Get into the Holiday Spirit at Bellevue House National Historic Site!

Parks Canada invites visitors of all ages to enjoy a traditional celebration

December 5, 2017                          Kingston, Ontario                      Parks Canada Agency

As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, Parks Canada invites Canadians to journey back in time to discover how Christmas would have been celebrated in the 19th century at Bellevue House National Historic Site. Experience the magic and festive traditions of days gone by through a family-friendly Christmas event.

The Italianate Villa will host Deck the Halls, a Victorian Christmas celebration for families on Saturday, December 9th. The national historic site will be dressed for the holidays with old-fashioned decorations from 1848, when Sir John A. Macdonald spent Christmas at Bellevue House with his young family. Visitors are invited to share the warmth of the holidays over hot mulled apple cider and a traditional treat from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Throughout the day, children can enjoy making gifts and decorations including cedar swag, cloth angels and orange pomanders. Take home a photo memento of the day through a festive photo booth, and maybe even be joined by Father Christmas himself! In the spirit of Christmas giving, visitors are encouraged to bring a new pair of socks to donate to Kingston Home Base, a local not-for-profit housing organization. Help us reach our goal of donating 150 pairs of socks this holiday season!

Parks Canada is the country’s largest tourism provider and we are committed to providing visitors with meaningful experiences at our places. Turn back the clock to experience a true Victorian Christmas at Bellevue House National Historic Site this December. Visitors can stay up-to-date with Bellevue House all year long by liking the site’s Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/bellevuehouseNHS.

To help visitors plan their experiences, Parks Canada launched a mobile app earlier this season. The app is incredibly popular and, to date, there have been over 150,000 downloads. The Parks Canada Mobile App is a great planning tool which offers up-to-date information and resources to help visitors plan their visit and discover breathtaking locations, including a list of hidden gems, and other unique and memorable experiences at national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas.