(Seguin) — Country Christmas is back. The annual holiday tradition makes its return this weekend to the Texas Agricultural Education and Heritage Center — better known as the Big Red Barn.
Board Member Ronald Heinemeyer says Country Christmas offers something for everyone.
“This event is going to take place Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8-9. The doors will open at five and the activities will go on through 8 o’clock and those will include many things relating to Christmas — again keeping in mind that our intent is and part of our mission statement is that we are there for the sake of the family and for education,” said Heinemeyer.
Heinemeyer says Country Christmas has become a long standing tradition for the center. He says they still make it affordable for families to come out and enjoy all that the center has to offer.
“One of the first things that was established out at the Red Barn when we got organized was the fact that we were going to put together programs and activities that would involve families. We feel that family is very important and at that time, we were thinking about the country part and of course, Christmas being what it is, we decided that Country Christmas would be a good activity for us to put together out at the setting that we have at the Red Barn. So, we went farther with that and started Country Christmas 20 years ago and here were are today. We are still celebrating it pretty much the way we did then although we might have made a few adjustments,” said Heinemeyer.
Board Member Keith Huebinger says they have been busy hanging lights, and decking out the entire grounds at the center. He says the center’s Heritage Village will be open, and docents will be on hand to offer special tours.
Plus, there will be live performances at the Village’s Zion Church and other properties. Huebinger says there will also be lots of other fun activities during this year’s Country Christmas.
“Inside the main hall of the Red Barn, we are going to have live entertainment. We will have a band on Friday night. That’s Kirk Herbold and Friends and Saturday we will have Bill & Gil as in Bill Gibbons and Gil Merkle who have been with us several years. We will also be selling concessions. It will be about the only thing that we will be selling. There won’t be any vendors there. This is really, again, focused on family and Christmas. There will be a couple of non-profits working but other than that, it will be just our concessions in the main building. Throughout the main building, you will find some other demonstrations going on. That’s rope making and the Seguin Fiber Guild will be there as well performing some demonstrations on spinning, and weaving and knitting. But also, we are going to be having a kids craft in our Pecan wing museum. We will have ladies set up where the kids can actually do Christmas decorations etc. So, a lot of things involving both family, entertainment for adults and especially the children,” said Huebinger.
In addition to all the Country Christmas traditions, there is something new this year. Andrew Cave, of Faith Lutheran Church, says there will be a live Nativity at this year’s event. A nativity that folks can even enjoy while on a hayride. Cave says they’ve offered the Nativity at their church in past years, but he says they thought it would be a good idea this year to join forces with Country Christmas and other churches in the area.
“People can come out between 6 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday and between 5:30 and 7:30 on Saturday. Some churches that are involved are Cross here in Seguin, St. James here in Seguin and we are going to have our Faith Lutheran youth group and the children’s ministry at our church. They are going to be dressing up like angels singing by the 12 ft. cross which is the last scene and also, we’ve got someone from New Braunfels, St. Paul Lutheran. There’s going to be live animals. There’s going to be a Scripture sign at every single station so the Scripture is going to tell the story. The actors don’t talk. They simply are there dressed up. I’m excited personally that we are joining forces because I support the Red Barn and their County Christmas. I take my kids there every single year and love it and I think it’s awesome, that we are combining two family events together,” said Cave.
Families will especially want to stop by for a special visit with Santa each evening. Again, Country Christmas at the Big Red Barn will be held Friday and Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is $25 a family or $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 to 12. Only cash and checks will be accepted. A schedule of events and live entertainment can be found at tex-ag-edu.org.