During the holidays, our Berkshires Bed and Breakfast is reminiscent of a Currier and Ives painting. All dressed up for Christmas, the holiday lights sparkle, brightening the dark winter days while the wood-burning fireplaces take the chill off of winter. Popcorn and cranberries on the soaring tree, snowflakes twinkling from above, hot mulled local cider. Join us this holiday season and experience a truly old-fashioned Christmas. And save!

Quinn and Charley would love to welcome you home, our home, this winter.

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here Berkshire Deals: Save 25% as Birchwood Takes the Chill out of Winter.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. peppermint extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. red food coloring (more if needed)

1/4 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candy

1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS 

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix the butter, sugar, egg and extracts thoroughly.
Mix the flour and salt, and stir into the butter mixture.
Divide the dough in half.
Blend the food coloring into one half.
Mix the sugar and crushed candy together.

Roll 2 tsp. of each color into 2 5-inch “snakes,” rolling each “snake” back and forth on a lightly floured board. Place the two “snakes” next to each other, press together lightly and twist like a rope (so it looks like a barber’s pole).
Make the cookies one at a time.
Curve the top to make the handle of the candy cane.
Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes, until just lightly brown on the bottom. Remove the cookies immediately and sprinkle with the sugar-candy mixture.

Makes approximately 3 dozen candy canes.

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here Candy Cane Cookies.

(Illustration above by Jesse Lefkowitz)

They are the first family of folk with deep Berkshire roots. With the

holidays coming, it was not too big of a surprise when the Berkshire

Theatre Group announced Arlo Guthrie and his family had reserved

the Saturday before Thanksgiving for their annual appearance.

The Guthrie Family Rides Again, which has been on the road, is

coming home to The Colonial Theatre on Saturday, November 19 at

8pm.

“He’s becoming a beloved Thanksgiving tradition,” said Artistic

Director and CEO Kate Maguire. “We are so fortunate to have Arlo

return again to our Colonial, with the whole Guthrie family.”

Like most Americans, the urge to return to their Berkshire farm,

and their family roots, is strong. The family travels much of the year,

and coming home to a dining room table piled high with some of

their own produce makes the week around Thanksgiving especially

nostalgic. Dad and Grandad Arlo had to give up the livestock

when it became too much to properly maintain along with an

intensive concert schedule.

Tickets for the Guthrie concert are $15–$55 and VIP tickets are

$65 (premium seating). Tickets may be purchased in person at the

Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street near our Berkshires Inn or by calling

(413) 997-4444 or online.

The Ticket Office is open Monday–Friday 10am–5pm, Saturdays 

10am–2pm or on any performance day from 10am until intermission.

A Legendary Family

Arlo Guthrie was born with a guitar in one hand and a harmonica in

the other, the eldest son of America’s most beloved singer/writer

Woody Guthrie, Arlo has made sure to pass on this passion for

music to all the generations of Guthries that came after. Arlo Guthrie

carries on the Guthrie Family legacy as he travels to communities

far and wide sharing timeless stories and unforgettable classic tunes.

A celebrated artist in American music, his artistic ventures help bridge

an often-divided world through his powerful spirit of song. With

songs like “Alice’s Restaurant,” “Coming into Los Angeles,” and “City

of New Orleans,” Arlo’s music has proved itself sustainable

throughout the years.

“The Guthrie Family Rides Again” brings his singular voice as both a

singer-songwriter and social commentator to the stage alongside his

beloved children and grandkids.

This Family concert spotlights three generations of Guthries including

Arlo’s son Abe, who has contributed keyboards and backing vocals to his

father’s live shows since the ’80s. His daughters Cathy, Annie and

Sarah Lee Guthrie, all of who have their own bustling music careers,

will support by singing songs and accompanying on acoustic guitars.

Even the youngest generation of Guthrie kids will join in the fun on

select songs.

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here Arlo Is Home in the Berkshires 11/19.

Quinn says: Lenox, MA, in the heart of The Berkshires, has been

compared to a Currier and Ives sketch. This is especially true during

the December holiday period. And there’s nothing that says New

England better than Lenox village dressed in holiday-style.

Catch the spirit on the weekend of December 10 when the village hosts

the Lenox Caroling Festival. The festival is a gala weekend, a

Christmas stocking filled with holiday events. The celebration

of seasonal songs begins on Saturday, December 10. Thirty or more

of the Northeast’s finest choirs and choral groups have been invited

to lift their voices in a day-long songfest and competition, 10 am to

noon and 1:30 pm to 4 pm throughout the village (in case of

inclement weather, the festival will move to indoor venues).

During the weekend you can also tour many of the village’s renown

bed and breakfast inns, including Birchwood Inn (Our Lenox Bed and Breakfast is

offering holiday special rates this weekend — and throughout most

of November and December as well) and sample holiday treats from

our special local restaurants (Quinn notes that this is her favorite event,

ever optimistic that there will be some cookies that drop on the floor!)

Lenox’s unique shops and restaurants will also be featuring festival specials.

On Saturday, from 6 pm to 7 pm, enjoy the Carolers’ Reception,

award presentations, and sing-a-long at Shakespeare & Co. For a

great feel-good experience, moreover, see David Sedaris’ “Santaland

Diaries” 7:30 pm on Saturday as well as two matinee performances,

Friday and Saturday at 2 pm.

Trinity Church invites everyone to its Holiday Fair and Silver Tea

on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

And what are the holidays without a gingerbread house? The Lenox

Library hosts the annual Gingerbread Contest on Sunday, 10 am to

3 pm.

This is a most special weekend, for sure, but everyday is special

in Lenox during the holidays. Come and celebrate the season of

lights with us at our Lenox MA Inn!

Our Inn in Lenox, MA offers 12 accommodations enjoy Berkshires, Bed & Breakfast,Inn in Lenox MA featuring private baths, cozy fireplaces and more. You can read the original blog post here Hot Time in the Old Lenox December 9, 10 & 11.