THE 180-YEAR-OLD Starksboro Village Meeting House will host an old-fashioned service of lessons and carols on Dec. 20. This historic venue will be lit by candles and kerosene lamps.

STARKSBORO — A tradition for around six decades will continue this holiday season at the Starksboro Village Meeting House.

A non-denominational Christmas Candlelight service will be held there on Friday, Dec. 20, at 6:30 p.m. The program of lessons and carols will also feature other special music.

The service is centered around the Christmas Story and the popular candle lighting ceremony in a sanctuary where little has changed from when it was last used as an active Church in the early 1900s, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the past.

The Gothic Revival-style Meeting House was built in 1838-40 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

In the sanctuary electric lights are a secondary way to light the space; the primary light source for this service is a kerosene lamp chandelier.

Many families treasure it as a holiday tradition. The colored glass windows have been restored and the sanctuary walls repaired — the hall is looking the best it has in many decades. The sanctuary is lit by the mirrored oil lamp chandelier, dating from 1884, and many candles.

The Meeting House is located in the center of Starksboro village on Route 116, just north of the town offices. Parking is available to the rear in the town center parking area.