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Christmas with kids in Bloomington
In Bloomington, Illinois, Christmas goes back to the Gilded Age. At the David Davis Mansion, every room has a tree, and kids search the branches for a hidden pickle.
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A Visit with Santa!
When: Sat, Dec 19, 5 to 8 pm
Where: David Davis Mansion, Bloomington
Cost: Free for kids, $10 per adult (cash or check)
The story of Christmas in Bloomington
How Bloomington celebrates
Bloomington's best known Christmas tradition lives at the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, where the house returns to the Gilded Age with a Christmas tree in each room and artifacts from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Guests hunt for a hidden pickle ornament in every tree, and a Santa in a vintage outfit greets families. In earlier years the mansion's holiday tours also featured a nature themed room for St. Nicholas, vintage dolls from the 1850s to 1918 and a nativity scene of the kind families once set out as a putz village.
Christmas last year in Bloomington
The big event of 2025 was Christmas at the Mansions, a self-guided tour of three decorated historic homes: the David Davis Mansion, Ewing Manor and the Broadview Mansion, which was the year's bonus home. Hosts wore period costumes, and the tour offered music and surprises. It was planned for December 13 but snow pushed it to Saturday, December 27 from 2 to 7 pm, with door tickets at $20, cash or check. On December 6, the Y hosted Cookies with Santa from noon to 2 pm with cocoa, crafts and photos.
Fun facts about Christmas in Bloomington
The mansion's Christmas trees come with a game: every tree hides a pickle ornament, and kids try to find them all. The old holiday tours also showed how Charles Dickens's novellas shaped Victorian Christmas, and how A Christmas Carol was received in America in the 1870s by David Davis and his family. A Victorian Santa has sat in the nature themed room, where children can share their wishes. For 2026, a Visit with Santa is planned at the mansion on Saturday, December 19, and kids get in free.
Trains and Christmas near Bloomington
We did not find a Bloomington train tradition at Christmas, but there are rail museums within a drive. Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap, north of Peoria, has hands-on transportation exhibits in six buildings, though it is open only from May to October. The Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe fills an old depot, opened as a museum in 1987, with photos, memorabilia and a caboose. Monticello Railway Museum runs vintage train rides on weekends in the warm months and has walk-through exhibit cars.
- Wheels O' Time Museum: A hands-on transportation museum with six exhibit buildings, open May 1 to October 31.
- Rock Island Railroad Museum: An old Rock Island depot opened as a railroad museum in 1987, with memorabilia and a caboose.
- Monticello Railway Museum: An all-volunteer heritage railroad with vintage train rides and walk-through exhibit cars.
Traditions today
- Christmas at the David Davis Mansion: Rooms decorated for the Gilded Age, a tree in every room and a Santa in a vintage outfit.
- The hidden pickle hunt: Each Christmas tree at the mansion hides a pickle ornament for guests to find.
- Christmas at the Mansions: A self-guided tour of three historic homes, with period costumed hosts and music, held in December.
- A Visit with Santa: An evening visit at the David Davis Mansion with Santa in Victorian dress, planned for December 19, 2026.
- Cookies with Santa: The Y offers cookies, cocoa, crafts and Santa photos on a December afternoon.
- Victorian holiday rooms: Past tours featured vintage dolls, a nativity putz village and a St. Nicholas room.
A fact for kids
At the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington, every Christmas tree hides a pickle ornament, and kids try to find them all.
Questions about Christmas in Bloomington
What is the biggest Christmas tradition in Bloomington, Illinois?
The holiday celebration at the David Davis Mansion is the best known tradition. The historic house is decorated in the style of the Gilded Age, with a tree in each room, a Santa in a vintage outfit and a game to find a pickle ornament in every tree.
What is the hidden pickle tradition?
At the David Davis Mansion, each Christmas tree hides a pickle ornament, and guests are invited to find them all. It is a game that keeps kids looking closely at every room. Our Bloomington Christmas events guide on this page lists current dates for visiting the mansion.
Who was David Davis?
David Davis lived in the Bloomington house that is now the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site. A 2019 article says the mansion's holiday exhibits explore what Dickens's A Christmas Carol meant to America in the 1870s and to David Davis and his family. We did not verify more of his biography for this page.
What does Christmas at the Mansions include?
It is a self-guided tour of three historic homes: the David Davis Mansion, Ewing Manor and Broadview Mansion in 2025. Hosts in period costumes portray the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the homes are decorated for the holidays with music and other surprises.
When is Christmas at the Mansions in 2026?
The 2026 tour is listed for Saturday, December 12 from 2 to 7 pm, with the David Davis Mansion as one of the houses. Tickets and kid friendliness were not stated on the calendar page, so check with the mansion. See our Bloomington Christmas events guide on this page.
What happened at Christmas at the Mansions last year?
In 2025, snow pushed the tour from December 13 to Saturday, December 27, from 2 to 7 pm. Tickets bought for the first date stayed valid, and door tickets cost $20, cash or check only. Broadview Mansion was the bonus home beside the David Davis Mansion and Ewing Manor.
Is there a Santa visit at the David Davis Mansion?
Yes. A Visit with Santa is planned for Saturday, December 19, 2026 from 5 to 8 pm. Guests tour the decorated mansion at night, see Santa in Victorian clothing and look for the green glass pickle. Kids are free and adults pay $10 at the door, cash or check.
What was Christmas at Clover Lawn?
Christmas at Clover Lawn was the mansion's holiday tour in 2019, running from November 29 to December 28. It had a St. Nicholas room, a Victorian Santa on the second weekend of December, vintage dolls, a nativity putz village and holiday foods that Victorian families enjoyed.
What is a putz village?
A putz village is a small nativity or Christmas scene, often with tiny houses and figures, set out under the tree in 19th century homes. The David Davis Mansion has shown one as part of its Victorian holiday displays, which is a fun way to show kids how families once decorated.
What Victorian Christmas traditions can kids learn about?
The mansion's tours have shown fires and roasted chestnuts, parlor games, popcorn garlands, candy canes, Tuck Christmas cards, feather trees, mistletoe, gingerbread houses and cookies. They also have shown vintage dolls from the 1850s to 1918, which can start a fun conversation about how children played long ago.
Where is the David Davis Mansion?
The David Davis Mansion State Historic Site is at 1000 Monroe Drive in Bloomington, Illinois. In 2026, the Visit with Santa on December 19 is held there, along with Christmas at the Mansions on December 12. Our Bloomington Christmas events guide on this page lists current details.
Is the David Davis Mansion good for young children?
It can be, especially at the Visit with Santa, where kids are free, Santa is there, and there is a pickle hunt in each tree. The rooms are historic, so little ones will need to walk gently. For a quieter option, check the mansion's calendar for current visiting hours.
What can kids do at Cookies with Santa at the Y?
The Y in Bloomington, at 202 St. Joseph Drive, hosted Cookies with Santa on Saturday, December 6, 2025 from noon to 2 pm. Families enjoyed cookies, cocoa and holiday crafts, plus a visit from Santa with photos. See our Bloomington Christmas events guide on this page for this year.
What is the Gilded Age?
The Gilded Age was a period in the late 1800s in the United States when many wealthy families built grand homes and filled them with fancy decorations. The David Davis Mansion celebrates Christmas by returning to that time, with trees in every room and artifacts from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
How can I explain old fashioned Christmas to a young child?
Tell them that long ago, families decorated trees with popcorn garlands and candy canes, played parlor games and sent Christmas cards. At the David Davis Mansion kids can see a Victorian Santa and look for pickles in the trees, which can make history feel like a treasure hunt for a young child.
Does Santa wear Victorian clothing in Bloomington?
Yes, at the David Davis Mansion. Santa appears in Victorian clothing at A Visit with Santa on December 19, 2026, and earlier tours described a Santa in a vintage outfit meeting visitors. Kids may enjoy noticing how his outfit differs from the modern one, and the nature themed room has also hosted a Victorian Santa.
Are there Christmas tours of historic houses in Bloomington?
Yes. Christmas at the Mansions links the David Davis Mansion, Ewing Manor and Broadview Mansion in a self-guided tour. Hosts wear period costumes and the homes are decorated for the holidays. The 2026 tour is listed for December 12, and our Bloomington Christmas events guide on this page has the confirmed details.
Are there train museums near Bloomington?
Yes. Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap, the Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe and the Monticello Railway Museum are all within a drive. They are better in warm months, since Wheels O' Time is open only May 1 to October 31. Check hours before you go.
Is there a train depot museum near Bloomington?
Yes. The Rock Island Railroad Museum in Chillicothe is in the old Rock Island depot, saved by the local historical society and opened as a railroad museum in 1987. It has photos, memorabilia and a caboose. Hours are not posted online, so contact the society before driving.
Why is Christmas in Bloomington special?
Bloomington's Christmas traditions center on history. A Gilded Age mansion, a Victorian Santa, a hidden pickle in every tree and a tour of three historic homes give families a story to share with kids. It is a gentler, slower way to celebrate than a big parade or a light show.
Sources
- A Visit with Santa, David Davis Mansion
- Christmas at the Mansions 2025, David Davis Mansion
- Victorian Holiday Traditions and Christmas Decorations Abound at David Davis Mansion, Lincoln Daily News
- Bloomington mansion steps back in time to celebrate Christmas, WJBC
- Christmas at the Mansions 2026, David Davis Mansion
- Cookies with Santa, Visit Bloomington-Normal
- Wheels O' Time Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Rock Island Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Monticello Railway Museum, Rally Takes the Train