*Post updated on June 11, 2024

December is nigh upon us and that means one thing (if you discount all the other things it means): Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village are just around the corner. Haven't heard of Holiday Nights, let alone Greenfield Village, the outdoor living history museum that opened to the public in 1933?

Well, first things first: shame on you.

Second, Greenfield Village is part of The Henry Ford, a history museum complex and National Historic Landmark in Dearborn, Michigan, and every December for a number of years now the old-timey village has hosted Holiday Nights, which essentially allows visitors to travel back in time with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

All of the historical buildings in the village, some of which date back to the 17th century, are decked out with Christmas decorations of old and costumed presenters are on hand to help you share in some "living" history as it relates to the holiday season. You've got your carolers and other live music performances; your holiday cooking demonstrations; your horse-drawn wagon, Model-T and 1913 Herschell-Spillman Carousel rides; your ice skating and live reindeer and Santa Claus himself!

After exhibiting your skills on the ice skating rink and buying up goodies in the various shops, or sitting down for some classic holiday treats at the Village Pavilion, you get to end your night with a fireworks show, which can be seen from most anywhere in the 90 accessible acres of the village.

Greenfield Village's Holiday Nights is perhaps one of the best — not to mention most Dickensian — Christmas experiences you could have. But you don't have to take my word for it (though I'm quite flattered if you do), because Trip Advisor and  Midwest Living have some glowing reviews and, as The Henry Ford claims, Reader’s Digest and USA Today call it “one of the Top 10 Christmas experiences” in the country.

As the holiday season approaches, just remember to snap up those tickets in a timely fashion (they sell out quick!).

-LTH