Christmastide at Stratford Hall
Saturday, December 5, 2026
Make your Semiquincentennial holiday season truly historic! Stroll through Stratford Hall’s charming buildings and grounds decorated in authentic holiday spirit, try colonial carols, and learn about 18th-century traditions and foodways from historic interpreters. Don’t forget to take a scenic tractor wagon ride around the twilight grounds.
New this year, we’re excited to welcome Mr. & Mrs. Claus from the North Pole to collect letters from our post office, take pictures, and share stories and cookies with families! We’re also offering two dinner experiences to choose from, plus a number of holiday-themed offers like gift baskets, ornaments, and more that you can pick up from the Gift Shop. The more the merrier!
Event Schedule
10:00 AM – 7:00 PM Open house tours of the Great House
11:00 – 4:00 PM Historic chocolate demos in the Gift Shop with David Borghesani, American Heritage chocolate historian
11:00 – 1:00 PM Pictures with Santa in the Great House (your smart phone/camera)
1:15 PM Santa Letter Pickup at the Stratford Post Office (next to Gift Shop)
2:00 PM Story time with Mrs. Claus in the Dining Room ($10 per pack of 4 cookies)*
4:00 PM Buffet-style breakfast dinner in the Stratford Dining Room*
6:00 PM Four-course Christmastide dinner in the Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library*
*reserve by Sunday, November 29.
Admission
$10 general admission
Free for ages 3 and under
Free for Friends of Stratford members
Take advantage of the season’s best deal on festive cheer: $140 Family Packages include event admission and buffet-style dinners for two adults and two youths, photos with Santa in the Great House (your smart phone/camera), cookies with Mrs. Claus in the Dining Room, and a wooden Stratford Hall Christmas ornament. Reservations are required by Sunday, November 29.
Historic Area Activities
Explore the c. 1738 Great House fully decked in Colonial Christmas splendor! Families are invited to take pictures with Santa in the Great House Parlor from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (bring your own smart phone or camera). Be sure to visit Harold Caldwell in the Historic Kitchen to learn all about the holiday foods being prepared before you dive into West African drumming demos with Slam One LLC or climb onto a tractor ride around the twilight grounds. You can even stroll with members of the Rappahannock Colonial Heritage Society and sing all your favorite carols.
1:15 p.m. Letters to Santa
Starting November 1, the Stratford Hall Visitor Center will collect letters to Santa! At 1:15 p.m. during the Christmastide event, Santa will pick up the letters at the Gift Shop and say goodbye before he departs for the North Pole. Please include a return address for Santa to write back.
2:00 p.m. Cookies & Story Time with Mrs. Claus
Join us in the Stratford Dining Room at 2:00 p.m. to hear Christmas stories and decorate homemade cookies with Mrs. Claus. This add-on costs $10 and includes one pack of four cookies. You can add additional packs to your cart. Please note two packs are included in the Family Package.
4:00 p.m. Buffet-Style Dinner in the Dining Room
We’ve saved your family seats at our table for a 4:00 p.m. buffet-style dinner with plenty of holly and jolly to go around (and of course, good food). $35 for adults and ages 15+, $25 for youth aged 4-14, and free for youth aged 3 and under. Reservations are required by Sunday, November 29. Event admission is included with this dinner option. Each guest receives one plate for the buffet.
Menu:
- Pancake bar with fresh strawberries, blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips, whipped cream, sprinkles, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and chocolate sauce
- Pork or chicken sausage links
- Scrambled eggs
- Yogurt parfaits
- Milk, apple juice, orange juice, water
- Hot chocolate bar with mini marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, candy canes, chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and crushed cookies
6:00 p.m. Dinner in the duPont Memorial Library
Christmastide dinner is a can’t-miss tradition at Stratford Hall, and this year we’re excited to serve you in the Jessie Ball duPont Memorial Library! This four-course dinner catered by Dori Farrell is $95 per person and has a maximum table size of eight guests. A cash bar will be available. Book your table today! Reservations are required by Sunday, November 29. Event admission is not included with this dinner option.
6:00 p.m. Dinner Menu
Gift Shop
Warm up in the charming Stratford Hall Gift Shop with historic chocolate demos by David Borghesani, an American Heritage chocolate historian from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Add ornaments, mill products, holiday jams, or gift baskets to your order by Sunday, November 29 and pick them up here! All visitors will receive a 10% off discount on purchases made during the event, with Friends of Stratford members enjoying 20% off discount (exclusions apply). Just outside the Gift Shop, families can remember the occasion by making their own authentic tin punch ornaments to take home.