It’s fun for all ages, and all for a great cause.
The Spirit of Christmas is underway at Destrehan Plantation this month, where visitors can enjoy a walking tour through the popular site’s five acres of oak trees adorned with over 160 illuminated frames, decorated Christmas trees and a festive lighted tunnel. Numerous activities for visitors of all ages will be included in the festivities, which benefits the Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center.
The event was actually named in honor of Spirit, one of the center’s therapy horses.
The benefit will run nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. through December 18. From Dec. 19 through December 30, the hours will extend later, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and on nights with inclement weather.
The New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center provides therapeutic horseback riding and non-riding activities for individuals with disabilities. The therapy improves muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development and emotional well-being.
“It’s our second year at Destrehan Plantation, and the event is going to be much bigger than last year,” said Anita Hefler, founder of the GNOTRC. “We’re going to have over 200 lighted displays. You’ll hear Cajun Christmas music, and when you get to the back, we’ll have a section set up as the swamp and the Cajun Night Before Christmas will be playing.”
And the activities are plentiful, including photos with Santa, Santa’s Workshop, duck races and holiday games, Christmas caroling and pony rides. Food and refreshments are available as well.
Admission is $10 per person, while children four and under attend free of charge. Parking at the event is free of charge. Pony rides are $5. Tickets can be purchased online at gnotrc.org or DestrehanPlantation.org.
“We’re trying to make this a very affordable, family-friendly event,” said Hefler. “The pony rides are $5, but everything else is free. We will have a professional photographer who will charge, but you can actually bring your own phone for the pictures with Santa and we’ll have people on standby that will take pictures with your phone. It’s just long enough to where you’re not tired by the end of it.
“And people love something local. You don’t have to go to New Orleans or Metairie or Baton Rouge for this. It’s right here.”
Hefler said that approximately half the riders at the GNOTRC are from St. Charles Parish.
“The horse’s movement is most similar to the human walking gait and that can’t be duplicated in a doctor’s office,” said Hefler. “So, horses like Spirit provide this special movement and help riders develop upper body strength, balance, head control and coordination.”
Hefler said for those with developmental delays, it provides confidence.
“Children with autism you often see self-stimulating, the horse now provides the movement so that the brain can stop trying to self-stimulate and the rider can focus on different activities,” Hefler said. “We can work on goals or things that mom and dad have indicated they’d like to see their child do. And we foster as much independence as possible when these children and adults are on horseback.”
Hefler said the United Way of St. Charles connected the center with Destrehan Plantation when a new site for the Spirit of Christmas was needed before last holiday season.
“(Destrehan Plantation) welcomed us with open arms. They don’t charge us anything to use their property. They’ve been wonderful,” Hefler said.
