Longfellow Holiday Open House

Plan Ahead: Before entering the historic house, you will be required to store all purses, backpacks, and other bags (including small ones) at our bag check. To skip the line, we recommend leaving these at home!

Special stories, including books and oral traditions, have long brought families together around the holidays. In 1864, Longfellow would add his own words to the catalog of treasured Christmas stories with his 1864 poem “Christmas Bells,” a call for “peace on Earth & goodwill to men” during the American Civil War. Join us on December 12 to celebrate the power of stories to bring us together at the holidays.

Early-Bird Open House

1:00-4:00 pm (last entry at 3:45 pm)
Skip the crowds and enjoy the Longfellow House, decorated with special seasonal objects from the site's museum collection, during the afternoon hours.

Sunset Poetry Reading

4:00-4:15 pm 

Join us in front of the Longfellow House for a special sunset reading of Longfellow's beloved 1864 poem "Christmas Bells."

Crafts, Cookies, and Carols

4:00-8:00 pm 

Follow a festively lit path to 115 Brattle Street, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, to enjoy Victorian carolers, treats, puppet shows, and take-and-make holiday crafts.

Evening Open House

5:00-8:00 pm (last entry at 7:45 pm)
Enjoy a luminaria display on the grounds and stroll the halls of the Longfellow House, decorated in period style and featuring live harp music and special seasonal objects from the site's museum collection.