Step into a bustling Christmas Eve night, 1870!
Join us again this year at GCV&M on December 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 20, and 21 for a charming annual tradition! Step into the heart of our 19th-century village for a fresh and lively take on the holiday season! This year’s Yuletide in the Country Tour brings you an immersive journey through the lives and the times of Western New Yorkers, all through the eyes of a resilient servant navigating a whirlwind of Christmas Eve 1870.
Plus, add on a sumptuous Yuletide Buffet Dinner in the Museum’s festively decorated Meeting Center to round out your evening (see below on how to schedule tours and dinners together).
Please note: Yuletide Tour and Yuletide Buffet Dinner tickets need to be purchased separately. Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this page for our Frequently Asked Questions section!
Event sponsors:
Step into holiday traditions of the past
As you follow our guide from grand manors to bustling taverns, you’ll witness the rich layers of holiday traditions, from Hanukkah and Swedish decoration-making to the bustling preparations for Watch Night. Encounter the local gossip, festive dances, and a glimpse into the history behind the season’s celebrations. Experience the spirit of Christmas in a whole new way, where every stop on the tour weaves a unique story that reflects the heart of the holiday spirit.
Take in the beauty of the candle-lit Village
Marvel at our 19th-century Historic Village, covered in a dusting of snow and lit only by candle light as you make your way in and out of historic buildings decorated for the season.
See authentic holiday decorations, and take in the charm of a 19th-century village for the holidays!
Savor a sumptuous meal
Pair your tour with a festive Yuletide Dinner – a sumptuous GCV&M tradition featuring savory and sweet holiday dishes! Whether in conjunction with your tour, part of your family traditions, or a brand-new adventure, our cozy dinner will have your heart swelling with cheer.
How do you plan your tour around dinner (or vice-versa)? Yuletide tours are about 90 minutes in length. If you purchased for a 3:45 tour, you would purchase the 5 pm buffet. If you purchased for a 3:30 buffet, you would purchase for a 4:30 tour.
Please note: tickets for Yuletide Dinners and Tours must be purchased separately.
Plus, enjoy sweets, hot beverages, and a cash bar in our festive Meeting Center Lounge, alight with holiday cheer and a roaring fire. Not planning to join us for dinner? You can still enjoy the bar and refreshments in our Meeting Center Lounge!
Ticket Information
YULETIDE TOUR TICKETS
Ticket prices vary by day for Yuletide in the Country Tours.
Please note that courtesy passes are NOT accepted for this event; this is a capacity-driven, reservation-only program.
BUFFET DINNER TICKETS
Adults: $32
Youth (3 – 12): $20
Children under 3: FREE
Please note that courtesy passes are NOT accepted for this event; this is a capacity-driven, reservation-only program.
FAQs
No. Because this is a limited-capacity, reservation-only event, courtesy passes are not accepted. You must purchase tickets online in advance to attend this event.
All Yuletide tickets are absolutely non-refundable for any reason and strictly non-transferable by date, entry time, or program.
For Yuletide Tours and Yuletide Buffet both, please arrive no later than 15 minutes before your tour or reservation time begins. If you are too late, we cannot guarantee you a later spot.
There is no age limit for Yuletide in the Country; it is up to the parent whether or not they think their child(ren) will enjoy the program.
Please note that this is a walking tour; strollers and wagons will not be allowed past the Toll House due to space constraints. Small children will need to be able to walk or be carried for the entirety of the tour.
No. The Historic Village will only be open to those who have purchased a ticket for guided Yuletide in the Country Tours. You may not be in the Historic Village unless/until you are on your guided tour.
Tours commence rain, snow, or shine! Please feel free to bring a flashlight and gear for the outdoor conditions. Museums events are only cancelled by emergency order of Monroe County. Please allow yourself plenty of time to get to The Museum before your tour time!
In the event that weather has an impact or causes the cancellation of a Yuletide program, our Visitor Services team will contact you via phone and/or email, making you aware of any date and/or time change or offering a refund if needed. Please note that GCV&M carefully watches the weather forecast for a week leading up to each event and will make decisions accordingly.
The story Yuletide in the Country guests will experience this year will be entirely new and fresh!
Tour guides will be in character as an 1870 servant, running their Christmas-Eve errands through the Historic Village. Guests will accompany the servant on their errands, greeting old and new friends, learning about new traditions, and spreading the warmth and joy of the holiday season to their neighbors. The entire experience takes place on Christmas Eve 1870, rather than vignettes in different time periods and parts of the world.
No outside food or drink is permitted; food and beverages will not be permitted on the Tour in the Historic Village. Please leave pets at home; leashed service animals are welcome with proper identification. There is no smoking or vaping except in the front parking lot. Professional videography and flash photography is prohibited.
Code of conduct: staff and visitors are expected to behave in a way concurrent with our mission and values. The Museum will not tolerate comments that are hateful, violent, homophobic, racist, derogatory, or abusive by either visitors or staff. Those who violate these expectations will be removed from the site.
No. Strollers and wagons are not permitted for this tour, as you will be walking on uneven Village paths, and entering and exiting through very narrow doorways that will not accommodate a stroller or wagon. You will be asked to park your stroller or wagon at the Toll House.
The buffet and dining rooms will close one hour after the last seating starts.
- Fridays – buffet and dining rooms will close at 8:30 pm.
- Saturdays – buffet and dining rooms will close at 8 pm.
- Sunday – the buffet and dining rooms will close at 7:30 pm.
Last call for the cash bar and complimentary drinks/cookies will be when the last tour launches.
You will sit down to dinner at your exact reservation time. You will have about an hour to eat.
Examples:
I have a 5 p.m. Friday tour time booked and then I want to eat after my tour is over, at 6:30 p.m. – perfect!
I have an 8 p.m. tour time booked on Saturday, and I want to eat at 6:30 or 7 before my tour – perfect!
No. Yuletide in the Country Tour tickets must be purchased online in advance at shop.gcv.org.
Only if there are dinner tickets available. If the dinner is sold out, we will not be able to sell you any tickets.
Yuletide Buffet has family-style seating!
Please note: we only reserve tables for parties of 8 or more people. Please see the next FAQ for more information.
We only reserve tables for groups of 8 or more people. Please stop at the hostess station on the way into the dining rooms, and they will show you to your table.
Groups of 8 or more should email info@gcv.org with the date, reservation time, and names of all ticketholders.
