Christmas at Whitehall
Each year during the winter holiday season, Whitehall's first floor is transformed into a Christmas wonderland with historically accurate greenery, trimmings, and ribbons. The focal point is a 16-foot-tall Christmas Tree in the Grand Hall, adorned with colored electric "fairy" lights and traditional Gilded Age-style ornaments. The home's exterior as well as the historic front gate are also decorated with festive wreaths, ribbons, and greenery.
Holiday decorations are on display from late November through early January.
Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities
Sunday, December 1, 2024
12:00 to 5:00 pm
Free for Museum Members at the Sponsor level and above
Free for Whitehall Society Members
$10 per person for Family level Members and below
$40 non-Member Adults
$20 non-Member Children ages 6 - 12
Ages 5 and under Free
The holiday season begins at Whitehall with a gathering on the first Sunday of December to light the Grand Hall Christmas Tree. The day will be filled with holiday cheer. Festive music will be played on the Odell organ and Steinway grand piano, there will be a special choir performance, refreshments will be served, and Santa Claus will make an appearance! This year, Clara, the Nutcracker, and the mischievous Mouse King from Ballet Palm Beach’s The Nutcracker come to visit Whitehall. Children and adults alike will delight in photo opportunities with these beloved characters, set against the magical backdrop of the beautifully decorated tree. As guests are transported into the enchanting world of The Nutcracker, they will be reminded of the ballet’s rich history, created during the Gilded Age when Tchaikovsky’s timeless music first filled theaters with the magic of the holiday season.
Henry Flagler's youngest descendants will light the Museum's 16-foot tall Grand Hall Christmas Tree and the H. M. Flagler & Co.® Museum Store will be open for holiday shopping.
Sponsored by: 
Purchase tea in the Railcar No. 91® Tea Room on Sunday, December 1, 2024:
12:30 pm 1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 2:30 pm
Special Holiday Lecture
"The Gift of the Magi"
by Patrick Sauer
2:30 pm, Sunday, December 1, 2024
Free for Patron level Members and above
$10 per Ticket for all other Members
$50 per Ticket for non-members
includes required Museum Admission and all Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities
The origins of many beloved American Christmas traditions can be traced back to the Gilded Age. This year’s Christmas at Whitehall program features a lecture by Patrick Sauer, history correspondent for Smithsonian Magazine, about the story, The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry, first published in 1905.
Holiday Evening Tours
December 19 - 23, 2024
December 19, Tours begin at: 6:00, 6:15, and 6:30 pm
December 20 and 21, Tours begin at: 6:00, 6:15, 6:30, and 6:45 pm
December 22 and 23, Tours begin at: 6:00, 6:15, 6:30, 6:45, and 7:00 pm
Free for Legacy and Visionary level (2 tickets)
Free for Whitehall Society Members (2 tickets plus 2 children)
$60 for Adults
$30 for Children ages 17 and under
Advance purchase required
To purchase tickets, first select date, then tour time, then ticket types:
During this beloved annual event, families tour Whitehall after hours and discover the origins of American Christmas traditions. Holiday Evening Tours begin with a special Docent-led holiday tour of Whitehall's first floor, followed by a reception featuring carol singers, refreshments, and holiday-themed activities. Guests have the rare opportunity to experience Whitehall by the glow of the 1902 light fixtures. Every visitor receives a traditional Flagler Museum Christmas Cracker following the tour. The H. M. Flagler & Co.® Museum Store will remain open during the program for holiday shopping.
