Enjoy Holidays in Connecticut's Litchfield Hills
Each Town and Village Offers Celebration Specialties of the Season
Dec 7, 2008
Folks nostalgic for Christmas past will find it in the Litchfield Hills area of northwest Connecticut. It’s the perfect setting for an old-fashioned holiday with greeting-card views, picturesque shops and traditional activities.
The area’s centerpiece is the village of Litchfield, with its classic white Congregational church facing the town green. The third largest city in the United States in 1790, Litchfield provided the iron for one out of three cannons used in the Revolutionary War.
On the streets surrounding the square, Neo-Classic, Federal, Georgian and Colonial-style houses, with wreaths in their windows and frostings of snow, are guaranteed to produce instant holiday spirit.
A Sampling of Sights
In nearby Ridgefield, costumed guides lead tours of the Keeler Tavern Museum all through December (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, 1-4 p.m; $5,adults.)
“A Christmas Carol” is the theme at the Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby. Scenes from the holiday classic have been recreated by local garden clubs in each room of the gracious residence. Tours are available Thursday-Sunday at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through December 21 and Twilight Tours are conducted on December 5, 12 and 19 (4-6:30 p.m.; free).
The Torrington Historical Society offers guided tours of the Hotchkiss-Fyler House in Torrington. At the Queen Anne-style mansion, built in 1900, the dining room table is set for Christmas dinner, Victorian-era ornaments decorate the tree and antique toys are displayed beneath its boughs (Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends, noon to 4 p.m. through December 28; $5, adults).
Throughout the holiday season in the little town of Bethlehem, an exquisite 18th Century Neoapolitan creche that is housed in a rustic barn can be viewed every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. In addition to the Holy family, the 68 creche figures include worshipers, merchants, peddlers, the Three Kings and peasants with their farm animals.
Snow Fun
Riding over the river and through the woods in a private sleigh for two or in a larger sleigh is a great way to sustain the holiday mood. At Loon Meadow Farm in the town of Norfolk, the sleigh rides are followed by warm-up time with hot mulled cider in the farm’s party room. Skiing at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area near Cornwall, building snowmen and sledding on the hills are other popular wintertime diversions.
All Aboard
A 20-mile ride on the Santa Express goes from the 1881 Thomaston station to the Waterville section of Waterbury, traveling along the Naugatuck River, the Mattatuck Forest and past the massive brass mills of Waterville. Highlight of the trip – along with Santa’s attendance – comes when the train crosses the face of spectacular Thomaston Dam, high above the river (from Thomaston station at 12 noon and 2 p.m., December 6, 7, 12, 13, 20 and 21; $14, adults).
At the Danbury Railway Museum, visitors ride a vintage train through the rail yards to Santa’s own train, which contains a special Toyland where elves make toys. At Toyland, every young visitor receives a souvenir gift from Santa (trains leave on the half four from 12:30 to 4 p.m., December 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21.
Accommodations
Though accommodations are generally pricey, the area’s country inns lend themselves to holiday cheer. Their hosts become surrogate family, or at least congenial friends. Guests who arrive early enough get in on the tree trimming, without having to face the depressing job of taking the decorations down.
Two of these inns – the Boulders and the 19th Century Hopkins Inn – overlook Lake Waramaug, second largest natural lake in Connecticut. Though Waramaug’s Indian name means “good fishing place,” in wintertime it translates to great ice skating as the inns have patches of ice cleared off in front of their properties.
Traditional Holiday Dining
Several of the Litchfield Hills inns serve memorable Christmas Day dinners. At the Old Riverton Inn on Route 20 in Riverton, a fixed price dinner ($42.50; reservations required) will be served from noon to 4 p.m. with menu choices includign roast turkey with walnut sage stuffing and prime rib eye of beef.
Mayflower Inn in Washington near Lake Waramaug also is serving gourmet dinners on Christmas Eve ($95) and on Christmas Day ($85) that are open to the public ($85). The menu for the former features appetizers such as Seafood Chowder, Roasted Organic Beet & Hazelnut Salad, Crispy Berkshire Pork or Cavatelli & Rhode Island Clams, while desserts at the latter include Plum Clafoutis with Carmelized Vanilla Chiboust, Spice Bread Pudding with Caribbean Chocolate Mousse or Poached Clemtine, Cinnamon Parfait and Sweet Potatoes Tuile.
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