Christmas is magical in the Amana Colonies, especially for those in agricultural endeavors who enjoy seeing the farming connections to the historic buildings.

The first weekend in December the Amana villages in Iowa hold their Prelude to Christmas and they turn into a holiday wonderland. Stores stayed open late and the streets were candlelit, converting the scenery to something out of a Charles Dickens novel. During the Prelude there was even a theater production of “Radio Scrooge.”

For those who missed this year’s Prelude, the Festhalle Barn remains open until Dec. 16. The barn is filled with Christmas trees providing what organizers call “the Tannenbaum Forest of Trees,” along with an impressive 17-foot German-style Christmas Weihnacht Pyramid tree. Proceeds from this event benefit the 2012 Make-A-Wish child, Shalisa.

One of the highlights of the Prelude weekend was a home tour, when residents opened up their homes, allowing visitors and curious locals a look in. This year there were six, and one was a granary built in 1925 that had been converted to a home.

The owner did an amazing job; visitors could see the exposed beams that had been cleaned with a soda blaster (which is like a sandblaster, only with a gentler touch). Elegant wood floors, clean lines and history blended in this house, and in others open for the tour.

Another home was an 1858 sandstone building that served as the West Amana Bakery until shortly after the 1932 reorganizations. In 1998 it was converted to a home, filled with an array of interesting tools collected by the owner.

Visitors heard stories of living in Amana and how the owners renovated or built their homes – in some cases, like the bakery and granary from former Colony commercial buildings used during the communal living time of the Amana Colonies.

To enjoy the beauty of the stone shops and homes, it is important to understand the seven villages that comprise Amana Colonies. They began as a group of settlements of German Pietists in Iowa.

Calling themselves the Ebenezer Society or the Community of True Inspiration, they first settled in New York near Buffalo; however, in order to live out their beliefs in more isolated surroundings they moved to Iowa in 1855. They lived a communal life until the mid-1930s.

The colonists lived together for 80 years in almost complete self-sufficiency. This was possible in part because they had skilled craftsman and members in farming occupations whom they had brought over from Germany. Today, Amana is a major tourist attraction known for its German family-style restaurants and handcrafting shops.

Besides furniture, woolen items and much more, there are wineries and even a brewery called Millstream. The colonies as a whole have been listed as a National Historic Landmark since 1965.

While the Prelude to Christmas is over, shops are still decorated and the villages are alight with holiday cheer. The next big event is Winterfest on Jan. 26, 2013, which will include winter games to bring a smile to anyone’s face – like the Ham Throwing contest!

For more information about the museums and tourism in the Amana Colonies, call the Visitors Center at 800-579-2294.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.