Gardens Aglow: Holiday Warmth and Sweet, Sweet Treats

Every year at Heritage, we get out the glitter and greenery, the silver bells and shiny baubles and deck our halls. We start early; our grounds crew was busy stringing up hundreds of thousands of lights way back in October, before we’re even closed for the season. And every year our hard work is rewarded by the sight of families sharing some time together—little ones whispering to Santa in the Model T, proud parents watching their kids perform in a community chorale group, even grandparents taking a whirl on the carousel—everyone smiling and laughing in delight at the sights and sounds of Heritage during the holidays. This kind of thing warms the hearts of museum people like us, who spend so much of our time creating exhibits and programs that we hope will engage families and help them make memories together. But this year, we got another little reward that makes us want to come to work every day: THE BUILDING SMELLS LIKE GINGERBREAD.

There’s a reason for the gently wafting aromas of baked goods. This year we asked some creative culinary pros to wow us with their genius. And, boy, did they ever! Each entry is a work of art, with an attention to detail that invites you to look again and again for things you missed the first time. Look closely and you’ll find glowing lifesaver lanterns, candied anise seed shrubs, marzipan snowmen, sugarpaste elves with tiny cupcakes, Rice Krispie wreaths, goldfish crackers floating in a goldfish pond, white chocolate seashells, cinnamon stick fences and wood piles, hazelnut stone walls, and a couple of very sweet (literally) little dogs. We’re asking visitors to Gardens Aglow to vote for their favorite, but how can you choose among such fantastic entries?