more. Every piece in the exhibit is for sale for $100, with proceeds split evenly between the artist and Artworks. 19 Everett Alley and South Stockton Street, Trenton. artworkstrenton.org.

Festive destinations

Kuser Farm Park. The annual Winter Wonderland at the Hamilton Township park returns with photos with Santa, DIY magic reindeer food, Candy Land Cottage, the Lollipop Stop, pony rides, wagon and train rides through the light display, a gingerbread bounce house and mansion and model railroad tours. Friday, Dec. 6, 4 to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 to 7:30 p.m. 390 Newkirk Avenue, Hamilton. (609) 890-3630 or hamiltonnj.com.

Grounds For Sculpture. Wreath Making with Manager of Horticulture Cat Swiderski and Horticulturist Jen Mothes, $50 to $70. Saturday, Dec. 7. 126 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. (609) 586-0616 or groundsforsculpture.org.

Palmer Square. The Green at Palmer Square in Princeton hosts events including Holiday Jam & Toy Drive with Princeton University featuring Princeton University a cappella groups on Thursday, Dec. 5, 5–7 p.m.; the Annual Menorah Lighting on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 4:30 p.m.; and a Christmas Eve sing-along on Tuesday, Dec. 24, 5 to 6 p.m. palmersquare.com/holidays.

Mill Hill Holiday House and Window Tour. The 57th annual House Tour of 19th century homes in Trenton’s historic downtown district is a tradition featuring window displays and special decorations, with some of the homeowners hosting visitors with holiday music, refreshments and insightful conversation on their stoops and sidewalks. $20 to $25. The tour begins at 19 Everett Alley and South Stockton Street, Trenton. Saturday, Dec. 7, noon to 5 p.m. eventbrite.com/e/2024-mill-hill-holiday-house-tour-tickets-1046983735537

Pennsbury Manor. “Holly Night” is the annual candlelight tour of the home of William Penn. It also includes open fires, yule logs, hot cider, colonial crafts and historic reenactors. $8 to $16. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 5 and 6, 6 to 9 p.m. 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville, Pennsylvania. (215) 946-0400 or pennsburymanor.org.

Howell Living History Farm. Christmas on the Farm with Christmas crafts, live music, animal visits, a visit to a decorated farmhouse, and a visit with Santa (arriving on a steam tractor). Free. Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Valley Road, Hopewell, just off Route 29. (609) 737-3299 or howellfarm.org.

Morven Museum. The historic building’s annual Festival of Trees display is up and welcomes visitors with decorated rooms and mantels. This year’s theme, “Traditions & Celebrations,” is inspired by Morven’s history and the stories of its residents, from its current exhibition, “Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home.”

“The level of detail and ingenuity in this year’s applicant pool was very impressive,” said Rhonda DiMascio, Morven’s executive director. “While selecting the right mix of exhibitors can be challenging, with the breadth of decorators the committee selected, the Festival of Trees 2024 will be a season highlight for long-time and new visitors alike.”

Decorators include Arts Council of Princeton/Princeton Nursery School; Contemporary Garden Club of Princeton; The Garden Club of Princeton; Historical Society of Princeton; Nottingham Garden Club of Hamilton; The West Trenton Garden Club; and West Windsor Arts. $10 to $12. 55 Stockton St., Princeton. Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., through Jan. 5. (609) 924-8144 or morven.org.

Drumthwacket. New Jersey’s official governor’s mansion is opening the 19th-century Greek revival-style house to visitors with holiday displays. The open-house tours are set for Wednesday, Dec. 4 to Saturday, Dec. 7. Also Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Entry is free, but reservations are required. drumthwacket.org.