A Great Ending to a Fine Season

(All photos were taken at this year's Christmas Party)

Many years ago, before our involvement in Civil War reenacting, my wife, Patty, and I had spoken many times about throwing a Victorian Christmas party. The idea was to have all of our friends dress in "costume" and pretend that we were in the 1800's by way of candle lit rooms, maybe reading passages from Dickens "A Christmas Carol," drinking wassail, etc. Of course, we had no idea how to put something like this together, and found it to be nearly impossible to have our friends, most who had not even the slightest interest in this sort of thing, dress in 19th century clothing.
It was a nice thought but never happened.
Then came reenacting.
It was around six or seven years ago, when I was relatively new to living history, that the thought of finally being able to participate in a period Christmas party would come to pass. And, yes, a Christmas party was on the schedule. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend due to previous commitments. I searched on the unit web site for pictures taken at the party, to see the fun I missed. I must say, I was a bit disappointed. Not only was the party held at a sports bar, but everyone was dressed in modern clothing. To top it off, the food served was mainly pizza, beer, and pop (soda to you non-midwesterners!).
One would never know that the gathering at hand were Civil War reenactors.
I then checked out other reenacting units, and I found the same across the board: just plain old modern clothing Christmas parties from each and every reenacting unit I came across.
This was quite the let down for me.
I mentioned to my wife that maybe I could step in and bring our dream Christmas into reality, so later that year I spoke with the unit board of directors and asked about having a period Christmas party. I told them we could use the 1872 schoolhouse in the city where I live and and we could ask members to bring a dish to pass...something that would have /could have been eaten during the mid-19th century. They liked the idea but I would have to take it on. I did willingly, although I did have some help.
That very next December we had our first Civil War Christmas party.

It went off like gangbusters - it was everything I hoped it would be and more. Our members dressed in their 1860's finest, the food was out of this world, and we even had one very talented member play Christmas songs on her violin.
It was the talk of the season! It felt like a period Christmas party should feel like - a Holiday right out of the past!
Of course, the following year followed suit. And every year since. Here and there we have invited guests from other units to join in our celebration as well as having Michigan's very own President and Mrs. Lincoln (Fred and Bonnie Priebe) taking part.
This past January 9 we continued our tradition, and it turned out to be the best one yet. The Christmas spirit was with us, even two weeks after December 25th, and it actually felt more like a time-travel experience than any Christmas party before. One big reason was that our resident fiddler formed a period instrumental group and we held a mini ball, where our revelers spent the evening dancing jigs and reels, including one of my favorites, the Virginia Reel (amongst others).

Dancing the Virginia Reel

The evening was filled with laughter, dancing, singing, eating...even a Thomas Nast Santa right out of Harper's Weekly! It was all that one would expect to see and hear at a 19th century Christmas party. The atmosphere couldn't have been better!

I cannot express how much fun this party was - the perfect ending to a wonderful Christmas Season.
You ought to get your unit to give it a try next year!

~Me and my family~

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Civil War Christmas Party

Last night was the Christmas party of the Civil War reenacting unit that I belong to, the 21st Michigan. What's nice about this party is that it is period dress and held in a 19th century schoolhouse. And most members do come dressed appropriately, wearing their finest Civil War era clothing. Even President and Mrs. Lincoln attend! The food we have is, for the most part, period correct: venison stew, turkey, ham, beef stew, homemade stuffing, squash, turnips, beets, mashed potatos, as well as many different kinds of desserts. And wassail to drink! To cut down on garbage, we ask our members to bring their own accurate plates, bowls, silverware, and glasses.

After our feast, there is a 'white elephant' gift exchange for the adults (not period correct, as far as I know - especially the gifts! - but fun!) and a gift giving for the children.
Some of our very talented members provide the music for us throughout the evening by performing as a stringed quartet - old world Christmas music as well as some beautiful classical pieces. And then the final sing-a-long of Civil War era tunes such as "Just Before the Battle Mother," "Listen to the Mockingbird," "Lorena," "Battle Cry of Freedom," "Goober Peas," "Wayfaring Stranger," and even one of Mr. Lincoln's favorites, "Dixie's Land," ends the evening on a high note.

Yes, there were, unfortunately, many things that were farby: the electric lights (fire marshall will not allow us to have candles or oil lamps lit inside this historic building), the way the food was cooked (slow cookers, etc.), the Christmas Tree lights, and even a few people! But, just as with most reenactments, one must learn to over-look these things which are not period correct and concentrate on what is.
All 'n' all, it was quite a festive evening!
This is a wonderful way to end the Christmas season, a period party in a period location, and I am very happy that the unit celebrates in this manner.

And now, on to the clear slate of 2009, where I pray that "better times are coming" (as the old Stephen Foster song goes).

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Mourning

(I updated a new mourning blog with more information on the mourning practices of the 19th century. Click here to go to it)

As many social historians may know, mourning the loss of a loved one was quite different in the 19th century as compared to mourning today. In fact, I sometimes wonder if people truly even mourn in this modern time in which I'm stuck.
In case you might not be familiar with the stages of mourning during the mid-to-late 19th century, here is a run-down:

Mourning pertaining to women was in three stages - heavy/deep mourning, full mourning, and half mourning.

Mourning a spouse generally would last one to 2 ½ years:

For a parent: 6 months to a year

For children over 10 yrs old: 6 months to a year

For children under 10 yrs: 3 to 6 months

Infants: 6 weeks and up

For siblings: 6 to 8 months

For aunts and uncles: 3 to 6 months

For cousins: 6 weeks to 3 months

For aunts or uncles related by marriage: 6 weeks to 3 months

Grandparents: 6 months

For more distant relatives and friends: 3 weeks and up

Heavy/Deep mourning lasted the minimum of a year and a day and could last as long as 2 ½ years to life. Black clothing, jewelry, veils, bonnets, outer wear, and crape characterized it. The use of crape to cover outer wear and bonnets usually lasted a year and a day, and then could be removed. By the 2^nd year the woman could add lace. Hats were not to be worn for mourning; bonnets covered in crape would replace them. The veil was of black crape, and very long, but by the 2^nd year it could be shortened. Mourning clothes were expected to be plain with little or no adornment.

Full mourning collars and cuffs were replaced by white, veils were taken off, crape was discarded, and jewelry of a wider variety was worn.

Half mourning included the addition of lilac, lavender, violet, mauve, and gray. The woman was no longer limited to just black. She would use black and white ornaments for evening wear, bonnets were white, lavender silk or straw.

For specific periods of time a widow would not leave her home and did not receive any visitors. After a respectable time, she would then send out black edged cards advising friends and family that her time of heavy mourning had passed and she could now receive visitors. Parties, weddings, and other social affairs were hands off to those in mourning.

I write of this because we recently had a death in our family - my wife's mother, only a couple months ago, passed away quite suddenly at the young age of 61.
Death has been a visitor to my wife's family frequently since this new century began - besides her mother she also lost her father, a sister, and a brother - all rather young and all unexpected.

With death seemingly ever-present, my wife has not truly been able to mourn - to grieve - as she would like. She has been told that "life goes on," to "get over it," and "why do you mourn if you're a Christian."
Yes, these comments have been said to her over the last few years, believe it or not.

A couple weeks after my mother-in-law's death, we had a memorial service that included our very close friend who just happens to be a pastor and presided over the ceremony. During the service, my eldest son played the guitar and sang a very heart-wrenching version of "Wayfaring Stranger." Nearly all were brought to tears. In this gathering we had many friends and family, some who traveled quite a distance, giving their happy remembrances of my mother-in-law. A beautiful eulogy read by my wife also brought nearly every visitor to tears. And to complete the service there was a nice setting of food.
But, even though this memorial was supposed to bring closure, I could see that it didn't, at least not for my wife. You see, mother and daughter were very close and spoke to each other daily on the phone (we live in the Detroit area and my mother-in-law lived 2 1/2 hours away in Battle Creek, so visits were not as frequent as all would have liked). And the time of day the phone calls had been made (late afternoon) is particularly hard on my wife.
She still cries herself to sleep many nights and she still has bouts with depression, but she still can't mourn outside of our home it seems. Society does not allow open mourning without sending the mourner to a psychiatrist, who will invariably put them on some anti-depressant.
I do my best to comfort her, but I can only give the moral support she needs.

On the day her mother died - November 1st - we were in the midst of having a period dress gathering at our home with our Civil War friends, so we rushed to the hospital without changing (which garnered some looks from everyone around!). I say this because the day after Christmas we had a few friends over to help celebrate the holiday. And, just as we have done the previous two years with these friends, it was a period dress Christmas get-together once again. As our friends have repeatedly told us, "This is our Christmas!"
But, this year I noticed that, instead of wearing her nice flower-print brown day dress, she instead wore her lavender day dress with a mourning brooch I bought for her earlier this year while we portrayed mourning practices during re-enactments.
http://passionforthepast.blogspot.com/2008/07/mourning.html
Although she was not 19th century accurate, she was showing our visitors that she was in mourning - that she still had grief. And, afterwards she told me how good it felt to wear the badge of mourning for all to see and to give her the respect that folks should give one in such a state.
And that lead me to finally fully understand the mourning practices of the 19th century: it gave one - including men, albeit a much shorter length and less rules - the opportunity to mourn, and to let others know. It gave the mourner the right to cry whenever and have others understand. It gave the mourner the right to be angry whenever and have others understand. It gave her the right to be moody and have others understand.
It gave her the right to grieve whenever she needed to.
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And, that's what my wife cannot do in this modern day and age. She needs to mourn and to know it's OK to mourn without anyone saying "It's been a couple months, she should get over it by now!" and having some doctor wanting to shove pills down her throat. Not necessarily mourning to the extent of our 19th century ancestors, but, in her heart she needs to mourn - - not for three days; not for a week or a month. But for however long she needs to.
Our ancestors were much smarter than today's society gives them credit for.
They knew...

(The image shown here in this blog, by the way, was taken with an 1860's tintype camera and shows Michigan Soldiers Aid Society members (including yours truly) during another mourning scenario that we did in Hastings, Michigan at historic Charlton Park. Many styles of mourning clothing are shown.)
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Christmas at Greenfield Village 2008

It was a harrowing journey through the late afternoon snowstorm but, after a nearly hour and a half ride (normally 25 minutes!), we arrived at Greenfield Village. Since we left early, we were there on time for the opening of the gates.
Our first stop, upon entering, was the home of Henry Ford, where the house is decorated as if it were 1876. The smells of bread and pie filled the air as we entered the building. I enjoy watching the presenters cook on the old woodstoves and explain what they are making. Not only is it a learning experience, but it helps to bring the past to life. It gives my wife ideas in many cases for our own meals.

From there we walked over to the Wright Brothers home. Again, the home is decked out for Christmas, only in this house it is Christmas 1903. On this night that we were there - December 23 - we were told it was the 105 anniversary of the Wright's return from Kitty Hawk. I liked the way the presenter told us: "On this very night, Wilbur and Orville walked through that same door filled with the news of their first airplane flight."
Gives one chills.

The Adams House was celebrating Christmas of the 1860's, and the aroma of a spicy Christmas drink (smelled like Wassail to me) filled the rooms. The decorated Christmas Tree in the back parlor had a Noah's Ark scene (built in Germany in the 1830's) underneath. Greens were placed throughout the rooms. This home is a wonderful example of a Christmas celebration of an average middle-class Michigan family of the 1860's.

Across the road from the Adam's home is the McGuffey schoolhouse, now being used as winter quarters for Civil War soldiers. The re-enactors there are my friends from various units in the area and they do a super job presenting what life was like for the northern soldier stationed in Virginia on a cold Christmas night. Lit only by candles and warmed by the fireplace, Mike, the chaplain, told us that this was one of the best times he's had at Christmas, but the heat from the fire did little to truly keep him warm. It helps to understand just what the guys went through all those years ago.

The home of Thomas Edison's grandparents was next, and it was 1915 in that house. An old Edison phonograph played scratchy Christmas music and a beautifully decorated feather tree stood atop the table, ready for Christmas dinner.

Over at the Cotswold Cottage, originally from England, the American soldiers of WWII did their best to have a Christmas far from their loved ones across the ocean. The mistress of the house was there, stringing popcorn to help give the guys the best Christmas she could. WWII re-enactor soldiers were placed throughout, telling how the locals in England would take the Americans into their homes for the holidays to try and give them as nice a Christmas as they could.

The 1822 home of Noah Webster was next, all decorated as it would have been in Mr. Webster's time. But, this home shows New Year's traditions rather than concentrate specifically on Christmas. The New Year's feast is there in the dining room, waiting for the visitors with calling cards to come a-courting the Webster daughters.

The next couple of houses we entered showed what many people may not realize happened in America - how certain religious denominations did not celebrate this holiday. Many folks often wonder why the Village presents this when it is supposed to be Holiday Nights. Well, remember that this is a historic place and part of their job is to show history as it was. But, if one listens to what the presenters have to say, very interesting stories of the times abound. I love entering the darkened great hall of the Daggett saltbox house, lit only by a fireplace, a lantern, and a rush light.

At the Giddings home, tales of Mummers are told. Mummers are/were (usually) men who dress(ed) up in costumes and masks and would travel house to house, putting on skits for the owners and singing songs as well in hopes of receiving money or food, or perhaps a bowl of hot wassail for their efforts. If the butler or owner closed the door on them, the mummers would find their way inside of the home and take for themselves the meat and drink they wanted. Usually a mummer was a neighbor, but because they wore masks and disguised their voices, the homeowner did not know who these people actually were.

The Susquehanna House shows a Christmas from 1860 on a slave owner's plantation. The home is decked beautifully and the "owners" are preparing for a New Year's Day wedding. Again, the sites and smells of foods from long ago permeate the air.

Speaking of food, vendors selling roast beef, chestnuts, hot chocolate, and other Christmas treats were set along the roadside. And sellers of lanterns, greens, and newspapers were also hawking their wares.

On the other side of the Village is an ice skating pond where patrons (and talented presenters) can skate. Horses and carriages, along with Model T's, are available for free tours of the Village. And brass bands, wandering minstrels, vocal quartets, a colonial fife and drum group, a dulcimer player, a lone fife player, and still other musicians are posted throughout, entertaining the patrons with the sounds of Christmas.

There is much more going on than in my description above - more houses to visit, fireworks, Santa and real reindeer, etc. Maybe I'll write a complete descriptive picture on my Greenfield Village blog http://gfv1929.blogspot.com/
in the future.
We attend the Holiday Nights event at Greenfield Village no less than twice a season and I enjoy it more and more each time, especially this last time, on December 23, when we had the snowstorm. The snow, instead of preventing all of the activities, actually helped here - it was only half as crowded as before. Now, that does sound selfish of me, and I apologize for that, but the lesser crowds (and the snow) certainly made for a more festive evening.

To all of you I wish a wonderful Christmas season - as traditional or as modern as you would like.



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A Journey Through Christmas Past (or How to Have an Old-fashioned Christmas)

If you haven't figured it out by now, I absolutely love the Christmas Season. And I do my best to make it what I want it to be. This means, to me, giving it that old-time look and feel that people only dream (or sing) about.
Just like the ones I "used to know."
Well, not really.
My youthful Christmas's were wonderful, but they weren't like the songs you hear. Nor were they old-fashioned.
But, as fine as my Christmas's were when I was young, it was the "Currier & Ives" Christmas's that I always wanted.
So, now, as an adult, I have an old fashioned, traditional Christmas - I am doing my best to make the lyrics of the Christmas songs come alive.
And, so far it's been working - for the last 20+ years, it's been working.

I have been able to do this through a number of different means.

First off is the music. As I have written in a previous blog, I choose period-sounding old-world Christmas music, usually performed on authentic antique instruments such as a forte' piano, hammered dulcimer, fiddle, music box, traditional vocals (no divas please!), and the like. Cd's of this type are readily available at Amazon.

Simply Dickens performing Old World Christmas carols

Click below to read my blog on Christmas Music.

Sounds of the Season

Next comes the atmosphere - and this means candlelight. When I was a child, my mother would begin to light candles right after Labor Day. It gives any home - no matter how recently built - that old-time-y look. We carry on the tradition of lighting candles at my house throughout the season, beginning on Thanksgiving. We burn the tall, thin, beeswax real candles - not the fat, perfume-y, over-priced Hallmark ones.
Yes, we always eat our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners strictly by candlelight during the darkened evening hours, and our Christmas dinner this year will be in the same way, as will numerous meals between now and then.

Decorations...this is a tuffy. We have a mix of 19th and 20th century in our Christmas decor: garland around the ceiling with tiny (electric) lights tucked inside, for instance, hangs in our living room and kitchen. Also, on our computer desk we have an old (circa 1950) nativity scene. I also have a few of my Dickens Department 56 lighted houses on the piano - modern, yes, but they have that old, traditional look and feel - they show the various scenes of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol," including the major characters of that story along 'brick' and 'cobblestone' roads.
I normally set up four tables for my Dickens lighted houses display, but I have no room at this time to do that.
Now, in our back gathering room, we have our electrically lit (with real candles attached to the branches as well) spruce Christmas tree, freshly cut down with help from my children. Yes, we go - as a family - north to Western's Tree farm in Sanilac County and get a horse-drawn carriage ride out to the trees we like, chop one down, then get picked up by said horse and cart, and ride back to the log cabin to pay for it. On the way home we stop for lunch - usually the old time period food like...ahem...pizza. This year it was the traditional A&W hamburgers. Very Victorian.
Once home, the tree is placed in the stand and then we all decorate it with period-looking decorations, including popcorn (not real but very real looking) and old-time-y bulbs. We also have all sorts of odds and ends upon our tree. It's fun to look at for the first time visitor.

Our 2008 Christmas Tree

I put up greenery (traditional cedar) without any sort of lighting attached throughout this room, and have my beeswax candles with the glass globe coverings on our table and mantle. Another manger scene, a wooden Noah's Ark set, a nutcracker, and an old world Santa Claus completes the picture.
It all blends in well with our antiques.

Our 'gathering room' during the holidays

There are so many "Hallmark" Christmas decorations out there that many woman (sorry - not sexist, but that's who I have seen purchase most of them ) just have to buy. Items like singing Christmas Trees, wreaths that speak, or the silly flags that show a snowman hanging from the front porch do not make for a traditional Christmas. I'll be honest, I personally do not even consider them cute. Now, I will admit to having a singing Christmas Homer Simpson, but he is kept near our very modern TV. And that's where he stays. And next to him is a lighted Department 56 "A Christmas Story" (Ralphie and the Red-Rider bb gun) house.

So that is how we decorate our house.

Now, there is much more to do if you want to have an old-time Christmas (or even if you just want to enjoy Christmas period):

Greenfield Village has a wonderful tradition of presenting "Holiday Nights," where folks can visit the open-air museum at night and see homes of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and how they would have been decorated (or not decorated, in some instances) during their time. (hint: this is where so many of my ideas have come from).

A Christmas scene from the past at Greenfield Village's Firestone Farm

To see these old homes as they would have looked way back when is a site for sure. And the Christmas lessons taught in each are fascinating. And the smells of the food being cooked is mouth watering. The main street area is just bustling with people - the whole Village makes you feel as if you stepped into a Currier & Ives picture print.

The hustle and bustle of Christmas Past at Greenfield Village's Main Street

There are free carriage rides, Model T rides, and carousel rides to add to the evening.
They also are open during the day on the weekends for those who choose not to go at night (or missed buying the tickets - every night sells out quickly - get you tickets now!)

The Holly Dickens Festival is a fun way to spend a day as well, cavorting with the characters right out of Dickens' story and hearing Christmas music new and old performed by small chorale groups and full choirs. And the authentic Victorian setting of the beautiful Village of Holly cannot be beat. This festival is absolutely FREE! It takes place the three weekends in December before Christmas. Yes, and yours truly is Charles Dickens himself!

In fact, in one skit, I write the story of "A Christmas Carol" and the characters of Scrooge and Cratchit come alive (see above photo). We also put on the "Christmas Carol" skit as well, although it is a bit different from what Dickens originally intended. It's great fun!

The Crocker House in Mt. Clemens (built in 1869) has a Wallow and Wassail every year, with a minimal cost, that brings Christmas "home," so to speak, by way of roasting chestnuts on an open fire, live music (including a traditional pump organ and singing and the vocal music of Simply Dickens), great traditional food, homemade sugar plums, and, once again, a period atmosphere.

Kim Parr makes sugar plums at the Crocker House in Mt. Clemens

There are also Christmas festivities in many of the towns throughout lower Michigan: Waterloo, Lexington, Rochester...and others.

If you do not live in the Detroit area, I would bet there are similar events that take place in your area as well. A quick search of your newspaper or a call to some of the city halls in your area can direct you. Or, start one of your own. Yes, it is a lot of work, but the end result can be quite satisfying.

Christmas shopping does not have to be a chore. In fact, it can be quite fun, especially if you shop on line. You can get great items at a very low cost. We have been able to get twice as many things for us and our kids than if we went to the mall. And, that's the best part - you don't have to go to the mall!!
Here's my blog (written very recently) about Christmas shopping:

Christmas Does Not Have To Mean Overspending

Another tradition, modern in a traditional sense, is to watch classic movies. I especially love Dickens "A Christmas Carol," (of course) and watch several versions AND read the book yearly. Great Victoriana.
Other favorites include The Waltons "The Homecoming," "It's A Wonderful Life," "The Santa Clause (the 1st one)," "I'll Be Home For Christmas (the one with Hal Holbrook and Eva Marie Saint from 1988 - an excellent Christmas movie set in WWII)," "The Gift of Love," and so many others.

As I said earlier, we eat our Christmas dinner by candle light. Being that we are Civil War reenactors, many times we will eat while wearing our period clothing. Talk about having the "look"! But, even without the old-time clothing, the candle-lit dinner certainly is an awesome atmosphere. And, having soft hammered dulcimer music playing in the background (the stereo is in another room) adds greatly to the desired effect. And, try some period food and drink - it wouldn't be Christmas at our house without my wife's traditional wassail, a period Christmas/12th Night drink. You can add 'spirits' if you desire, for a more authentic taste.

Our 'gathering room' table on Christmas Night 2006

Having good friends over will make your Christmas that much more special. Invite your friends over to celebrate with you, whether it's for dinner, dessert, or just to visit.
And if you have re-enactor friends, well, wearing period clothing will make it even better!

Oh, one more thing- do not be afraid to say "Merry Christmas."

And when gift opening time comes around, take your time and take turns, allowing one person to open one gift at a time per round. This way, everyone has the opportunity to enjoy everyone else's treasures. Yes, this can work with young children as well. Be a parent to them and insist that this is the way it will be done.

Don't forget the most important part of the Holiday: please take time - whether you attend church or not - to spend with the One who's birth we are celebrating. Yes, yes, I realize Jesus was probably not born on December the 25th, but we are still celebrating His birthday, are we not? Read the biblical passage of Jesus' birth (Luke 2: 1-20), if for no one else's than for your own sake.

Christmas can be what you want it to be, with minimal costs. Yes, you may initially get a few off-handed remarks (especially from family members), but they, too, will learn to appreciate what you have done for yourself.

I have been told that I live in the past (thank you!), that I live in a fantasy world that either never existed or hasn't existed in many years (thank you again!). OK. So what's the point? I am living out what folks just think about doing.
Or what singers sing about.
And I'm having a blast!

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Final Thoughts on Christmas 2007

I realize this is two weeks after Christmas, but it is 12th night so I guess I am still in keeping with the Holiday Season.
I often hear folks repeatedly say that they hate Christmas - the gift giving, the music, the TV shows, crabby shoppers, and even the religious aspect. I also hear folks say that Christmas is never like what is portrayed in books, movies, or Currier and Ives & Norman Rockwell paintings.
Why, then, is Christmas at my circa 1944 bungalow house "just like the ones we used to know?" Why have I had numerous friends tell me that a visit to our house "makes their Christmas"?
I'm not being boastful here, just truthful.

If you haven't figured out by now, I absolutely love the Christmas Season. And I do my best to make it what I want it to be. This means, to me, giving it that old-time look and feel that people only dream about. I do this through a number of different means.
First off is the music. As I have written in a previous blog, I choose period-sounding old-world Christmas music, usually performed on authentic antique instruments such as a forte' piano, hammered dulcimer, fiddle, music box, and the like. Cd's of this type are readily available at Amazon.

Next comes the candles. When I was a child, my mother would begin to light candles right after Labor Day ended. It gives any home - no matter how recently built - that old-timey look.
Decorations...this is a tuffy. We have a mix of 19th and 20th century in our Christmas decor: garland around the ceiling with tiny lights inside, for instance, hangs in our living room and kitchen. Also, on our computer desk we have an antique (circa 1950) nativity scene. I also have a few of my Dickens Department 56 lighted houses on the piano - modern, yes, but they have that old, traditional look and feel. Now, in our back gathering room, we have our candle and electrically lit spruce Christmas tree, freshly cut down by my eldest in early December, with very period-looking decorations, including popcorn (not real but very real looking). I put up greenery (traditional cedar) without any sort of lighting attached throughout this room, and have my beeswax candles with the glass globe coverings on our table and mantle. Another manger scene, a nutcracker, and an old world Santa Claus completes the picture.
There are so many "Hallmark" Christmas decorations out there that many woman (sorry - not sexist, but that's who I have seen purchase most of them) just have to buy. Items like singing Christmas Trees, wreaths that speak, or the silly flags that show a snowman hanging from the front porch do not make for a traditional Christmas. I'll be honest, I personally do not even consider them cute. Now, I will admit to having a singing Christmas Homer Simpson, but he is kept near our very modern TV. And that's where he stays.

Greenfield Village has a wonderful tradition of presenting "Holiday Nights," where folks can visit the open-air museum at night and see homes of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and how they would have been decorated (or not decorated, in some instances) during their time. (hint: this is where so many of my ideas have come from)

The Holly Dickens Festival is a fun way to spend a day as well, cavorting with the characters right out of Dickens' story and hearing Christmas music new and old performed live by singers and choirs. And the authentic Victorian setting of the beautiful Village of Holly cannot be beat. This festival is absolutely FREE!
The Crocker House in Mt. Clemens (built in 1869) has a Wallow and Wassail every year, with a minimal cost, that brings Christmas "home," so to speak, by way of roasting chestnuts on an open fire, live music (including a traditional pump organ and singing), great traditional food, homemade sugar plums, and, once again, a period atmosphere.
If you do not live in the Detroit area, I would bet there are similar events that take place in your area as well. A quick search of your newspaper or a call to some of the city halls in your area can direct you. Or, start one of your own. Yes, it is a lot of work, but the end result can be quite satisfying.

Christmas shopping does not have to be a chore. In fact, it can be quite fun. Here's what we do - first off, set a cost limit, and not too high, either, and make sure you stick with it. Second, make most, if not all, of your purchases on line. Amazon and eBay are my two favorite places to shop. You can get great items at a very low cost. We have been able to get twice as many things for us and our kids than if we went to the mall. And, that's the best part - you don't have to go to the mall!!

Another tradition, modern in a traditional sense, is to watch classic movies. I especially love Dickens "A Christmas Carol," and watch several versions AND read the book yearly. Great Victoriana.

At our house, Christmas dinner is eaten strictly by candle light. Being that we are Civil War reenactors, many times we will eat while wearing our period clothing. Talk about having the "look"! But, even without the old-time clothing, the candle-lit dinner certainly is an awesome atmosphere. And, having soft hammered dulcimer music playing in the background (the stereo is in another room) adds greatly to the desired effect. And, try some period food and drink - it wouldn't be Christmas at our house without my wife's wassail, a traditional Christmas/12th Night drink. You can add 'spirits' if you desire, for a more authentic taste.

And when gift opening time comes around, take your time and take turns, allowing one person to open one gift at a time per round. This way, everyone has the opportunity to enjoy everyone else's treasures. Yes, this can work with young children as well. Be a parent to them and insist that this is the way it will be done.

Don't forget the most important part of the Holiday: please take time - whether you attend church or not - to spend with the One Who's birth we are celebrating. Read the biblical passage of Jesus' birth (Luke 2: 1-20) if you are homebound, if for no one else's than for your own sake.

Oh, one more thing- do not be afraid to say "Merry Christmas."

Christmas can be what you want it to be, with minimal costs. Yes, you may initially get a few off-handed remarks (especially from family members), but they, too, will learn to appreciate what you have done for them.

Now, print this blog and place it where you won't forget it for next year.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Wassail to you all on this 12th Night!

Merry Christmas

This is a picture of our Christmas Tree this year. It was taken Christmas night.
We had a wonderful Christmas, especially when our very good friends came over to help us celebrate.
I have to admit that I personally had the best Christmas that I can remember - I have done so much this season, from the Holly Dickens Festival every weekend, to the Crocker House Wallow and Wassail, to watching Simply Dickens perform on Fox 2 News, to visiting Greenfield Village twice for their Holiday Nights event, to cutting down our Christmas Tree...just a fabulous Christmas Season.
And it continues...

This photo was taken at the Adam's House in Greenfield Village

The following letter is one I wrote that was printed in today's Detroit News in response to an article about Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays.

It's a neat little early Christmas gift:

How should holidays be celebrated?

Be specific about Christmas

For the most part, I agree with John O'Neill in his assessment of "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" ("Happy holidays remains true to the actual spirit of Christmas," Nov. 28). However, what angers many people is not the voluntary use of those terms. It's when, for example, The News wishes its readers a "Happy Holidays" on Christmas Day instead of wishing them a "Merry Christmas." I would expect the papers to also wish their Jewish and Muslim readers a proper acknowledgment on their major holidays as well.

Calling a Christmas tree a "holiday tree" or (in the case of a national retailer) a "family tree" is also wrong. You don't call a Menorah a "holiday candle holder," right? In this age of all-inclusive, feel-good political correctness, it is OK to be an individual, too.

Ken ---------

I am a traditionalist so I will say to anyone of my two or three readers "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

This is a picture of the fireplace in our 'Gathering Room' that I took last night. I won the original 19th century frames hanging on each side on eBay at a very good price, and, yes, they have Currier & Ives prints.


We had nearly 8 inches of snow fall where I live in Michigan and, although you may hear plenty of grumbling from many folks, you won't hear it from me. I like snow, especially this time of year. Now, come the end of January and into February I will be very tired of it!. But, at this festive time of year, I am enjoying the Christmas-y look it gives. I even a drove a very hazardous drive out to Holly to participate in the Dickens Festival, as did a good many of us who are part of the festival. Not surprisingly, there were very few patrons about and we called it off by mid-afternoon. However, a few of our Dickensian characters were able to go for an actual sleigh ride through the streets of town!
I am a man in the wrong time...

A Christmas Carol

"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is, perhaps, my all-time favorite story. I have multiple copies of the book and, so far, every available copy of the movie versions. And, as stated in a previous blog, I participate every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas in the Holly Dickens Festival in Holly, Michigan. This year, much to my delight and surprise, I am Charles Dickens himself, and I speak on how "I" came to write this most famous of Christmas stories.
Anyhow, today I would like to write of my favorite filmed versions of "A Christmas Carol" and why they are good, fair, or poor.
First off, my favorite movie version is the George C. Scott version from 1984. Why? Well, Mr. Scott makes a very human and realistic Scrooge - his believability factor is a 10 out of 10. He's not evil...just mean. I also think this has the best Tiny Tim, Ghost of Christmases Past and Present, and a very good Jacob Marley. It really helps that this was filmed in an actual 18th and 19th century village in England, lending the authenticity lacking in some of the other versions.
My second favorite is the Alistair Simm version from 1951. Simm also makes a wonderful Scrooge, and a very comedic one as well. It's this version that has my favorite Jacob Marley - truly a haunting and torturous creature. And 'Old Joe' at the hock shop is excellent (during the 'future' portion of the movie). This is the only version that gives Mrs. Dilber such a prominent role. It's because of these other factors that this movie shines.
Now we hit the 1999 version with Patrick Stewart. In my opinion (sorry Stewart fans) he is one of the worst Scrooges. He is beyond mean - he can be downright evil. And, I really don't care for a totally bald Scrooge. But the worst part to me is the obviously fake choking out a laugh when he has been reformed. Embarrassing.
But, this version has, hands down, the best Cratchit family, bar none. They not only look as ragged as they are supposed to, with poor teeth, well-worn clothes, and obviously without many means, but their speech is of a lower class London family as well. This is also only one of two versions to show the dead Tiny Tim lying in state in his home, as he would have been at the time.
But, to whoever wrote the script - please, Scrooge's sister's name was FAN - not Fran!
Oh, one more thing: the Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come is really awful here. I would have expected more for such a recent filming.
The 1933 version with Seymour Hicks is very well done considering its age. The buildings look authentic, the Cratchit's are very realistic, and Hicks plays a wonderfully authentic Scrooge.
Unfortunately, the spirits in this version are awful: a light, a voice, and...well...nothing but Scrooge's replies to unheard questions. Now, I know in 1933 the ability to super-impose was already a common practice. Why they went this route is beyond me.
A very big plus is showing Mrs. Cratchit taking the pudding out of the laundry tub, as the book states. One of the funnier moments was seeing Scrooge's old love, Belle, having 14 (!) children!! And, in a bit of an unusual twist, we see Queen Victoria celebrating Christmas. Hmmm...
My least favorite is the Reginald Owen version from 1938. I feel there was no soul put into it. And Owen himself is far too young to play such an old miser as Scrooge - it's obvious he has a fake head piece on. He also changes much too quickly for my taste - he has become reformed clearly by the first spirit. The over acting (watch Mrs. Cratchit as she brings in the pudding) is sickening. There is no "life", so to speak, in the spirits, especially in Jacob Marley. Again, they call Scrooge's sister Fran (it's FAN!), an obvious pet-peeve of mine.
But, on the plus side, this is the only version showing the Cratchit children going to the baker's to get the goose.
So there you have it - my personal reviews and opinions of the movie versions of "A Christmas Carol."
If you want to get a great book version, search out "The Annotated Christmas Carol" by Dickens and Michael Patrick Hearn. The explanations of 19th century life are clearly defined.
"Dickens Christmas" by Simon Callow is also an excellent book version. Both include the complete text as Mr. Dickens originally wrote it. Both also include many historical notes to accompany the words.

Christmas Time's A-Comin'

~These two pictures are of my house at Christmas Time~

There are many folks out there who cannot seem to enjoy themselves at Christmas. I found the main reason for this is because when they think of Christmas, they think of spending money on gifts. They think of hearing the same ten Christmas songs over and over and over. They think of fighting the crowds at the over-crowded mall.
Well, I'm here to change that.
You see, I love Christmas, and for those of you who know me know this to be true. The reason I love Christmas is because I enjoy the holiday not only for what it is, but for what it's supposed to be. In other words, we do our best to have a Currier & Ives Christmas.
Please allow me to explain...
In a way, my wife and I (and our four children) have taken all of the elements that supposedly makes Christmas so special and applied them to our own celebrations. For instance, me and my two oldest sons take part in the Holly Dickens Festival every year, where we don period clothing and give the patrons a "Christmas Carol" Dickensian Christmas, ripe with the characters from Dickens' book, including Scrooge, Cratchit, Jacob, Marley, Tiny Tim, and Charles Dickens himself (see my previous Dickens/Holly blog ).
We also head out to Greenfield Village for their "Holiday Nights" Christmas event. (See my Christmas Music blog for photos taken at GFV's Holiday Nights). Greenfield Village truly decks the halls of the homes there in wonderfully accurate period Christmas fashion. Carolers, mummers, a brass band, skaters, vendors of greenery, and, of course, all the sights and sounds of Christmas past. Santa and reindeer, a 'winter quarters' Civil War reenacting unit, horse-drawn carriage rides, and the homes, inside and out, decorated for their time, with docents explaining the old-time practices of Christmases long ago. My wife and I have been going to Greenfield Village for Christmas since 1983, and we never tire of it (although it has changed immensely over the years).
In our own home we make the attempt to have an old-fashioned Christmas. We cut down our own Christmas Tree every year, many times bringing friends along to enjoy our tradition with us. The first weekend in December we head up to Western's Tree Farm off Applegate Road in Sanilac County, saw in hand, and find that perfect tree - always a short needle spruce - to decorate in our own Victorian style. A tractor or horse-drawn wagon ride takes us out to where the grove of trees are, and picks us up when we have chopped ours down.
And we always decorate it that same night, with wonderful hammered dulcimer Christmas music playing in the background. Yes, we do put real candles on our tree (see the picture above) and, yes, we do light them once a year (with all kinds of water buckets about just in case) - I have been doing that for over twenty years. We also have the tiny electric lights as well.
And, we decorate our home in a pseudo-Victorian style. Friends of ours have come over just to get that old-time feeling.
Yes, we do partake in some 'contemporary' traditions as well, including watching Christmas DVD's. Of course, my favorites are the various "A Christmas Carol" movies available. My favorite version is with George C. Scott, followed by the Alistair Simm, Patrick Stewart (awful Scrooge but a great Cratchit family), and Seymour Hicks. The Gene Lockhart version is OK but not one of my favorites.
We also watch the Walton's original Christmas movie (that launched the series), and one called "I'll Be Home For Christmas" that takes place during WWII (on VHS only so far), and, yes, even Jim Carey's "The Grinch."
There are a few others, but these are the main ones. Oh, by the way, there is an excellent foreign Christmas movie, "Joyouex (sp?) Noel," about the Christmas reprieve during WWI.
We like to watch the Christmas TV shows that I have on video - Charlie Brown, Grinch (cartoon), Twilight Zone, Andy Griffith, Bewitched, etc.
Christmas Day is when we put on our Civil War era clothing and, especially while eating dinner, have a completely candlelit house. A feeling like no other.
But, best of all is when we sit quietly with all the lights off except the Christmas lights, and just enjoy the season. This is a great time to reflect and to clear your mind of all your stress.
This is also a very good time to remember the Reason for the Season.
It's really not hard to have a truly Merry Christmas when you allow yourself to do so.
Give it a try - you just might enjoy yourself.
(Order your gifts from Amazon.com - avoid the crowds and save loads of dough!).

Christmas Music

Have yourself an old-time Christmas this year.

By now, many folks living in the Detroit area (you know, the most dangerous city), have at least caught a snippet of radio station WNIC 24/7 Christmas music format. This is where one can here 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree,' 'Jingle Bell Rock,' 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' and 'Holly Jolly Christmas' once, and sometimes twice an hour. This is where one can listen to today's contemporary artists (Mariah Carey, et al.) kill the music you know and love or, better still, write new "Christmas songs" that sound like every other 'diva' tune out there - not Christmas-y at all.
My mother, who normally simply cannot wait for 'NIC to begin playing the Christmas tunes, ended up turning it off because she was sick of it - and it's not even Thanksgiving yet!
It's not that she's sick of Christmas music - she is tired of the same songs played over and over and over and over...she knows there is much more out there that WNIC doesn't even touch.
(To WNIC's credit, I will give them this much: a couple of years ago, they played only secular Christmas music - Santa, Rudolph, and the like - nothing sacred...not even 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' or 'Silent Night.' I sent them an email asking why. The response was that they didn't want to offend anyone, especially non-Christians. My response? If someone is playing Christmas music, chances are they are Christians - or at least celebrate the holiday - and that I doubted there were very many Jews or Muslims listening. The next year, a noticeable increase in sacred music was presented to the listening public.)
For those who know me know that I have a rather large collection of Christmas music, from the classics of Ray Conniff, Johnny Mathis, Mitch Miller, Nat King Cole, and Bing Crosby, to the fun rock and roll of the Drifters 'White Christmas,' Beach Boys, Elvis, and the Ventures, to the Country Christmas music of Emmylou Harris, the Judds, George Strait, Susy Boggus, Patty Loveless, and Willie Nelson, to the contemporary CD's of 'A Very Special Christmas,' and Amy Grant, to the children's music with the original Chipmuncks, 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas,' etc.
But, my very favorite Christmas music is what I call Victorian (or Old World) Christmas music. This includes artists such as Linda Russell, Robin Petrie, The Christmas Revels, Maggie Sansone, Katie McMahon, The Chieftains, Madeline MacNeal, Bonnie Rideout, and even the the early recordings of Mannheim Steamroller. These artists perform traditional Christmas music on period and traditional instruments like the hammered dulcimer, penny whistle, mountain dulcimer, and very old guitars and pianos. The vocals are as if the performers were in your living room, singing just for you.
Now, they do many popular tunes that you will know and recognize, such as 'God Rest Ye,' 'Silent Night,' 'Jingle Bells,' 'The First Nowell,' 'It Came upon a Midnight Clear,' etc. But, there are so many wonderful Christmas songs that have been forgotten about. Tunes like 'The Gloucestershire Wassail,' 'The Holly Bears a Berry,' 'A Virgin Unspotted,' 'Riu Riu Chiu,' 'The Boar's Head Carol,' 'All You That Are Good Fellows,' 'In The Bleak Mid-Winter,' 'Bring A Torch Jeannette Isabella,' and countless others.
By listening to this music over the top sellers I have found myself enjoying Christmas music so much more. Why? Because I don't hear the same 10 tunes over and over and I don't get sick of it. I also know that the majority of this Old World music has a history - a much deeper history than say, Woolworth's advertisement campaign which spawned 'Rudolph.'
When my house lights are off and just the lights from our Christmas tree are glowing, the last thing I want to hear is 'Run Run Rudolph' or 'Santa's Beard.' Beautiful hammered dulcimer and fiddle with a five piece vocal quartet is the perfect soundtrack to a perfect holiday.
Pretty much all of the music I have mentioned is available on Amazon.com

The Holly Dickens Festival

I have to promote the Holly (Michigan) Dickens Festival, of which I have been a part of since 1998. This is where about thirty of us don our Dickensian clothing (ca 1843) and brave the cold each weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas to put on an old English Christmas festival. It's there that you'll meet Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit & Tiny Tim, the ghost of Jacob Marley, the three spirits of Christmas (Past, Present, and Yet to Come), and many other assorted Londoners of the 19th century including Queen Victoria, chimney sweeps, carolers, put-pocketers, and street urchins from Fagin's gang, all in an actual Victorian setting. The streets of Holly are cut off from the cars so we can perform our skits and music. And it's all put on for free for the public (although tips are always welcome!).
As stated earlier, this is my tenth year doing the festival - I never thought I would be doing it this long, but it's a great and fun way to bring history to life (in a farby way, but that's OK) during the off season for Civil War reenacting.
Also, my two eldest sons perform at the festival and have themselves been doing it for a number of years as well.
For photos and more info, check out this site: http://thefestivalsingers.com/
Hope to see you (who ever you are) there!