“Christmas on the Farm” begins Dec 20
by Sally Jack
Contributing Writer
“Christmas on the Farm,” a family fun event hosted by Farm Bureau, will run from 5 to 8 p.m. beginning Friday December 20, continuing on Saturday December 21, and finishing on Monday, December 23.
“Christmas on the Farm” is an outdoor walking tour to celebrate all things Christmas and will include a variety of fun things to see and do at twelve stops along the way.
To get there, begin at the stoplight in Monticello and drive south on highway 191 for four miles until you come to the “Christmas on the Farm” signs.
At the sign, make a left turn and follow additional signs to the Lewis Farms, where you will park your car. There is a one-time fee of $20 per vehicle, which covers all of the food and activities you will enjoy on the tour.
It will take an estimated hour and a half to participate in all of the scheduled activities, so event hosts recommend dressing warm for this all-outdoor December activity.
First stop on the tour is the ‘Peppermint Forest,’ followed by a visit to ‘Mrs. Claus’s Bakery’ where guests will receive a hot donut.
Then stop by ‘Letters to Santa’ to mail your letter to the North Pole with the magical stamps provided. Guests are encouraged to bring their own letters, but may write one there if they prefer.
After mailing your letter, visit the ‘Last Stop Christmas Shop’ for stocking stuffers and that last minute item still on your shopping list. (Please note that the tour price does not include items you choose to purchase from the Shop.)
The village of ‘Whoville’ comes next, where you will meet the Grinch and enjoy feeling like a Who as you walk through the village and around the Christmas tree where the Whos’s gather to sing on Christmas morning.
Continue walking through a ‘Winter Wonderland’ and take photos by the giant snow globe, after which visitors will want to stop at the ‘Cocoa Café’ for a cup of cocoa with as many fixings for your hot chocolate as you can imagine.
Follow this up at ‘Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen’ where you will enjoy a bowl of hot soup and a roll.
When your tummy is full and warm, head to ‘Santa’s Workshop,’ a veritable wonderland of toys, gifts, an eight-foot chandelier, electric train sets, and Lego Christmas villages as well as the jolly old man himself!
Have your picture taken with Santa Claus, print the picture out right there, and put it on a keepsake ornament to take home with you. According to one of Santa’s elves, Mrs. Claus will be there too!
Next, visitors may have the fun of taking a ride on a ‘Horse-drawn Wagon Ride’ to view the North Pole and the Northern Lights.
Top this off with the chance to make a wish and send it off via ‘Floating Lanterns,’ just like Rapunzel does in the Disney movie, “Tangled.”
For a more spectacular experience, the lanterns will be sent off in groups about every half hour or so. There will be one floating lantern per family.
As a perfect end to the evening, go back in time in a Bedouin-style tent and sit on a bale of hay to remember the very first Christmas of all with a beautiful 17 minute video of ‘the Nativity.’