Mercer Glows for Annual Open House

Call it a holiday concert, carol sing, visit to Santa, mulled cider tasting, nighttime tour of the museum or burning of the greens. You can't miss, because the annual Mercer Museum Holiday Open House is all of these things and more.

Most especially, it's a gift to the community that has become increasingly special not only for the families who come to enjoy the festivities, but also to the scores of volunteers and local community groups who make possible the decades' old event on the second Tuesday in December.

Everything glowed in tribute to the holiday season: fires in the courtyard surrounding the log house, new lanterns on wooden posts that are part of the $12 million expansion project, spotlights highlighting the castle wall facing Pine Street and light shining from every multi-paned window in the place.

The dusting of snow that Mother Nature contributed was icing on the cake.

Jack and Paula Young, of Buckingham, who've been associated with the museum "forever," braved the intimidating cold that was only partly mitigated by the fire they tended between the log house and Scout Way. It's a new location for the burning of the greens that's a bit away from the milling crowds and a bit less windy.

The pile of blue spruce sprigs a short distance from the small fire was replenished several times.

"Toss in some greens to burn away your worries," Jack offered.

"It's a tradition that goes back to the 18th century—well, I guess back to the Druids," added Paula.

As a chance to play with fire, it attracted a lot of kids. The adults were a little more somber, usually, reflecting the stressors of the season. "I could use a whole tree," one mother said wryly, and only partly in jest.

Tony and Maria Birardi came all the way from Ringoes, New Jersey. "It's not that far," he said. "We come every year—wouldn't miss it."

Their Gabriella, 9, had already been into the log house to chat it up with Santa Claus, in from the North Pole just for this evening.

Snaking around the courtyard was a line of families waiting patiently in the cold for their chance to move inside the little house. There Santa sat on a red plush bench before a tiny fire on the hearth. It wasn't much warmer inside, as proven by Santa's frosty breath, but the glimpse of him through the rippled window glass had everyone, young and older, excited.

The castle itself, built in 1916 by Henry Mercer to house his vast collection of tools and artifacts of a way of life that was quickly passing, features a central court that soars six stories. It is hung with wagons and carriages, a whaling boat, baskets and wooden wheels and a thousand other fascinating odds and ends of history.

On Tuesday, the central court was ringed with visitors here to listen to area ensembles perform.

Throughout the evening, filling the space with sound were Central Bucks East's choir and instrumental chamber ensembles and symphonic band, the vocal ensemble of Council Rock South and the Bucks County Country Gentlemen vocal group.

At one point, members of CB East's brass ensemble spread out among the court's levels to play Ave Maria. The vast sound they created was magical and thrilling.

For more performances, an upper level corridor led to the attached Elkins Gallery, where the Delaware Valley College Chorale, the Love Notes and the One Voice Handbell Choir were scheduled to entertain audiences in the refined setting among the gallery's old oil paintings.

Back outside, the Mercer Carolers led carols in the carriage shed.  A spontaneous performance by students still in their formal garb sprung up at the cider table.

As Paula Young says, one of the joys and delights of this annual event is the opportunity it provides for so many to participate and give back to the community. It is all free, a wonderful evening that harkens back to a simpler time.

And no Mercer Holiday Open House is complete without bunches of kids casting their shadows on the Pine Street façade of the glorious old building. To try to make yourself as tall as the castle is a traditional part of the magic of this night.