Provo Pioneer Village Christmas

This hidden gem is truly hard to find in Provo with all of the activity and events that surround Provo. There is very limited parking, so make sure to get there fast if you plan on going! The Provo Pioneer Village Christmas is located just North West of Brigham Young University and is almost directly next to the Provo Recreation Center. They are open all day for the museum, except for three days in December, they have extended hours for the Christmas village.

Everyone is dressed up in pioneer clothing and it is dark, because lanterns are only in select spots. You will be greeted a few pioneers who will welcome you inside and tell you about all of the activities that are available to do. There are four small cabin houses to explore and one big barn where a huge dance party will take place later on in the evening.

The first cabin house has several trinkets from the original pioneers who came to Utah valley. There are lots of cool things to see such as the small bedding, ancient plate patterns, and the clothes hanging up. A few women will show you how to sew and make twine the old fashioned way.

The second cabin has a huge fire to keep you warm as you walk around the village. Some storytelling takes place here. The third cabin has a huge Christmas tree decorated in popcorn and orange slices. More story tellers are here as well as some crafts to work on.

The big barn is straight ahead where the huge dance party is. Fiddlers and violinists play all night while people listen or dance to the music. They typically play older and upbeat songs. I was able to learn the “Real” dance and the partner dance. This was really fun as it was easy and quick to learn. Small kids can dance to with the help of a parent or guardian. A few families who are direct descendants of the pioneers share some Christmas songs and stories from their ancestors. Inside the barn, there is also a blacksmith who makes steel candy canes for children.

Across from the bar, there is a general store. You can taste “horehounds” and “cherry bombs” for free. They are like little candies or old fashioned tums. The cherry bombs are really good, but the horehounds are quite bland. The general store has bonnets, cds, homemade dolls, ornaments, and old fashioned candies for sale. Everything is very cheap and made right there in the village.

Lastly, I went to see Father Christmas or Santa for all of the little kids. He had a huge line, but was worth it to visit! After you sit on Father Christmas’ lap, he will give you a candy cane and tell you something cool and unique about Christmas. You can also learn from a pioneer nearby how to spell your name like how the pioneers spelled their names phonetically. But, before you leave, be sure to grab some free cookies and hot chocolate on your way out!