If you love the holidays but could happily skip the part where everything feels the same every year, the Ohio History Center has you covered.
Holiday Histories is back on Friday, Dec. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m., offering a mix of global traditions, hands-on activities, storytelling, and more for visitors of all ages.
Instead of focusing on just one holiday, the event highlights celebrations from around the world, including Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the Mid-Autumn Festival. You can make a Play-Doh mooncake, learn how evergreens became early Christmas trees, and even take a peek at how Ohioans prepared for winter long before heated seats and two-day shipping.
There’s a nostalgic side, too.
Holiday Histories spotlights Ohio-made toys like Etch A Sketch and Kenner classics, and the museum’s mid-century Lustron home will be dressed up with 1950s Christmas cheer. The Y-NOT! Quartet, part of the Scioto Valley Chorus, will also stroll the museum with live barbershop-style performances, which feels exactly like the kind of delightful surprise a holiday event should provide.
“Holiday Histories gives families a memorable way to explore how holiday customs developed here in Ohio and around the world,” said Neil Thompson, Marketing Department Manager for the Ohio History Connection. He also hinted at some one-of-a-kind gift shopping opportunities, which is honestly a relief for anyone who has fully run out of ideas.
Other stations include a look at how soldiers celebrated while serving overseas, Ice Age fossil exploration, and a small vendor market featuring local makers like Igloo Letterpress, Robin Schuricht Art, and El Mercadito. The Ohio History Connection gift shop will also be open for anyone knocking out their list in one go.
Tickets are on sale now: $18 for adults ($13 for members), $14 for kids ages 4 through 12 ($9 for members), and free for children 3 and under. Premium Members get in free. You can snag tickets at ohiohistory.org.
