Each Christmas season, the Pioneer Museum of Alabama has something unique and special under its Christmas tree for the Pike County community.

This year is no exception.

“We are very excited to be offer Hearthside Meals to those who enjoy the old traditions of the Christmas season,” said Kari Barley, museum director. “The Hearthside Meals is a new event for us and I believe that it is an event that will be extremely popular and one that we will have to expand in the future.”

Barley said Hearthside Meals is a cooking class and more.

“Those who participate will learn how to cook a holiday-type meal on a wood stove and over an open fire in the fireplace,” Barley said. “B.B. Palmer will be the chef for the Hearthside Meal and he’s a great instructor and those who participate will learn to cook the way that grandma did.”

Palmer hasn’t shared the menu with Barley yet but it will be a complete meal with dessert to be shared with the Hearthside Meal cooks-in-training.

“The Hearthside Meal will be from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, in the demonstration cabin, which is small, so it will be limited to 15,” Barley said. “What is so exciting about Hearthside Meal is that the cooking will be from scratch, starting with the churning of the butter and through the warm and hearty holiday meal and dessert.”

The fee for the Hearthside Meal is $15 and reservations may be made by calling the museum at 566-3597. The museum will be closed the week of Thanksgiving.

The Pioneer Museum will host Old Time Christmas on Dec. 12 and 13. The Christmas event will include the arrival of Father Christmas, storytelling and the lighting of museum’s Christmas trees.