The Manor House at Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River is decorated for the holidays again this year, and the arboretum has published its December schedule: an annual tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 4, daytime and evening tours of the decorated house, two after-hours evenings with appetizers and drinks, and hands-on workshops for centerpieces and wreaths built from material gathered on the grounds.

The arboretum is a New York State park on Montauk Highway, given to the Long Island State Park Region by Mrs. William Bayard Cutting and her daughter, Mrs. Olivia James, in memory of William Bayard Cutting. The Manor House, the family's home, is the centerpiece of the holiday program.

The tree lighting opens the season on Dec. 4

The arboretum's annual tree lighting is set for Friday, Dec. 4, with gates opening at 5 p.m. The arboretum says more details are still to come, so check its calendar the week of the event for the full program.

Daytime tours of the decorated Manor House

Holiday Manor House Day Tours start Saturday, Dec. 5, and run on most days through Dec. 23, with additional dates listed after that. Tours leave at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., last 60 to 75 minutes and cost $20 per person. Listed dates include Dec. 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22 and 23. Tickets are sold in advance through the arboretum's website.

Two kinds of evenings inside the house

Evening Holiday House Tours run on Thursday, Dec. 10, and Thursday, Dec. 17, with tours at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. Each is a 60-minute guided walk through the decorated first and second floors, and stairs are required. Cookies, tea and hot chocolate are served. Tickets are $40 per person.

Holiday Evenings at the Manor House are on Saturday, Dec. 12, and Saturday, Dec. 19, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. These are self-guided: docents and volunteers are stationed in rooms around the house to talk about the Manor House and the Cutting family, while the cafe and the library are set up with appetizers and drinks. The evening includes a raffle with holiday wreaths and table centerpieces among the prizes. Tickets are $85 per person.

Make a centerpiece or a wreath from the grounds

Two adult workshops, both for ages 16 and up and both $75 per person, use natural decorations collected on the arboretum grounds, with arboretum staff guiding the work:

  • Around the Table: Centerpiece Workshop, Saturday, Nov. 21, with sessions from 10 a.m. to noon or 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Participants learn about a range of plant cuttings and the basics of building a table centerpiece.
  • A Warm Welcome: Wreath Workshop, Saturday, Dec. 12, with sessions from 10 a.m. to noon or 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Participants start from a 12-inch double-sided base and learn about evergreen cuttings and the basics of wreath making.

The youngest visitors help decorate a room

The arboretum's Forest School program for ages 2 to 5 has a holiday series this season called Holiday Helpers. Over six Thursday sessions between Nov. 5 and Dec. 17, children and their caregivers explore the grounds collecting natural items that go toward a nature-themed holiday room on display at the Manor House. Sessions run from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. to noon, with indoor and outdoor portions, and the series is $150 per child.

Plan your visit

Bayard Cutting Arboretum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A vehicle use fee of $8 per car is collected from April through November at automated meters. The arboretum describes itself as a museum of trees rather than a park, so biking, picnicking, sports and pets are not allowed on the grounds.

Where: Bayard Cutting Arboretum, 440 Montauk Highway, Great River
Tree lighting: Friday, Dec. 4, gates open at 5 p.m.
Day tours: $20, starting Dec. 5
Evening tours: $40, Dec. 10 and 17
Holiday Evenings: $85, Dec. 12 and 19
Tickets and registration: Bayard Cutting Arboretum calendar

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