As discarded Christmas trees line tree belts across Western Massachusetts and many reluctantly settle in for the long winter ahead, there is still an opportunity for some Christmas cheer at the Springfield Museums.
"The Grinch's Grotto" remains on display until Sunday, offering visitors the opportunity to take photos at a variety of standalone selfie stations featuring different rooms in the Grinch's home on Mount Crumpit.
The display is the last remaining sign of Christmas at the museums, which also featured an annual gingerbread house contest where entries featured a wide variety of styles and artistic techniques.
This season's gingerbread house theme was “Gingerbread in Toyland.” Entries were made by local bakeries, families, and community members.
Lhea Destromp is an employment counselor with the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services. She helped coordinate a project where a group of intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals worked together to create a "Toy Story" themed gingerbread display that was a part of the competition.
"The adaptability that individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities have is a major superpower, because these are people who, on a day-to-day basis, are living in a world that does not always feel accessible to them and isn't always eager to accommodate them," she said.
Destromp said this was an opportunity for participants to practice skills to prep for future jobs.
"Collaborating on an idea, taking and applying feedback and then identifying what were the steps we needed to take to make this vision come to life," she said.
It was also a chance for people of different skill sets to work together.
"It was about identifying these opportunities for the folks who we support, who are already in competitive employment to come alongside the individuals who are still on their journey...they're continuing to refine what will help them be ultimately successful in competitive employment," she said.
Lis Matos was one of the participants who worked on the "Toy Story" gingerbread display. She agreed that this was a learning opportunity to gain skills and knowledge for potential future jobs.
"I feel good about doing the gingerbread house. It's a good opportunity for people to see how you create your own experience of making your gingerbread house," she said.
Larissa Murray, director of education at the Springfield Museums, said the exhibit is very popular ever year and brings people together.
“The dedication and generosity of community members is what makes the exhibit possible. We love seeing how adults, families and groups often come together to make creative and whimsical displays, hopefully building memories at the same time," she said.
