Museum events kick off holiday season

Members of the Amherst Museum Victorian Dance Society will be in costume and serving tea and refreshments to attendees at the museum's Victorian Tea and Chinese Auction to be held Tuesday, Dec. 4. The Victorian Tea and the Holiday Family Party will ring in the holiday season for the museum.

The holiday season is now upon us, and to kick off the season's festivities the Amherst Museum, located at 3755 Tonawanda Creek Road, at New Road, in Amherst, will hold two events for the general public in the beginning of December.

On Tuesday, Dec. 4, the museum will host a Victorian tea and Chinese Auction.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m., attendees will be able to experience old-fashioned Victorian elegance while being served traditional teatime favorites such as scones, sandwiches, dessert and tea.

Servers will include costumed members of the Amherst Museum Victorian Dance Society and museum trustees.

The event is designed for people over the age of 12.

A Chinese auction will also be held.

Tickets are $22 and reservations are required to attend. Reservation forms may be picked up at the museum or can be mailed to interested parties by calling 689-1440. The reservation form is also available online at www.amherstmuseum.org.

On Saturday, Dec. 8 at 12:30 p.m. the museum will host a Holiday Family Party.

Activities will be available for people of all ages. Live music of the season will be provided throughout the afternoon by various groups, including Step in Time with harpist Carol Farrar.

The whole family can also gather around for stories of the holidays.

Traditional craft-making will be available to school aged children. They will be able to make and take home crafts that would have been made in the 19th century.

Santa Claus will also be on hand for pictures.

While adults can browse through the museum's country store, which is open year round, children can shop in secret for their parents at the Children's Gift Shop.

The Amherst Museum's Mitten Tree will also be on display and attendees are encouraged to bring new mittens, hats, gloves, scarves and children's books to benefit the students at Buffalo Public School #45.

Tickets for the Holiday Family Party are $4 general public and $3 for members.

Admission price to either event includes admission to any museum exhibit including "Tick-Tock: a History of Clocks" and "Say Cheese: Picturing our Past."

For more information on either event or on the museum in general, call 689-1440 or visit the Web site www. amherstmuseum. org.