FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR a classic holiday experience this season, Charmingfare Farm in Candia may represent a proverbial one-stop shop, beginning with the Holiday Gift Barn Open House on Friday, Nov. 29.
“This year, we’re partnering with the Candia Farmers Market as part of our Holiday Gift Barn Open House,” said John Pyteraf, owner of Charmingfare Farm. “They have vendors that have great gifts for the holidays.”
Featuring horse-drawn sleigh and logging sled rides, Santa’s Christmas also begins that day. “We have beautiful light displays,” he said. “It’s interesting during daytime or at night, but the lights are brighter when you come in evening.”
According to Pyteraf, rides travel through the 25- to 30-minute Christmas Trail to get to the North Pole. “We go on a trail that first passes a log cabin scene, which is very country-like,” he said. “We have a live nativity, old fashioned little schoolhouse scene, and a snowmen scene.”
Other scenes include a church in the middle of the woods, a mine that looks like the Grinch’s home, old red truck, Christmas tree, polar bears, gnomes, and a candy house scene. Santa’s Christmas also features an Express Ticket, first introduced in 2023.
“The Express tractor train ride is good for those people who are maybe only a family of three and don’t want the cost of the sleigh ride,” explained Pyteraf. “The Express Ticket offers everything except for the 25- to 30-minute through trail and Christmas lights. You still can see Santa, reindeer, and visit animals — it was very popular last year.”
While snow is ideal, these rides take place regardless of its presence. “We always pray at the very least we have a couple inches of snow to illuminate lights, but the ride is no different — it’s just wheels versus runners,” he said. “It’s still smooth … You can still hear horses jingling.”
Beginning Friday, Dec. 27, Charmingfare Farm also offers Encore of the Lights, which takes people on a 30-minute ride through their Christmas light displays to see the real live reindeer at the North Pole and drink complimentary hot cocoa around the barnyard campfire. “The only difference between (Santa’s Christmas and Encore of Lights) is for Encore of Lights Santa is ‘napping,’” Pyteraf said.
With a federal zoo license, Charmingfare Farm also has a petting zoo. “We have all the agricultural animals — sheep, goats, rabbits, and jersey cows,” said Pyteraf.
If it’s a bright sunny day, visitors might be in for a special treat, too. “Baxter the Bear — almost 30 years old — might be out,” he added.
To learn more about Santa’s Christmas, Encore of the Lights, and other holiday-themed events, visit visitthefarm.com.
