Cranbury's Christmas tea a taste of the holiday

[news]

Cranbury's Christmas tea a taste of the holiday
By Michelle McGuinness, Special Writer

Posted: Friday, December 7, 2007 11:04 AM EST

CRANBURY — Icy weather and warm tea signaled the beginning of the Christmas season for Cranbury on Sunday.

As snow and ice fell outside, guests of the Cranbury Museum enjoyed the annual Christmas Tea, sponsored by the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society.

The free event, which was open to the public, featured tea and cookies, as well as festive decorations. Guests were invited to roam the museum, where dolls, antique tea cups and even a Christmas tree draped with a string of popcorn and cranberries, were on display.

Lisa Beach, vice president of the historical society, said many of the guests, some of whom come to the event every year, show up because of the charm of the museum itself.

”It’s just reminiscent of a simpler life,” she said. “They know that they can come here and it’s reminiscent of a simpler time. It’s kind of refreshing.”

Ms. Beach said members of the historical society helped decorate the entire house, from the 1930s-inspired kitchen to the Christmas tree to the bedrooms upstairs.

Lynn Lackner, a regular tour guide at the museum, decorated the bedrooms on her own. In a room laid out like a 1930s bedroom on the night before Christmas, she hung stockings and used dolls to create a scene of a girl skating at Cranbury’s Brainerd Lake.

”It’s a lot of fun,” Ms. Lackner said. “We get to pull things out that we don’t always get to showcase.”

Even the local Girl Scouts helped out at the Christmas Tea. Eight girls volunteered to greet guests at the door and bring up trays of cookies.

For Girl Scouts Rebecca Mnych and Ashley Boyle, the chilly weather only made the day more exciting.

”I just kind of like this whole season,” Ashley said. “I love snow.”

Rebecca agreed, saying the weather made the event even better.
...
http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2007/12/07/cranbury_press/lifestyle/doc47596bf8288a1947908038.prt