PA German Christmas Candy Workshop – Morning

Discover the history and traditions behind clear toy candy and other Pennsylvania German confections during this hands-on holiday workshop.

Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Morning Session: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM (EST)
Afternoon Session: 1:00–4:00 PM (EST)

Click Here to Register

Location

Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
2451 Kissel Hill Road
Lancaster, PA 17601-4899

Workshop Location: Landis Valley House Hotel Kitchen
Meeting Location: Visitor Center

Tuition

$60.00–$70.00

Age Requirements

Participants must be at least 18 years old or 16 years old when accompanied by a parent.

About the Workshop

This PA German Christmas Candy Workshop offers participants a rare opportunity to revisit distinctive childhood memories while learning some of the secrets of the confectionery trade. This three-hour class explores the history of clear toy candy and other Pennsylvania German confections traditionally enjoyed during the holiday season.

Participants will work in teams to pour candy into four different molds. The molds include animals, Father Christmas figures, and miniatures dating from the late 19th century through the 1940s.

Participants will make:

Clear toy candy
Frosted church glass candy
Molasses candy
Potato candy

This workshop is a wonderful activity for couples, friends, and family members.

All sales are final, and refunds are not available. Proceeds benefit Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum.

Meet the Instructor

Zachary Long, Museum Educator at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, is a food historian focused on preserving and interpreting 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century foodways.

In 2018, Zachary began researching the confectionery trade as it existed in Europe and America. Clear toy candy making became a hobby through this investigation. Once a flourishing holiday business for many confectioners in southeastern Pennsylvania, the tradition has almost completely disappeared.

Zachary’s goal is to preserve the lost art of clear toy candy making and share the excitement of receiving these small holiday treasures with a new generation.