See Santa, watch Spiegel Grove, giant tree light up at Lights of Spiegel Grove

Get in the holiday spirit by seeing Santa light the 50-foot outdoor Christmas tree at Spiegel Grove, an arboretum and the estate of President Rutherford and First Lady Lucy Hayes, during Lights of Spiegel Grove on Friday, Dec. 12. 

Lights of Spiegel Grove is from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and the tree and rest of the grounds will be lighted at 6:15 p.m. Enjoy refreshments, carolers, visits with Kris Kringle (the Victorian name for Santa) a campfire and more.

Jarrett Tree Service of Clyde has generously donated its time and resources to help Hayes Presidential staff put lights on the large outdoor tree. 

Carolers will sing around Spiegel Grove, and attendees are welcome to join in on the beloved holiday songs.

From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., there will be an open house of the first floor of the Hayes Home, which will be lightly decorated in a historically accurate manner. Visitors can walk through and see the house and ask staff questions. 

During the event, participants also can take a short walk of the lighted grounds. Admission to this event, including the Hayes Home open house, is free. 

Inside the museum, the “Hayes Train Special” model train display will also be open to visitors. Admission to this display is free. Lights of Spiegel Grove is sponsored by by GEM Rudolph Libbe Group. 

Lights of Spiegel Grove is a part of A Presidential Christmas, a series of holiday events at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. Partial funding for A Presidential Christmas is by Wright Leather Works.

For information on A Presidential Christmas events, visit https://www.rbhayes.org/news/2025/10/30/general/a-presidential-christmas-all-the-holiday-info-you-need-here/.

Hayes Presidential is America’s first presidential library and the forerunner of the federal presidential library system. It is partially funded by the state of Ohio and affiliated with the Ohio History Connection. Hayes Presidential is located at Spiegel Grove on Buckland Avenue.

For information, call 419-332-2081, or visit rbhayes.org. Like Hayes Presidential on Facebook and follow on Instagram at rbhayespres and on Bluesky at rbhayespres.bsky.social.