Enjoy treasures from Christmas past at The National Christmas Center!

The original National Christmas Center of Paradise officially closed its doors in January of 2018. For over 19 years, this beloved tourist destination shared the magic of Christmas, both religious and secular, its history, memories and traditions with thousands of visitors. After a search for someone who could purchase the center’s collections and keep the spirit of Christmas alive, the search ended when Stone Gables Estate purchased the entire Christmas collection. This collection is one of the largest collections of historical Christmas memorabilia in the United States.

Until its permanent home is ready, visitors can now enjoy over 18,000+ square feet of nostalgic Christmas décor in lights, trees, stores, and renowned artifacts at the National Christmas Center which is housed a short distance from Stone Gables Estate. Seventeen-foot-tall, real-life buildings with artistic architectural features depict the streets of Columbia, Pennsylvania as they were in the 1950s. Featured storefronts include a walk-in Woolworth’s Store, a Boy’s Toy Store, a Girl’s Toy Store, the Sweet Shoppe featuring Klein Chocolates, Miesse Candies, Byers Bakery, and much more!

Peer in the windows of shops which include Joe – The Motorists’ Friend, Eichhorn’s Store for Men, Watt, and Shand, Dave Barton’s Barbershop, The Train Store, and more!

Old favorites such as the animated Tudor Towne which tells the story of forgiveness, a “choir” of over 900 Gurley candles, Pennsylvania handmade Byers’ Choice carolers, Santa’s from around the world, over 1,000 nativities from around the world depicted in their native culture, and much more will bring back many nostalgic memories and joys of childhood gone by.

New to the National Christmas Center collection is the Toy Soldier store with over 5,000 hand-painted soldiers as part of the world’s finest collection of brass and wood models including ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. Also new to the National Christmas Center collection is Anastasia’s Doll Emporium, a collection of the finest dolls and dollhouses around the world. Antiques such as Santa’s, scales, popcorn machines, barber chairs, and more will bring back fond memories.

Another must-see on display is a world-class builder’s model of the Titanic in the Titanic Museum. The Titanic model is 22 feet long, 9 feet tall, and weighs 5,500 lbs. It has eight miles of fiber optic lighting and was constructed according to the original plans of the original Titanic ship. This is a one-of-a-kind display with original plans and photos. (from their website)

There are so many wonderful things to see and photograph here at the new museum! It was a thrill to wander the new displays in preparation for this workshop, and I’m looking forward to bringing a group here for the first time to photograph all the treasures of Christmas and more that the museum holds!

You will spend your time capturing great images of the displays with a variety of lenses, using a variety of techniques and exposure settings. Emphasis will be on creative compositions, and capturing all the detail in semi-challenging light. There will be a pre-trek class via Zoom to go over all the details, with tons of images and shooting tips and techniques. Hands on instruction will continue during our visit. An image review to further the learning process will take place soon after the event, also via Zoom. A detailed email will be sent a few weeks prior to the event.

A minimum number of participants is needed to run this workshop. Space is limited, so register today.

Registration fee covers the cost to enter the museum.

Address for the National Christmas Center: 3950 East Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057.

USE THIS ADDRESS-DO NOT GOOGLE IT!

Below are just a few of the many options from the 49+ displays!