Children and the young at heart will delight in the holidays of yesteryear during “ Of Christmas Past" at Historic Charlton Park Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 9 and 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The park’s turn-of-the-century village and museum will be staffed by volunteers and adorned with festive decorations, a train display and fresh evergreens.

Take a wagon ride, and visit with St. Nicholas who has plenty of candy canes for good boys and girls.

Guests are encouraged to make holiday crafts, including a candle and yarn doll. Traditional food and drink samples will be available in the village, with wassail, roasted chestnuts, cinnamon and sugar apples and popcorn, and coffee and cookies are served at the Sixberry House.

The Thornapple Wind Band and the Thornapple Valley Dulcimer Society will provide live holiday music at the Carlton Center Church. The park gift shop will also be open.

Daily admission is $6 for those 13 and up, $4 for ages five to 12 and children four and under are free. 

Local citizens interested in donating items to a “wish list” of packaged cookies, popcorn kernels, chestnuts and apples to help the park offset event costs, are encouraged to contact park staff. 

For additional information, visit www.charltonpark.org.  The park is located southeast of Hastings, north of M-79, at 2545 South Charlton Park Road.

Photo: The Charlton Park Christmas tree being decorate for an earlier "Of Christmas Past."