News / Press Releases Discover 100 Years of Texas Christmas Traditions at the George Ranch Historical Park Discover 100 Years of Texas Christmas Traditions at the George Ranch Historical Park
Discover 100 Years of Texas Christmas Traditions
at the George Ranch Historical Park
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Media Contact: Jennifer Farrell, 281-382-0219, jfarrell@fbhistory.org
RICHMOND – Travel back in time to experience a historic holiday season this December at the George Ranch Historical Park! Starting on Saturday, December 1, the living history Park will showcase more than 100 years of Texas holiday customs, traditions and decorations at its annual Christmas in the Park and Campfire Christmas events.
Christmas in the Park: Every Saturday in December
Discover more than a century of holiday customs and traditions every Saturday in December during the Christmas in the Park daytime event! Learn about the Yule log tradition and how to decorate using simple greenery like the early Texian pioneers, enjoy Christmas cookies and wassail, explore the extravagant Christmas décor of the Victorian era and see some very special George family holiday relics on display. Cattle-roping and sorting demonstrations will be held at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Also, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., families can visit with Santa at his temporary workshop near the 1930s George Cattle Complex! All of the above activities are included with general admission.
Holiday craft workshops are also scheduled for each day of Christmas in the Park, and include hands-on activities with take-home projects such as a taffy pull, mistletoe ball-making, and Victorian ornament-making. The craft workshops are $5 per person in addition to general admission and take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Advance reservations are recommended, but are not required.
For more information, visit https://www.georgeranch.org/programs-events/christmas-in-the-park-2018/, email info@georgeranch.org or call 281-343-0218.
Campfire Christmas: December 8 & 15
Journey back into time to Christmases past with this one-of-a-kind immersive holiday experience! Start your evening with a merry greeting at the Visitor Center and hot chocolate and coffee to warm your soul. Then, enjoy a classic holiday meal featuring scrumptious recipes from Christmases gone by. After dinner, take a turn on the dance floor to the music of the ever-popular Pat Gavin and the Buckaroo Band. Finally, hop on our time-traveling tram for a journey through time:
1st Stop: Travel back to Christmas Eve 1851 for a housewarming dinner party thrown for the newly-constructed Old Prairie Home. Take a tour of the home decorated for the holidays and join a dinner party in action.
2nd Stop: Next stop, visit the George Line Camp on Christmas Eve 1936 and learn about ranching in the 1930s. Chat with the cowboys and sing some tunes out on the lonely range while sipping hot coffee and cider by a roaring fire.
3rd Stop: On your last stop, call on the George Ranch Home on Christmas Eve 1936. The George family is entertaining and finding their own form of “electrifying” holiday cheer!
The Campfire Christmas dinner menu includes roasted chicken with savory giblet gravy, sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes with toasted crumb topping, creamed green beans and celery, baked squash casserole, Brussels sprouts and carrots with chestnuts, cranberry “cocktail” sauce, dinner rolls, apple cobbler, Indian pudding and mincemeat pies.
Reservations are required; tickets are $50 for adults and $45 for children, seniors and groups of 10 or
more. Reservations can be made by calling 281-343-0218 or by going online at: https://www.georgeranch.org/programs-events/campfire-christmas/. Please note that Campfire Christmas is held regardless of the weather and tickets are non-refundable. Campfire Christmas is recommended for ages 8 and up.
Children’s Campfire Christmas: December 14
A special Children’s Campfire Christmas will take place on Friday, December 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. Children’s Campfire Christmas is a family-focused event that includes lots of activities for the little ones, including fun Christmas crafts, a hayride through the Park and Christmas songs around the campfire. A light dinner is also included in the ticket price.
The Children’s Campfire Christmas menu includes roasted chicken with gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes with toasted crumb topping, green bean casserole, honey-glazed carrots and sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, apple cobbler and Christmas cookies.
Reservations are required. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for children ages 5-15, seniors and groups of 10+, and $10 for children ages 4 and under. Please note that Children’s Campfire Christmas is held regardless of the weather and tickets are non-refundable. To make reservations, call 281-343-0218 x220 or visit https://www.georgeranch.org/programs-events/campfire-christmas/.
About the Park:
The George Ranch Historical Park is an outdoor living history museum that showcases Texas history from the 1830s through the 1930s. The Park is anchored by four different home sites: the 1830s Jones Stock Farm, 1860s Ryon Prairie Home, 1890s Davis Victorian Mansion and 1930s George Ranch Cattle Complex. Regular activities include historic home tours, living history demonstrations, hands-on activities, cattleworking and dipping vat demonstrations and more! Guests should allow three to four hours to visit the Park and should dress for the weather. The George Ranch Historical Park is located at 10215 FM 762 in Richmond. General admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for children ages four through 12. Children three and under are free. Operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.georgeranch.org or call 281-343-0218.
About the Fort Bend History Association:
The Fort Bend History Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1967 and dedicated to sharing and preserving Fort Bend County history. The Association runs the programs at the George Ranch Historical Park; other Association entities include the Fort Bend Museum, DeWalt Heritage Center, Decker Heritage Park, the Fort Bend Archeological Society and the Texian Time Machine. For more information about the Association, please visit fbhistory.org or call 281-342-1256.
###
