Thanksgiving Weekend Traditions: From Home & Family to Visiting Greenfield Village on Black Friday

I've never completely understood the whole  "Black Friday"  thing.  

A day to go into debt by spending a ton of money for things that are on sale 

on the day following a holiday set aside for being Thankful for what you have?

It just never made sense.

I can honestly say I have been shopping on Black Friday only once in my life,  and I found it to be ridiculous.  Stores opening at four o'clock in the morning,  the pushing and shoving and yelling, - in fact,  a few years ago,  some people were even trampled to death upon the rush to get in when the doors opened - just to get some item to give as a gift on a day supposedly for peace on earth good will to men?  

And then stores began opening earlier and earlier until they actually started opening their doors 

on Thanksgiving Day itself!  

Yeah...great family holiday...

Well...it is for me & my family.

And we spend it together as a family.

As I have done for decades,  I try to give a relaxed and natural ambience
by way of candles.
A touch of early Republic here.

And a bit of  early Victorian over in this corner.

Then there's an ode to my grandpa,  who was born in 1895,  over in this corner

My family enjoying our Thanksgiving feast:  three generations.
Only my eldest son is not in this picture - he's behind the camera!

It was a very enjoyable day.  We had fine conversations - yes,  we stayed away from politics and covid,  for there is enough of that everywhere else,  and,  instead,  found other topics to discuss,  keeping this day on a lighter note,  which we all needed.

~   ~   ~   ~  ~

And the next day,  there's Ken...dressing in period clothing and strolling along the historic streets of Greenfield Village,  oblivious to the noise and fights of those thankful people at the brick and mortar stores.

For this,  I am truly Thankful.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas~

Clothes make the man  (or woman),  or so they say.  I've heard this idiom often throughout my life.  And,  in some form or another,  it dates back to at least the Renaissance period---perhaps even further.

But it is correct.  It's been proven over and over,  from as young as school kids through adults,  what you wear can affect how you act and present yourself.

This holds true for living historians as well.  When we are in clothing from another era,  we behave and carry ourselves quite differently than our usual 21st century selves.

Now,  wearing such clothing and be in and around buildings/houses of the same era can bring that past to life in such a way as to  *almost*  give one a sort of immersive experience.

And that's why we do what we do - - - 

The following is a sort of  formula that explains my mindset as a living historian: 

For these two Ken's,  the past is now...

As soon as you start to think of the past as happening  (as opposed to it  'having happened'),  a new way of conceiving history becomes possible.  Reenacting and,  to an even greater extent,  living history,  allows us to to see the inhabitants of the past in a more sympathetic way:  not as a series of graphs and charts showing data of age,  race,  sex,  or occupations,  but,  rather,  as investigations into the sensations of being alive in a different time.  You can start to gain an inkling as to why people did this or that,  and even why they believed things which we may find simply incredible.  You can gain this insight because you know that these people are human,  like you,  and that some of the reactions are simply natural.  In being able to do this sort of  time-travel or,  what I also call mind-travel,  allows one to understand these people not only in terms of evidence through research,  but also in terms of their humanity,  their hopes and fears,  the drama of their lives.

It is in this way we can be reminded that history is much more than a strictly educational process.  Truly understanding the past is a matter of  experience as well as knowledge;  it is a striving to make a spiritual,  emotional,  poetic,  dramatic,  and inspirational connection with our forebears.  It is about our personal reactions to the challenges of living in previous centuries and earlier cultures,  and our understanding of what makes one century different from another.  We know what love,  fear,  pain,  anger,  grief,  sadness,  and anxiety is like today.  Those in the past knew as well.  This is the human relation we have with our forebears. 

And this is how I connect with them...

I have been visiting Greenfield Village on or near Black Friday for over a decade now,  and have always dressed in my period clothing while doing so.  Most times a few friends will join me.

This year was no different.

Three of us teamed up and ventured out on this gray day,  donning our Revolutionary War-era clothing,  including our winter-wear,  and strolled leisurely amongst the historic buildings - the most unique collection of Americana anywhere - taking in all of the wonderful history being offered.

Here's how it went:

Our first stop was at the home of  well-to-do shipping merchant,  John Giddings.
Giddings built this house in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1750.  He,  his wife Mehetable, 
and their five children lived here through most of the rest of the century.

The formal party was decked out for New Year's,  which,  in the 18th century,  was just as popular - if not more popular - than Christmas.
Yes,  contrary to popular belief,  Christmas was celebrated by colonials.  Click the link at the bottom of this posting to learn the truth about Christmas in the colonies from those who were there at the time.

We decided to have a bit of posed fun here:  since Ken and I  (the other Ken)  were dressed a bit more refined,  we had Charlotte portray the servant, 
greeting us at the door.

Kathy Hall Brock took the photos of the three of us, 
some from my camera and this one from her camera.

~A group picture:

George Washington was in Exeter in 1789,  four years after the death of Mr.  Giddings,  and that he most likely had dinner with a group of prominent citizens,  including the New Hampshire Secretary of State Joseph Pearson,  the current owner of this house 

at that time.

Washington's diary entry from November 4,  1789,  indicates that he had taken note of,  and had an interest in,  the ship building activity in Exeter.  Newspaper accounts of the time do place Washington at Folsom Tavern,  just a few blocks from 

the Giddings' wharf.

Please click the link at the bottom of the post to read more about John Giddings 
and the home he lived in.
(This photo was taken by Kathy Hall Brock
Thank you for taking these pictures for and of us!)

The Plympton House is another I stop at nearly every time I visit the Village.

Though it is set up for the time it was built - the early 1700s - the Plympton House
also had a part in the beginnings of the Revolutionary War.

This little red Plympton House sitting inside Greenfield Village truly is a special part
of American history,  for it has direct connections to not only the Revolutionary War itself,  but to the very beginnings of it:  the Battle of Lexington & Concord, 
as well as to Paul Revere.
Ahhh...but to learn more about this house and its history,  you'll have to click the link
at the bottom of this post.

Well,  you knew we'd be here at the Daggett's,  didn't you?

Me,  happily standing in front of my favorite house dressed in my favorite era for clothing!
(Took off the mask for a quick minute to have my photo taken)~

However,  while inside...
Jan & Charlotte visited as Jan knitted a scarf for one of the other presenters there. 
Jan is so accomplished at knitting she doesn't even have to look at what she's doing.

Harvest is over...only the remnants of earlier in the fall was left.

Chuck was chopping wood.  With Holiday Nights coming up,  they will need plenty of firewood to burn in the fireplace in the great hall and the one in the kitchen.

As far back as I can remember,  I do not recall seeing wood stacked in the Daggett kitchen.
There's that realism again!

After a fine visit,  it was time to move on...

The McGuffey Cabin,  built in 1780,  is locked up.  The floorboards were in desperate
need of replacing.  I hope it will be ready for Holiday Nights. 

 

Henry Ford desired to show America's ancestral European life and sent his agent,  Herbert Morton,  to find a typical Cotswold stone house for Greenfield Village.  Morton eventually located this circa 1620 Rose Cottage in Chedworth,  Gloucestershire,  England,  and found that it was for sale.

I suppose the Cotswold Cottage,  originally from England,  was an appropriate home to visit,  for it was built in 1620 - the same year the Pilgrims left England for America and landed at Cape Cod.  This...considering Thanksgiving was the previous day.

Once purchased,  a builder and expert on Cotswold architecture was hired to restore the house while still in England.  Along with the local British builders,  they worked to attain an appearance more reflective of the 17th century,  which required some major alterations to the house and barn.

Inside the Cottage was a bit dank,  though not necessarily unpleasant; 
they were preparing it for Holiday Nights beginning the following weekend.

Once the restoration was completed while still in England,  the workers dismantled the structures stone by stone - numbering each one individually - and packed them in gravel sacks.  Soon the Cotswold collection was on its way to Dearborn,  Michigan  (via boat and then train),  as were a number of the English builders,  eager to help with the reconstruction.

Here is Charlotte posing in clothing that was popular
about 150 years after the cottage was built.
Imagine the fashions that this house has  "seen."  

The beautiful 18th century gardens that were planted in the spring,  bloomed and
cared for during the summer,  and showed us their fall colors, 
are all but gone...til next season.

In the above photo,  behind Charlotte,  you see the rounded dovecote that was brought over and put up in Greenfield Village from the same part of England as the Cotswold Cottage and was built the same year as the cottage itself - about 1620.

Dovecotes,  such as the one in the above picture,  were built to house doves or pigeons.  In the 17th century,  birds from dovecotes provided relief from smoked and salted meats during the harsh winters.

Ken,  in his fine green cloak his late wife had sewed for him,  and I were checking out
the grounds of the Cotswold forge,  which you see behind us.
The forge was operated by members of the same family for nearly 300 years,
until 1909.

Here am I,  standing in the doorway of this wonderful
example of old world architecture.

Over at the Ford Home,  which was nearly a hundred years in the future for us, 
the sheep were out and beckoning for us to visit them.

'Twas a very enjoyable day at Greenfield Village.  It would be my last daytime visit until opening day 2021,  though I plan to be there for one of the Holiday Nights in December.

I have faith that by re-opening in April,  things should be either back to normal or very close.

But the weekend still had traditional adventures!

On the Sunday following Thanksgiving we did our annual trek out to the country to cut down the family Christmas Tree.  We have been doing this since...well,  my wife and I have been married over thirty five years,  so for over thirty five years!

Just a small portion of the trees at Western's Tree Farm in Applegate,  Michigan.

I no longer cut the tree but,  instead,  leave it to my two oldest sons.

And so Tommy & Robbie,  followed by Ben,  took the tree to the road to wait for the cart
 to come and pick us up.

When Patty and I first began cutting down our Christmas Tree,  it was just the two of us and maybe a few friends joining in.  Now it's only our family.  What you see here are Patty and I along with our four kids,  two daughters-in-law,  and three grandkids.
I have been blessed beyond anything I could have hoped for.

My three grandchildren,  all excited about picking out a tree,  cutting it down, 
then decorating it at Nonna & Papa's.

Before we hopped on the highway home,  we stopped in my favorite small town,  Lexington.

As you travel north on M-25,  the first town you enter is Lexington.

The Cadillac Hotel,  first opened in 1860,  recently was restored back to its
original architectural style.

Wimpy's Place has the best burgers,  bar none.
And the General Store is a step back in time.

Home and I immediately put the tree in the stand.

We all took part in decorating it,  which is why it is the family  Christmas Tree,  not just Nonna & Papa's tree.

Grandson Ben

Granddaughter Addy

Grandson  "Hi!  It's me,  Liam!"

And once we were done decorating it...

Every year we say the same thing:
"The best tree we've ever gotten!"

"Oh!  But this year it really is!"
Until next year.
The only time it is NOT the best tree will be when the family is not participating, 
 and I pray that day never comes.

And in another part of our house...

I questioned whether or not I wanted to put up a few of my Department 56 Dickens Village houses and accessories,  but knowing how much my grandkids like it,  I decided to do it for them.  It also helps that they've been watching the Muppet Christmas Carol so they are familiar with the story and characters.
Maybe one year,  after I clean up and out the basement,  I'll set up my entire collection -
46 houses and a myriad of Dickensian characters. 

One of my own little photo shoots inside my house that I posted on Facebook.

A former Greenfield Village presenter who used to work often at the Daggett House commented upon seeing this picture:
"Oh my gosh,  how I love this photo!  Brings me back to my winter days in Daggett."

I replied with,  "That's what I was hoping!  I took this in my house - - "

And her response was,  "Well you wouldn’t know it!  You captured the essence of Daggett perfectly!"

Of course,  the Daggetts,  being Congregationalists,  more that likely would not have hung a wreath in their window for Christmas,  for that religious sect did not celebrate the holiday.

However,  as a Catholic,  I do.  Therefore,  in the spirit of the Daggett House,  this is another of my small tribute.

We are filled with tradition in my family,  from our annual corn roast to apple picking to candle dipping to our Thanksgiving weekend activities,  and I am so very thankful that our children follow suit,  even as adults.  Most of all the traditions we do,  we do as family.

That makes me happy.

Until next time,  see you in time.

To learn more about the Giddings House,  click HERE

To learn more about the Plympton House,  please click HERE

To learn more about the Daggett House,  click HERE

To learn more how colonists celebrated Christmas,  please click HERE

To learn more about early American Thanksgiving celebrations,  click HERE

Until next time,  see you in time.

~   ~   ~