Historic Rock Ford is excited to present its popular 18th Century Yuletide tours. The General Edward Hand Mansion will be decorated with festive greenery in the style of the 1790s. In the mansion, there will be period dance and open-hearth cooking demonstrations and live harpsichord and violin music. Visitors will also be able to hear the voice of an actor portraying Edward Hand in his study recounting his memories of Christmas night in 1776 when he and his men crossed the Delaware River and launched a surprise attack against the Hessian Garrison at Trenton, N.J. During the era that Hand and his family lived at Rock Ford, the traditional English Christmas was celebrated as Yuletide, a period of gatherings, games, ghost stories, dancing and dining with family and friends. Yuletide extended over the 12-day period starting Dec. 25 (which was mostly a day for religious observance) and culminating in the Twelfth Night on Jan. 6, which was sometime celebrated with a ball or an elaborate feast highlighted with a special cake. When gifts were exchanged at all, they tended to be small items or tokens of affection and were usually given on New Years Day rather than as part of the Christmas celebration. The museum invites the public to visit Historic Rock Ford for this celebration of Yuletide, a time when Christmas Day was only the beginning of the festive season. Tours will be held on Friday, Dec. 27, with timed entries at 4, 5, and 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 28 and 29, with timed entries at 2, 3, and 4 p.m. Due to limited guest capacity, advance ticket purchasing is recommended through www.rockford.yapsody.com. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (65+), $12 for youth (6-17) and free of charge for children 5 and under. Historic Rock Ford is located at 881 Rock Ford Road, Lancaster, Pa., and comprises the General Edward Hand Mansion and the John J. Snyder Jr. Gallery. It is owned and operated by the Rock Ford Foundation, a private, not-for-profit corporation.