The invitation to step back in time to the yuletide celebrations of yesteryear at 631 Washington St. in Michigan City is the annual seasonal gift of the Barker Mansion, built in 1905 by freight car magnate John H. Barker and later donated as a public museum.
Throughout December is the opportunity to visit the property’s quaint Barker Christmas Cottage to capture charm paired with creativity for learning about new holiday traditions as an outing ideal for families and friends. Admission into the space is $5 per person, or know that it’s included with mansion general admission tour tickets, the latter of which range from $10 to $16.50.
There are “Christmas Candlelight Tours” at The Barker Mansion main house at 6 p.m. on the Fridays of Dec. 12 and 26. Guests are guided along the hallways, staircases and various wings of the manor on a candlelight tour complete with facts, lore and legend of the Barker Family and “the Gilded Age Christmas” celebrations from more than a century ago. As the scents of fresh pine, cinnamon and inviting aromas fill the air, the tour finale offers all gathered to join a spirited holiday sing-along. Tickets are $25.
The man in red makes time to greet guests at Barker Mansion for three dates this month, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays Dec. 14 and 21, and Saturday, Dec. 20. Children will find Santa’s lap and listening ear awaiting in the festively decorated drawing room. Each child enjoys a personal visit with the bonus of stories and songs. Advance tickets are strongly recommended as entry requires a tour ticket for admission.
For parents and anyone in need of a night away, there’s also the “Mansion After Hours: Yuletide Favorites” event at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17. Step into the glow of twinkling Christmas lights for an evening of dramatic readings of beloved holiday stories, including “Gift of the Magi,” “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” and selections from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Christmas Story” and “The Santaland Diaries.” Tickets are $25.
Santa is the mansion’s guest of honor at one event only for “An Evening Visit with Santa at the Mansion” 4-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, inviting all to relive the wonder of a Victorian Christmas at nightfall with St. Nick’s arrival as the finale, along with plenty of holiday cheer. Join the fun with the purchase of a general admission tour ticket.
The mansion property is closed Mondays and open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information and tickets, visit www.barkermansion.org or 219-873-1520.
Jane Lynch, with Rumi, one of her three prized pooches at her Los Angeles home, displays a stuffed “Busy Bee” dog toy replica created by Purina as a promotion to salute the 25th anniversary of the film comedy “Best of Show,” which starred Lynch as a militant dog trainer. (Photo courtesy of Purina)
Dog gone
It was the midnight black and beautiful Soleil, a Belgian Sheepdog, who won the “Best in Show” at the 2025 National Dog Show, beating out more than 1,900 dogs in this year’s competition broadcast on Thanksgiving Day as hosted by the resonant voice of actor John Hurley. Sponsored by Purina, the iconic dog food company based in St. Louis and branded with their familiar checkerboard logo, this year’s event included a nod to the 25th anniversary of the silly, parody film “Best of Show.” The flick boasted an all-star cast, including our own Jane Lynch, 65, a local Hollywood claim-to-fame with her funny roots planted in Dolton, Illinois. In homage to the movie, Purina gave pet owners the chance to go online through Dec. 1 to claim one of 2,500 stuffed replicas of “Busy Bee,” the beloved lost dog toy referenced in the film that caused so much grief for fussy dog owners played by Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock as the yuppy couple from Chicago who seemed in far more distress than did their bewildered prized Weimaraner pup “Beatrice.”
My favorite fun fact from this year’s dog show is newspaper-related, yet has nothing to do with tips about housebreaking a new puppy. It is newspaper chain mogul Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, among other holdings, and rival to William Randolph Hearst, who shipped the first Hungarian hunting dog the “Visla” from Europe, a breed dating back to the 10th Century and now prized for popular use as guide dogs.
Scots giving back
Thank you to the readers who alerted about a free opportunity hosted by the Chicago Scots, Illinois’ first and oldest nonprofit organization on the books, for a leadership symposium in partnership with The Center for Gerontology at Concordia University Chicago from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at The Center for Gerontology, 7400 Augusta St., about the latest findings and research for dementia patients. It will be moderated by Gus Noble OBE, President of the Chicago Scots, and reps from Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care, and will include a keynote address by The Right Honorable Henry McLeish, former First Minister of Scotland and the current Ambassador for the group Alzheimer Scotland. Attendance is complimentary, with registration required. Following the symposium, the Chicago Scots will celebrate Scotland’s national day, Saint Andrew’s Day, at the 180th Annual Feast of the Haggis on Saturday, Dec. 6, downtown at the Palmer House, with proceeds supporting memory care. To attend the free symposium, register at www.chicagoscots.org.
Kraft Cheese created a limited edition 2025 Advent Calendar, complete with daily drawers filled with surprises to count down the December days of holiday celebrations. (Photo courtesy of Kraft)
A cheesy scene
Much media has been given in the recent week about the City of Chicago demanding a cap on the number of visitors allowed admission to stroll this year’s Christkindlmarket, the annual European holiday marketplace in Daley Plaza. Limited to 1,000 people at a time to shop the vendors, for those among the masses to get inside, there’s an opportunity to follow one floating aroma leading to free cheese, or at least a sampling. Kraft Natural Cheese, with headquarters in Chicago, has created a 12-day cheese and dairy themed 3-D standing “Holiday Advent Calendar” with the bonus of 12 pull-out drawers containing surprises like recipes, socks and trinkets and designed in fromage, er, HOMAGE, to the brand’s iconic tiny blue house logo. An initial free giveaway promotion online has been exhausted in available freebies, but a $250 value version is available until Dec. 13 at the Christkindlmarket with details at www.kraftnaturalcheese.com. Now until Dec. 13, guests browsing the Chicago Christkindlmarket can step inside a life-size version of this same calendar while snacking on free cheese and a chance at winning free prizes at the Kraft-sponsored booth. Sounds gouda!
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and weekly radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at philpotempa@gmail.com.
