BOUGHS AND BOWS: Participants pose with lush wreaths they made during last year’s Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop at Morven Museum & Garden. Workshops will be held this year on December 3 and 4, in afternoon or evening sessions. (Photo courtesy of Morven Museum & Garden)
By Wendy Greenberg
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays at Morven Museum & Garden, from festive décor to thoughtful discussions on food and history, with the added touch of seasonal music, as special events launch this year’s Morven holiday programs.
“We are doing a few new programs, adding to the holiday festivities,” said Greer Luce, curator of education and public programs.
Many of the holiday programs include admission to Morven’s annual “Festival of Trees” display in the galleries, opening on November 19 and marking its 20th anniversary year.
For the “Festival of Trees,” on display until January 11, community partners decorate a tree or mantel, or both, and the results have known to be creative and beautiful.
“There’s something breathtaking about walking into a Georgian mansion on a chilly day and being surrounded by so much warmth and beauty; it brings a lot of joy to people, and that’s ultimately why ‘Festival of Trees’ is still going strong 20 years later,” said Elizabeth Allan, Morven’s deputy director and curator.
When “Festival of Trees” began in 2005, Allan said, “our galleries had just been renovated and opened to the public. Morven aimed to create a tradition that welcomed the community into this new museum and which drew on our strong ties in Princeton. Many of the organizations from that first year (Stony Brook Garden Club, Garden Club of Princeton, Contemporary Garden Club) are still with us, donating their time to decorate gorgeous, detailed trees.”
The trees transform the historic mansion with greenery, each uniquely decorated by 17 community partners representing local nonprofits, schools, garden clubs, and artists. This year’s themes include All Aboard to Movie Magic, Family Game Night, A Tribute to Pollinators, Midnight Winter Conservatory, The Yule Lads of Iceland, Neapolitan Baroque, Fruit of the Holiday Spirit, and more surprises. Visitors will have the chance to vote for their favorites.
“I understand there are trees related to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution,” said Luce.
This year the “Festival of Trees” has been extended by one week to January 11, 2026. January launches Morven’s key role as the home of Founding Father Richard Stockton in commemorating America’s 250th anniversary with new exhibitions, programs, and special events.
The “Festival of Trees” can be seen during museum hours, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Tickets are included with museum admission: $12 for adults; $10 for seniors (ages 60+), youth ages 7-18, students with ID, and active military or veterans with ID. Admission is free for members and ages 6 and younger. For tickets and more information, visit morven.org/festivaloftrees.
Also new this year, Morven’s annual winter fête moves from the garden to inside the historic mansion. On Sunday, December 7, from 5 to 8 p.m., guests are invited to a Winter Soirée, with proceeds benefiting special exhibitions, events, educational programming and the historic preservation of this estate.
Starting this week, Morven’s gift shop transforms as well, offering special holiday decor and essentials for home and garden, and hostess gifts.
The Victorian Christmas Concert on Sunday, November 30, from 3 to 4 p.m., opens the special holiday programs. Anne and Ridley Enslow bring the charm of a Victorian Christmas to life with their lively performance of 19th-century and earlier music, offering a rich blend of well-known and lesser known Christmas music. Admission to Morven’s “Festival of Trees” before the event (2-3 p.m.) and light refreshments are included. Recommended for ages 6 and up. For tickets, visit morven.org.
Holiday Wreath-Making Workshops are planned for Wednesday and Thursday, December 3 and 4. Morven provides everything needed to enjoy light refreshments while creating a unique holiday wreath with a choice of “seasonal bling” and natural accents from Morven’s historic gardens. No experience is necessary. Morven’s horticulturalists will be on hand to guide participants. Admission includes admission to the “Festival of Trees” on the day of the workshop, and is deemed most suitable for ages 12+. Participants can choose an afternoon session, from 1 to 3 p.m., or evening session, from 6 to 8 p.m. For tickets, visit morven.org.
Continue the hands-on activities with a Gingerbread House Decorating & Family Night Wednesday, December 10 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., a family-friendly chance to explore the “Festival of Trees” and create a gingerbread house to take home. Enjoy festive treats and holiday music while creating a delicious gingerbread house, complete with four gingerbread people to personalize with candy and icing. Includes admission to Morven’s “Festival of Trees” before the event. For tickets, visit morven.org.
For a musical interlude, Caroling with the Choirs features Westrick Music Academy’s festive musical stroll on Friday, December 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening begins with special after-hours admission to “Festival of Trees,” with a choral performance amid the decorations, and continues across the street at the Present Day Club for a musical gathering and optional VIP experience “around the baby grand piano” that includes festive music, open bar, and appetizers.
Tickets support both organizations, said Luce, who called it “a nice partnership.” For tickets, visit morven.org.
The holiday festivities are capped off with an author talk with Becky Diamond on Sunday, December 14, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., as she offers authentic recipes and holiday traditions from her Gilded Age-era Christmas cookbook. Registration, which is required, is now open at morven.org/events.
Diamond, who previously presented a program on her Gilded Age Cookbook, will lead an illustrated talk exploring her newest book, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America’s Golden Era, which features authentic recipes from sugar plums to jelly doughnuts, and holiday traditions dating back to the 19th century. The recipes in the cookbook have been adapted for today’s ingredients and appliances.
The event is in partnership with the Princeton Public Library. Books are available for purchase from Labyrinth Books. Tickets are $5, and $20 (includes admission to “Festival of Trees). A $40 ticket includes a signed book and admission to “Festival of Trees.” Register at morven.org.
Built in the 1750s by Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Morven was the home to five generations of the Stockton family; the innovative industrialist and humanitarian Robert Wood Johnson, Jr.; and later became New Jersey’s first Governor’s Mansion. Today, Morven Museum & Garden welcomes visitors to explore this layered history through exhibitions, programs, and historic gardens. The museum, located at 55 Stockton Street, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gardens are open daily until dusk. For more information, visit morven.org.