Timeless Traditions: Celebrate the Holidays at the Historic Stranahan House Museum
‘Tis the season for history. This holiday season, celebrate timeless traditions at the Historic Stranahan House Museum – the oldest house in Fort Lauderdale and the epicenter of Broward County’s long and fascinating history.
Picture-Perfect Moments With Santa:
Get ahead of the Holiday rush with Pictures with Santa Claus on Tuesday, Nov. 17, and Friday, Nov. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. Families are invited to take a five-minute photo session with Santa at the Historic Stranahan House Museum and get their Christmas card photos done early. Photo sessions for families of four are $40, and each additional person is $5.
Dates: Tuesday, Nov. 17, and Friday, Nov. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Cost: Families of four: $40 | Each additional person: $5
Details: To RSVP, email Alexis at info@stranahanhouse.org.
Cookies with Santa:
The Historic Stranahan House Museum is also baking the season bright with Cookies with Santa, presented by Amazon, on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Families can capture their holiday photos with a five-minute family photo session with Santa Claus inside the Historic Stranahan House Museum, with the inclusion of Christmas cookies and drinks. Photo sessions for families of four are $55, and each additional person is $5.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Families of four: $55 | Each additional person: $5
Details: Photo sessions are by appointment only. Online registration is required. No pets will be allowed in the museum. For more information and to book a photo session, please visit https://stranahanhouse.org/cookies-with-santa/.
Sail Through the Season:
Make spirits bright with a holiday celebration that brings Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront to life! From a charming historic reception to a sparkling cruise beneath the holiday lights, this festive collaboration offers a one-of-a-kind way to gather, celebrate and make spirits bright this holiday season.
The Stranahan House is partnering with the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi to offer festive pre-cruise receptions ahead of the Water Taxi’s beloved Holiday Lights Cruises, creating a memorable way for corporate groups to celebrate the season in style.
The three-hour holiday experience begins at the historic Stranahan House, where guests will be welcomed with a thoughtfully curated grazing table, complemented by selections of red and white wine, soft drinks and water. Guests can also explore the first floor of the museum, beautifully adorned for the holidays, and soak in the timeless charm of Fort Lauderdale’s oldest surviving structure.
Then, it’s all aboard for a magical journey along Fort Lauderdale’s sparkling waterways. Guests will take in dazzling holiday lights, festive sights and live music as the city’s waterfront transforms into a holiday wonderland. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase aboard the Water Taxi.
Dates:
Friday, Dec. 4
Wednesday, Dec. 9
Thursday, Dec. 10
Friday, Dec. 11
Wednesday, Dec. 16
Thursday, Dec. 17
Friday, Dec. 18
Times:
5-6:30 p.m., departing on the Water Taxi Holiday Lights Cruise at 6:30 p.m.
Or 7-8:30 p.m., departing on the Water Taxi Holiday Lights Cruise at 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $140 per person
Guests: Minimum 10, maximum 40
Victorian Christmas Tours:
Additionally, the Historic Stranahan House Museum is hosting Victorian Christmas Tours Dec. 16 through Dec. 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. each evening. The community is invited to step back in time to the Victorian era while walking through the beautifully decorated Stranahan House Museum. Attendees will learn how holiday traditions started, how the pioneers of Fort Lauderdale celebrated the season, and shop for everyone on their Christmas list in the gift shop. Tours are $30 per person or $25 for members.
Tours during Victorian Christmas are approximately 40 minutes long. New tours start every 10 minutes for groups of six or fewer. Festive and knowledgeable docents will guide each tour. There will be a mixture of information shared by the tour guides and signage to read, all while classic Christmas songs are played on a 1900s piano. Guests are encouraged to take the Water Taxi’s Holiday Lights Tour before or after their tour through Stranahan House.
Dates: Dec. 16 through Dec. 20, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person, $25 for members
Details:
For more information or to register, please visit https://stranahanhouse.org/victorian-christmas-tours/
Groups larger than six people can book a tour by contacting 954-524-4736.
All proceeds will support the year-round historic preservation and education programs at the Historic Stranahan House Museum, one of the top cultural attractions in Fort Lauderdale. Built in 1901, Stranahan House is recognized as the birthplace of Fort Lauderdale and was home to the area’s first businessman, Frank Stranahan, and the first schoolteacher, Ivy Cromartie Stranahan. Stranahan House opened as a museum in 1984.
The Stranahan House thanks its generous sponsors. The Cookies with Santa Presenting Sponsor is Amazon.
Where:
Stranahan House
335 SE 6th Ave.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301