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Lantern Light Village

December 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23
5:00 – 8:00 pm

Lantern Light Village is an outdoor, self-guided experience for the whole family, designed to exemplify the differences between the modern and 19th century holiday seasons. Take a journey through time as you seamlessly transition between the holidays you experience today and the holidays of the past. Enjoy festive lighting displays, live music, horse and carriage rides, crackling fires, a visit to St. Nicholas, and more, including holiday themed stories, crafts, and games!

Experience an original theatrical event, “Holiday Heirlooms,” by traveling through the generations of one 19th-century family’s Christmas traditions- old and new. See how Christmas and the traditions surrounding it have changed over time, and how the Christmas we know today has transformed. As you explore our historic village, you will partake in a 19th-century dance, hear songs of Christmases past, and share a family’s Christmas holiday.

Each evening will feature live chantey music in the village along with music by local choirs, including: 

Stonington High School Chamber Choir – December 8, 9, & 23 

Stonington Madrigal Singers – December 15 & 16 

CT Yuletide Carolers – December 21 & 22 

Be sure to join us for Lantern Light Village as we bring to life New England holiday seasons of old in what’s certain to become your next favorite holiday tradition!

Admission:

Adult (18+) $29.00

Senior (Ages 65+) $29.00

Youth (Ages 13-17) $24.00

Child (Ages 4-12) $24.00

Ages up to 3 are free

Yuletide Spirits

Experience Yuletide Spirits as you walk the Mystic Seaport Village and travel back to a time when sharing Christmas ghost stories was a cherished part of holiday gatherings!  Climb aboard the Charles W. Morgan to witness the origins of the classic New England ghost tale of Ocean-Born Mary in 1720.  Visit the home of Louis “Gus” Roy almost two centuries later as he grows the tale into the centerpiece of his haunted house tours, and hear how the story has changed with the telling.  In the Seamen’s Friend Society Reading Room, you’ll meet three young women, each spinning different versions of Mary’s yarn, who ultimately set the ghost’s fate in writing for the first time.  At the Print Shop you can watch as Mary’s story is transformed from an oral tradition into a printed product, and see firsthand how technology forever changed the way we celebrate Christmas.  And don’t forget to stop by the Chandlery along the way, where you’ll enjoy music, caroling, and dancing — and maybe even get to meet the ghost of Mary herself!  You can experience the scenes in Yuletide Spirits in any order, so feel free to wander the Village and plan your own adventure!

Yuletide Spirits Locations & Scene Summaries

The Charles W. Morgan is playing the role of the seventeenth-century passenger ship The Wolf, en route from Scotland to Boston on Christmas Eve of 1720.  Climb aboard and witness the origins of the classic New England ghost tale of Ocean-Born Mary on Christmas Eve, and decide how you would tell Mary’s story.  You can experience the scenes in Yuletide Spirits in any order, so feel free to wander the Village and plan your own adventure!

The Buckingham House is playing the role of the Ocean-Born Mary House on Christmas Eve in 1876.  Previously the home of Ocean-Born Mary, it is now owned by Louis “Gus” Roy, who has grown Mary’s tale into the centerpiece of his haunted house tours for visitors seeking a ghostly encounter with the famed spirit.  You can experience the scenes in Yuletide Spirits in any order, so feel free to wander the Village and plan your own adventure!

The Seamen’s Friend Society Reading Room is hosting three young women on Christmas Eve, 1876.  Together, they spin different versions of Mary’s yarn into one tale, and set the ghost’s fate in writing for the first time.  You can experience the scenes in Yuletide Spirits in any order, so feel free to wander the Village and plan your own adventure!

The Print Shop is open on Christmas Eve, 1876, and our Printer is kept busy by the ever-increasing demand for printed works — including Christmas ghost stories like Ocean-Born Mary.  Watch as Mary’s story is transformed from an oral tradition into a printed product, and see firsthand how technology forever changed the way we celebrate Christmas.  You can experience the scenes in Yuletide Spirits in any order, so feel free to wander the Village and plan your own adventure!

Don’t forget to stop by the Chandlery along the journey, where you’ll enjoy music, caroling, and dancing — and maybe even get to meet the ghost of Mary herself as she hosts her annual Christmas party!  You can experience the scenes in Yuletide Spirits in any order, so feel free to wander the Village and plan your own adventure!

Please note the following:

  • Horse and carriage rides last between four and five minutes. 
  • This experience is almost entirely outdoors regardless of weather conditions. Dressing in clothes that will keep you warm and dry is a must!
  • Some portions of our campus are lit only with kerosene lanterns to provide a 19th-century atmosphere. Bringing an additional personal light source (such as a flashlight or headlamp) is allowed if you feel you need one.
  • No pets are allowed on grounds for this event due to the presence of horses. Service animals are permitted.

Mystic Seaport Museum thanks our community partner Power Posse Productions for their support of Lantern Light Village. 

horse and buggy by lantern light

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