There’s always plenty of happenings around the holiday season, and the Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre is joining in to offer fun, festive family events ahead of Christmas day.
Join the Fort Frances Museum this holiday season for a variety of festive family crafting workshops, a visit from Kris Kringle himself, and an adult-focused self-care workshop. Museum Curator Lisa Hughes said the museum is trying to offer up events that can be a wholesome time to spend together with family.
“We’re trying to come up with activities that are fun, family-friendly, and really celebrate the season and togetherness,” said Hughes.
“So, we’re going to make some traditional Christmas crackers with some cards. It’s always nice to have a workshop where you can make crafting things, or crafting items, especially when they’re things related to the season. We will have templates for the crackers so that you can put them together. We’ll also have things that you can put inside the cracker. All materials are provided, and museum staff will guide participants through each activity. This workshop is perfect for families looking to share creative time and take home some special holiday keepsakes.”
The Christmas cracker and card event takes place on Thursday, December 11, at the Museum from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
The museum will also be hosting an event perfect for your littlest loved ones at Rainy Lake Square on Saturday, December 13, from 1-3 p.m., which will feature a special visit with the big man himself.
“Families can see the amazing Christmas tree, visit Santa, and capture the moment with a photo,” said Hughes.
“Bring your own camera or use our Polaroid camera to take home a keepsake. We encourage visitors to bring non-perishable items or a small donation for the Foodbank.”
If that’s not your speed, maybe you might prefer something where you get a snack at the end of the activity.
“We also have the Christmas cookie decorating. We did do that last year, and it’s just a fun activity,” said Hughes.
“Who doesn’t enjoy decorating cookies? Not only do you have cookies that you decorate, but you get to eat them afterwards! That’s even better.”
The cookies being decorated will be sugar cookies, and the event will take place at the museum on Thursday, December 18, from 5 until 7 p.m.
Before the New Year, but after the Christmas holidays, an adult-only event focusing on self-care will help nurse your holiday hangover.
“After Christmas, treat yourself to some me time at our wellness-focused workshop. Participants will learn to make two winter essentials, fire cider and whipped tallow balm, perfect for staying warm, supported, and nourished through the year’s colder months,” said Hughes.
“The instructor is Julia Palson, and she’s done workshops with the museum in the past.”
The self-care-focused event runs from 1 until 3:30 p.m. on Monday, December 29.
Hughes said this Christmas season’s museum events are all about enjoying the holidays together with family, something spurred on by her own memories of holidays spent with her own family.
“It really is all about spending it with family. I think my most cherished memories all include that,” said Hughes.
“Every year, we always start off opening up stockings before we do anything, and we’ve done that for years. I’m a Christmas baby. So, it’s just always been that we have our stockings. We’ve had them for years and years and years. They gave me to my mother in my stocking. It doesn’t matter where we are, but that’s the first thing we do; before breakfast, before anything, we open our stockings. It is very sentimental for me.”
