The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM) will host a Christmas Open House Dec. 5 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Dec. 6 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. to allow all ages to experience the holidays at the museum.

Visitors can step back to Christmas in the 1890s with role players in the Pioneer Town. Children can visit Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Hazlewood Lecture Hall and make holiday crafts in the basement. Storytellers will tell Christmas stories in the Petroleum Theater. Children’s choirs and other entertainers will sing and play music from the Derrick room. On Friday, there will be face painting, and on Saturday, people can decorate Christmas cookies.

The event is free, but PPHM’s suggests one can of food per person for admission. Stephanie Price, the marketing and communications manager at PPHM, said PPHM started collecting cans three years ago and is now one of the area’s largest single event food drives.

“Not only does this event spread goodwill and cheer in the Canyon and Amarillo communities, but it helped last year to feed the hungry in our area,” Price said.

Price said last year the museum collected more than 3,200 lbs of canned food which is 2,677 meals.

“We would love to beat that number this year,” Price said. “But, we can only continue setting these records if the public joins us for the event.”