The traditional Christmas Putz at The Lutheran Home at Topton will be open for the holidays.
The Putz will be open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22. No pre-registration is required. Large-group or special tours can be arranged by contacting Karen Sinkovits at (610) 682-1425.
The Putz is housed inside the Brandywine Community Library in Old Main on The Lutheran Home at Topton campus. The miniature display was reassembled by resident volunteers following the $7 million renovation project on Old Main in 2017 and early 2018.
A traditional miniature display that covers 560 square feet, the Putz is a collection of antique holiday displays, including working trains. Mrs. Ida Henry, a matron of The Lutheran Home at Topton during its years as an orphanage, assembled the Putz between the years of 1909 and 1945. Among the 17 scenes are the story of the Holy birth, a replica of Radio City Music Hall complete with an organ and an orchestra in the pit, a circus, Toonerville trolley, and a large church complete with tiny hymnals, baptismal fonts, and a pipe organ.
The name comes from the German verb “putzen,” which means to brighten or display.
