Gaylordsville’s Christmas Shoppe has ‘become a tradition’

[Editor’s Note: In addition to Merwinsville's event, numerous other holiday events, including Christmas fairs, festivals, choral events, live nativities, and more are planned for this weekend and in the coming weeks. Be sure to check back here for other stories in the coming days, as well as view the town’s community calendar at www.NewMilfordNow.org/events on a regular basis to keep up to date on happenings. New Milford organizations are strongly encouraged to submit their event(s) to the calendar on a regular basis for an extended reach.] 

By Deborah Rose

When Georganne Bensh drove to her new home along Brown’s Forge

Road in Gaylordsville in 1999, she was certain she had stepped into a Norman Rockwell painting.

In particular, the Merwinsville Hotel – the large, three-story structure with a nine-column Georgian exterior and latticed balcony located along the Housatonic Railroad – caught her attention.

“’It’s so pretty….it’s a Christmas house,’” Bensh said she remembers thinking at the time.

That thought, followed by an invitation by a local family to join the organization that kept up the historic hotel, combined with Bensh’s vision for decorating and love of Christmas, set the foundation for what has become one of the most popular holiday events in the area – Merwinsville Hotel’s Christmas Shoppe.

“We have people who’ve been coming here ever since it started,” said Jeremy Ruman, president of Merwinsville Hotel. “They come and it kicks off the whole holiday season for them.”

Since the early 2000s, Bensh has donated her holiday decorations and time to transform the Merwinsville Hotel into a magical holiday space that celebrates and honors the festive season.

This year’s Christmas Shoppe will run for two weekends: Nov. 24-26 and Dec. 1-3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the Brown’s Forge Road hotel.

In addition to holiday decorations, guests will find fine arts and crafts made by approximately 70 local artists and artisans. Among the goods will be jewelry, pottery, ornaments, woven and knitted items, felted figures, photographs and fine art in a variety of mediums.

One of the most popular attractions is a display of Dickens Village, surrounded by a model train, that takes up the majority of one large room.

Rounding out the spacious holiday displays is a World's Fair village.

Nutcrackers, Santa Clauses and other seasonal decor bring additional festive cheer to the event.

Those looking for a cut tree, wreath or other greens for the season can peruse the array of items for sale by Meadowbrook Gardens at the hotel.

“People talk about shopping local and shopping small, we cover that in spades,” Ruman said.

She described the quality of artwork and crafts for sale as “top notch,” with many of them being one-of-a-kind goods, some even by award-winning artists.

“If someone comes into the hotel this year looking for an ornament, and they leave without one, then they haven’t looked in the hotel,” Ruman said, emphasizing the multitude of handcrafted ornaments made in stained glass, wood, felt and other mediums.

“There are so many choices,” she said.

Normally, ornaments take up two Christmas trees for the Christmas Shoppe. This year, there are three full-size trees “loaded,” plus more, she said. 

While patrons shop, they can also indulge in food, baked goods and beverages, including complimentary hot chocolate.

Bensh and a small group of volunteers make the food. 

Countless hours go into set up, preparation and operating the Christmas Shoppe.

“I’m happy to do it, though” said Bensh, who chairs the event.

“I tell everybody, this is my Christmas,” she said, humbly. “This is, to me, my Christmas.

‘It just kept blooming’

When Bensh initially got involved with the Merwinsville Hotel, the organization held a short, one-day open house for the holiday season. Hot chocolate was served and tours of the building were offered. A wreath was hung on the front door.

“I thought we can do much better than this,” Bensh said she thought at the time, reflecting upon the holiday transformation she initiated at her own home each year.

Then-volunteers Jerry and Rosemary Nahley and Aaron Seltzer invited Bensh to bring her holiday creativity to the hotel, but they had no idea Bensh’s vision would eventually morph into a special tradition for decades to come.

Bensh brought to the hotel extra holiday decorations from her personal collections – tabletop trees and nutcrackers, miniature holiday villages – and hung a wreath on every door. She suggested the event be held both Saturday and Sunday. 

“Georganne had all these Christmas things – the World’s Fair and Dickens villages – she was excited about showcasing,” Ruman recalled.

For the first few years Bensh was involved, the hotel’s Station Room was the focus. But the event quickly took on a life of its own, spilling over into the hotel’s other rooms.

She coordinated visits to the hotel by Santa’s eldest son, Nat, who donned jeans, a striped shirt, red suspenders and, of course, a natural gray-white beard. She added children's story times and a toy box that spilled over with gifts for the youngest patrons.

Ruman fondly recalled Bensh’s love of and spirit for the season: “Georgann would come in and announce, ‘I bought five more houses for the villages.’”

What started out as a “village” in the early years has transformed into a “city,” Ruman quipped.

Around 2003-04, local artists were invited to sell their goods during the event.

Bensh said the event “just kept blooming” because new ideas came to mind and the hotel’s existing features, such as its front desk and ticket booth, were incorporated more and more into the vision and overall event.

The front desk became check-in and the ticket booth turned into a candy shop and, later, a “bakery,” where homemade cakes, cookies and other treats were served. 

The Christmas Shoppe has evolved. Nat completed his training a few years ago, thus he has holiday commitments and is unable to visit the hotel for the Christmas Shoppe, and children’s story times are no longer offered.

However, the Christmas Shoppe’s has added new features that have enhanced its appeal. Among them, the expanded participation of local artists, and the sale of greens, wreaths, and trees by Meadowbrook Gardens. 

In recent years, the event rivals the hotel’s two-weekend Columbus Day arts and crafts event in popularity and attendance, according to Ruman.

“New people come in all the time…it’s wonderful,” Bensh said, noting 1,200 to 1,600 attend the Christmas Shoppe located in the hotel building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

To read Deborah Rose’s 2022 column, “Beyond Words,” about her visit to the Christmas Shoppe, visit 

https://www.newmilfordnow.org/headlines?headline=Surprise-tradition-is-at-heart-of-the-season

Deborah Rose/An assortment of baked goods are available to purchase at the annual event.

Deborah Rose/Seasonal decorations are everywhere inside the historic hotel.

Deborah Rose/Event chair, Georganne Bench, has many responsibilities, including overseeing the beverage and candy cane station.

Deborah Rose/Fine arts and crafts by local artists and artisans make unique holiday gifts.

Deborah Rose/Guests of Merwinsville's Christmas Shoppe will discover an assortment of offerings.

Deborah Rose/Large displays of holiday villages are surrounded by a model train.