OUT OF HERE: The Twelve Days of Christmas and More!

OUT OF HERE: Activities outside of Rye

Compiled by Sarah Martin

Confectionary Delight

Decorate a pre-made gingerbread house at the Second Congregational Church in Greenwich, December 7 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

The cost is $35 per house, and includes delectable decorations. Reservations are required. Contact churchschool@2cc.org or call 203-869-9311, ext. 131.

Mit Schlag

The Vienna Boys’ Choir will perform “Christmas in Vienna” at The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, December 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $65. Visit artscenter.org or call 251-6200.

Guilded Gifts

The Mamaroneck Artists Guild annual holiday show, “A Gift of Art,” runs through Christmas Eve. Shop for affordable fine art, ceramics, and jewelry.

An opening reception will be held December 7 from 5-7 p.m.

The oldest artists’ cooperative in Westchester is located at 126 Larchmont Avenue in Larchmont. Visit Marmaroneckartistsguild. org.

Listen My Children, and You Shall Hear

Gather in the Old Dutch Church across from Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow as master storyteller Jonathan Kruk shares his version of “A Christmas Carol” by candlelight. Performances take place December 7, 14, 21, and 22. Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate, cider, and cookies.

Visit hudsonvalley.org or call 366-6900.

Strike Up the Band

The Boston Pops Holiday Concert will be held at the Eisenhower Hall Theater at West Point, December 8 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $50. Call 845-938-4159 or visit ikehall.com.

A White Christmas Unfolds on Stage

The Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford presents “White Christmas” through January 12. After World War II, veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge. The dazzling score features well-known standards including “Blue Skies,” “I Love A Piano,” “How Deep Is the Ocean,” and the perennial favorite, “White Christmas.” The unforgettable, tap-dancing performance is based on the timeless film and features 17 Irving Berlin songs.
For tickets, visit broadwaytheatre.com or call 592-2222.

Hail Dickens and Duchesses

Lyndhurst, the national historic site in Tarrytown, presents “Mr. Dickens Tells a Christmas Carol” December 13 through 29. Tickets range from $15-$35. 

Through December 29, visitors can also enjoy “A Very Duchess Holiday”, a special holiday exhibition of the couture clothing of Duchess of Talleyrand and Princess de Sagan Anna Gould, the last owner of Lyndhurst. In addition to her fabulous fashions, her wedding dress among them, you’ll see a Christmas tree made out of all of her hats. The former Jay Gould mansion will appropriately be lavishly decorated for the holidays.

For more information, visit lyndhurst.org or call 631-4481.

Enchantment Reigns

The Purchase Dance Company and local children bring “The Nutcracker” to the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College December 13-15. Tickets range from $30 to $55. Call 2521-6200 or visit artscenter.org.

Christmas Up on the Farm

Muscoot Farm invites families to spend an old-fashioned night with carols, cookies, and a tour of the decorated barnyard Saturday, December 14 from 5-7 p.m. On December 15, from 3-5 p.m., tour the farmhouse and barnyard and see a performance of Nappy’s Puppets at 3:30 p.m.
The Westchester County Park is located on Route 100 in Somers. For information, visit Westchester.com/parks or call 864-7282.

Music and Madeleines

The Greenwich Arts Council presents an evening of Marcel Proust’s life and writings mirrored in the music of the period, December 19 at 7 p.m. Proust, one of the twentieth century’s major writers and philosophical thinkers and author of the classic “Remembrance of Things Past,” will be celebrated in a program of words and sounds produced by Pamela Kuhn.
Musical pieces by Gabriel Faure, Camille Saint-Saens, Reynaldo Hahn, and Henri Duparc will be performed by pianist David Holkeboer and soprano Hansini Bhasker. Actress Florence Phillips will read passages from Proust, as well as writings about the author. 

A $10 donation is requested at the door. Visit greenwichartscouncil.org or call 203-862-6750.

Also on view from December 12-February 9, is the International Miniature Print Exhibition, showing over 250 prints in all styles and media from artists around the world. An opening reception will be held December 12 from 6-8 p.m.

Make Mine Clay

The Clay Art Center’s Holiday Studio Tour and Sale continues through December 22. You’ll find handmade pottery, sculpture, and jewelry by over 50 amazing artists.

The center is located at 40 Beech Street in Port Chester. Call 937-2047 or visit clayartcenter.org.

Ideal for Eloise

Ages 3-10 can don their chef’s hats and aprons to decorate gingerbread houses at the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains, December 15 from 10-11:30 a.m. The cost is $45 per child, plus tax and gratuity. 

On December 8, children can have Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the hotel from 9-11 a.m. Cost is $50 per adult and $35 for ages 2-10, plus tax and gratuity. Arts and crafts activities, entertainment, and photos with Santa will all be part of the celebration that takes place in the ballroom, which has been transformed into a holiday wonderland.
For more information, call 467-5826.

The Spirit Sings

The White Plains Performing Arts Center presents the beloved musical “Les Misérables” December 13-31. Based on Victor Hugo’s 19th-century novel, the show is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit.

Tickets are $50 for adults, $30 for high school students and younger. New Year’s Eve tickets are $85 for adults, $70 for high school students and younger and include a post-show reception.
Visit wppac.com or call 328-1600.

Great Escapes

Tarrytown House Estate on the Hudson offers a special Christmas Carol Package that includes an overnight stay, daily American Breakfast for two at the Biddle Mansion, and admission for two to the holiday event. The package is available December 7 and 14.

In addition, the Estate provides an opportunity for couples to leave children in the hands of loved ones back home and enjoy a Romantic Getaway. Starting at $239, the package includes overnight accommodations, a daily American Breakfast for two at the Biddle Mansion, chocolate-covered strawberries, and champagne upon arrival.
Visit www.tarrytownhouseestate.com or call 800-553-8118.

“Alone,” but Never Forgotten

There’s never a dull moment in “Home Alone” (PG), the nonstop slapstick comedy about a boy (Macaulay Culkin) who is left behind when his family goes on vacation. With the place to himself, he’s having a great time — until he discovers a pair of burglars attempting to rob the house and has to act quickly.

Screenings are 12 p.m. December 8, 14, and 15 at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville.

The Way, Way Back

The Greenwich Historical Society’s Bush-Holley House will open for candlelit tours, featuring costumed interpreters and period holiday decorations, December 15 from 5-7 p.m. On this one magical night, learn about Christmases past and enjoy live music, refreshments, and crafts. 

Admission is free. Visit greenwichhistory.org or call 203-869-6899, ext. 10.