DUNDURN CASTLE is all decked out for the holidays. Victorian tours continue to Jan. 4.

In the pre-holiday frenzy, we parents are stressed to the point of denouncing Christmas and the hoopla that comes with it. Dreams of escape rather than sugarplums dance in our heads as we cross off yet another chore on our "holiday" list. And if you're like me, you might wonder how we've travelled so far from the days of Charles Dickens' The Christmas Carol when Christmas meant a day off work, a glistening turkey on the sideboard and "God Bless Everyone" as the primary gift.

Well, I'm happy to report that families can travel back to simpler times -- at least for an afternoon -- at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton. The 40-room mansion on the shores of Lake Ontario is decked out for 21st-century holiday visitors. The Italianate home is not really a castle but was dubbed that by citizens because it was so grand. And it was owned by a knight, Sir Allan Napier MacNab, who was premier of the United Canadas in 1854.

His children, particularly young Sophia who kept a diary, would have celebrated Christmas with hand-made ornaments, small toys and tabletop trees such as those on view in the nursery. In honour of the MacNab's Scottish ancestry, the family probably would have rung in the New Year with the festival of Hogmanay, when gifts such as oatcakes and shortbread would have been presented. Try giving oatcakes as gifts today!

As you step into the grand hall, festooned with evergreen garlands, you will be welcomed by 19th-century footmen or ladies in long dresses. Once in the very pink drawing room and beyond, the world of Toys 'R Us and the latest X-Box games will quickly fade.

Afternoon tours, which last about an hour, take families upstairs, where the MacNabs lived, and then down into the basement where Cook and Butler, the laundry mistress and the rest of the dozen or so servants worked. Candles flicker, the scent of apples and baked treats floats on the air and you can almost hear the jingle of sleigh bells as the house bustles with visitors.

Our guide, dressed as a gentleman of 1855 in tie and waistcoat, entertained the kids. He pointed out absurdities such as boys wearing dresses in a period painting and answered curious questions about the plumbing. When we encountered strips of ironed newspaper beside the toilet, the kids were appalled.

"Well at least it beats corn husks and leaves," remarked our interpreter. "That's what most people were using." More groans.

Along the way, we learned to glide down the grand staircase "with grace," how to recognize the various bells ringing in the servants' quarters and where to stand in the front hall to receive a kiss (under the kissing ball). And for a few hours, we were taken back to the days when youngsters relied on home-made diversions because it was an eight-hour carriage ride to the city of York.

The tour ended with an old-fashioned Victorian tea party in the Coach House Restaurant followed by an old-fashioned barley sugar lollipop from the Museum Gift Shop.

For information on Victorian Christmas tours at Dundurn National Historic Site, contact 905-546-2872 or dundurn@hamilton.ca. Tours are $10 adults, $8 students and $5 children (kids five and under free); families $25.

Don't forget to stop in at the child-friendly Hamilton Military Museum on the grounds. Admission to the small museum with its realistic trench from World War 1, complete with battle sounds and hands-on activities is included in the price of admission.

If your kids would like to really delve into history, do chores in the castle, or dress up in military uniforms, enquire about birthday packages. Party prices range from $8 to $15 per child depending on options selected. Reservations are required. Contact 905-546-2872, ext. 28 or www.hamilton.ca/culture-and-rec/MUSEUMS/dundurn/.