Let the kids enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas outing

Take a step back from Elf on the Shelf, crowded shopping malls and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

Historic Columbia offers young kids a chance to experience the Christmas traditions of the Victorian Era through its Early Adventures program Thursday morning.

Inside the Hampton-Preston Mansion, which resembles a Charles Dickens holiday scene, children and their parents will make angel ornaments, sing traditional carols and listen to a story, just like kids did to celebrate Christmas Eve in the late 19th century.

“Reading a story in the Hampton-Preston Mansion by the Victorian Christmas Tree is always a hit,” said Dickson Monk, director of marketing and communications for Historic Columbia.

Participants should meet at 10:30 a.m. in the Gift Shop at the Robert Mills house (1616 Blanding St.), which is across the street from the Hampton-Preston Mansion. The program lasts an hour.

The Early Adventures program uses games, crafts and stories to introduce preschool-aged children to history. Held once a month, the one-hour events cost $6 for member children, $7 for non-member children, and $8 per child at the door (admission for an accompanying adult is free).

Upcoming sessions include:

▪ A Day in the Life of the 19th-Century Child, Jan. 21

▪ Victorian Valentine’s, Feb. 18

▪ St. Patrick’s Day in Historic Columbia, March 17

▪ Eggstrordinary Fun, April 21

▪ Garden Gnomes, May 19

Bridget Winston, Special to The State