WPC Museum celebrates Cars, Trees & Traditions Nov. 21 to Dec. 30

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills is putting on its holiday finery for its “Cars, Trees & Traditions” exhibit, Nov. 21-Dec. 30. The fifth annual seasonal exhibit returns with enhanced décor, a vintage pedal car display and new programs.

“Cars, Trees & Traditions” spotlights eight decades of holiday style through 23 nostalgically- and thematically-decked evergreen trees, paired with vehicles from the museum’s collection. Each vignette is wrapped with text, images and advertisements reminiscent of holidays past. Following the exhibition’s narrative from one vignette to the next, guests see how vehicle progression—from horseless carriages to enclosed, more comfortable and better engineered models—helped change the ways in which Americans celebrated the season’s festivities.

New for 2009

Thirty vintage pedal cars dating back to the 1920s, including many Chrysler-inspired models and specialty vehicles, will lend an additional nostalgic touch to this year’s exhibition. The miniature cars and trucks are from the private collections of Greg Gladki of Westland, Mich., and Earl Ickes of Clinton Township, Mich. Among the pedal cars on display:will be a 1925 Hudson, 1937 Airflow Sedan, 1938 Dodge Sedan, 1939 Chrysler Airflow Fire Truck, 1939 Dodge, 1941 Dodge Fire Chief, 1941 Chrysler Sedan, 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury, 1968 Dodge Charger and a Jeep.

Cars, Trees & Traditions opens with Family Fun Day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Events include informal exhibition tours and visits with Santa in a vintage Dodge truck ( bring your camera), a host of holiday crafts, air brush body art (11 a.m.-1 p.m.). At 11:30 a.m., Lisa Gleeson, of Lisa’s Gift Qrappers in Royal Oak, will present Christmas Traditions Unwrapped, a program presenting the origins of many holiday traditions, including the Christmas tree’s German roots, how St. Nicolas, the Bishop of Myra, became Santa Claus and the custom of exchanging wrapped gifts.

The museum’s gift shop also will feature discounts on a number of collectibles, providing an opportunity for guests to get a jump on their holiday shopping.

Special Family Fun Day admission is $7.50 per person for ages 2 and older, and $28 for a family of four. (Member admission is $6.25 per person and $24 per family of four.)

Holiday Ornament Workshops

For crafty guests, the museum is hosting Holiday Ornament Workshops, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. or 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, including a bulb-making session, refreshments and an exhibition tour. Participants will create a keepsake memento from a favorite photo scanned prior to the workshop and slipped into a glass bulb. Participants will adorn the ornaments with a variety of silk flowers, leaves, beads and baubles—all with the help of a pro, Kathy Burm of Bulbs by Blondie. Registration is $21/person, including Museum admission ($19 for members). Visit Featured Events at www.wpchryslermuseum.org or e-mail events@wpchryslermuseum.org for registration and details for submitting photos via e-mail or mail.

Saturday Crafts

Everyone in the family can test their creativity with holiday crafts du jour, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday from Thanksgiving through year’s end. Two to three child-friendly crafts will be offered each Saturday with regular museum admission.

“Cars, Trees & Traditions” will be open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed every Monday, as well as Nov. 25 and 26, and Dec. 24 and 25.

General museum admission, which includes “Cars, Trees & Traditions,” is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (62 and older) and $4 for juniors (6 – 12). Children 5 years old and younger are free. Admission is $4 per person for groups of 15 or more with advance registration.

For more information—and two-for-one admission coupons—visit the Museum website or call (248) 944-0001. To schedule a group visit, e-mail grouptours@wpchryslermuseum.org or call (248) 944-0450. Two-for-one admission coupons are not valid for Family Fun Day or the Holiday Ornament Workshops.