Tara, the Dickens' servant girl, after reading his newly written novelette, A Christmas Carol:
"How do you do that, sir?"
Charles Dickens: "Do what?"
Tara: "Make a world come alive? I could almost see and hear them people."
(from the movie, "The Man Who Invented Christmas")
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As living historians, this is our ultimate goal: to "Make a world come alive."
And when it does happen, there's little else that can compare.
Nearly every picture posted for this month has something to do with Christmas, for this time of year, when most reenactors are taking a long winter's nap from the hobby, I - and a few others - are actually more active making that world of the past come alive than in the summertime.
Here...take a look - - -
As I prefaced my photos with on Facebook:
To change up the news feed and help get away from all of the harsh and getting harsher doom & gloom of our modern time, here is my daily Living History Photo for a new month, December 1: and it's Day 250 I've been doing this!----and I ain't stopping until whenever I decide to stop.
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| December 1 I've done a lot of research on the Daggett House and its namesake family who originally lived there back in the 18th century. In fact, I have a wide D-ring binder filled with nothing but Daggett information. So what is my fascination with this house and original occupants that has me so attracted to it? Well, first off, the era; built in 1750, it's from the period I love most in our great American history and focuses on the average American family of the time. The Daggetts were farmers, as were my own ancestors, and the more I read and research, they seemed to epitomize the a-typical New England family of the 18th century. Patriarch Samuel was a jack of all trades: besides the full-time work as a farmer, he also built houses, mended many items for neighbors (carts, wheels, spinning wheels, etc), and also made yokes, helped to build a road, made cider, and even pulled teeth. Matriarch Anna ran the home and cared for the family. She planted a kitchen garden, prepared and preserved food; spun and dyed yarn, spun flax, made clothing, towels and sheets, gave the children their earliest lessons in reading and writing, was the family doctor, made soap and candles, and helped her husband with the farm animals. Their children learned of running a house and farm from their parents: Asenath and Talitha learned the skills of "housewifery" from their mother, and Isaiah would have spent most of his time learning "husbandry" (farming) and the other skills from his father. Like so many families in the colonial times, the Daggetts used, sold, or traded items they made for those they needed. Farm families did not farm to make a profit. They farmed to flourish as a family. This. To imagine farm lives three centuries ago, we must return to a time when family life and the economy blended to a degree unknown today. And that, my friends & family, is why this house holds such a strong attraction for me; it's in my own bloodline - it is the me of the 18th century (had I actually been around then). |
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| December 2 Since 2009 a core group of us have been celebrating an 1860s Christmas every year. We've portrayed a city family inside a home at Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne (picture number 1), and a farming family at historic Waterloo Farm in Munith, Michigan (picture number 2). These two living history events have always been about as special a time as one can have replicating a Civil War era Christmas. At Christmas at The Fort in Detroit we still celebrate a period Christmas inside the Commander's house at Fort Wayne (though, unfortunately, not this year). And it's here where we apply our 1st person mannerisms and portray an actual family of the 1860s. To us it is Christmas Eve 1861 and we go about our daily activities as such, which includes decorating our table-top tree, read Christmas stories, sing the old carols while the pump organ is being played, visit, play parlor games, and even eat a Christmas meal (more on that in a couple weeks).
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| December 3 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 - Charlotte, Ken R., and myself - 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 you see us in front of the home built in Exeter, New Hampshire back in 1750 by shipping merchant John Giddings. Imagine...this house was around during the French & Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitutional Convention, and all that came after. In fact, in 1789, which was during the time of the home's 2nd owner, Joseph Pearson - who was the Secretary of State for New Hampshire - George Washington was in the town of Exeter, and that he most likely had dinner with a group of prominent citizens, which would have included Mr. Pearson. Oh, if these walls could talk... |
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| December 4 My period vocal group, Simply Dickens! Christmas carols: most of us love 'em, but there a quite a few who do not. Mostly because they hear they same dozen tunes repeatedly from before Thanksgiving through Christmas Day itself: Last Christmas, I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas, Holly Jolly Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, Rudolph, It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, All I Want For Christmas Is You, Grandma Got Run Over, et al. Well, if you tire of these carols pretty quick, then you must meet Simply Dickens, perhaps the finest purveyors of old world carols anywhere - simply beautiful vocalists - - - - the carols we perform are from the old world, and there are even a few from the new world, though from a couple centuries ago - - - carols such as All You That Are Good Fellows, Masters In This Hall, Riu Riu Chiu, In The Bleak Midwinter, The Wexford Carol, The Boar's Head Carol, Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, The Huron Indian Carol, The Gloucestershire Wassail, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...and plenty more along these lines, all bonafide historic carols from days of old.
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| December 5 A winter’s evening during the Holiday Season. Moving about from room to room, our colonial ancestors brought their light with them, just as I had brought my own light into the parlor looking for playing cards, checkers, and other games to play on such a cold and dark December night. Buried in nighttime blackness in the wintertime reduced the once family-sized home into a single room in many cases, for many families closed off the parlors to decrease the amount of warming space. With a dim glow, life centered around the hearth or stove for warmth and possibly a candle for any of the limited activities of which they may have partaken. Activities were limited to things that didn’t require the best vision, and storytelling – including Bible stories & family history tales - were popular. |
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| December 6 Living History Photo for December 6: Day 255---- and I ain't stopping until whenever I decide to stop. Today I celebrate my wife's birthday. In this picture you see the two of us at the premier of the Daniel Day-Lewis movie "Lincoln," where a group of us dressed in our period clothing to view it---yes, we were at the movie theater! Now, if we were actually back in 1865 - the year the movie takes place - she would have been born in 1810 and I would have been born in 1806, so you go on and figure out our current ages (no, Patty's not one of those who is shy about her age). Anyhow, Happy Birthday to my lovely wife - I hope you like your gifts! lol - - |
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| December 7 Though I had been inside the 1760s Daggett Home at night plenty of times (during Holiday Nights), it was not until this particular day that I was in my favorite of all the structures at Greenfield Village during the very late afternoon in deep autumn. As the daylight waned, accented by the thick gray clouds, I had such a feeling of calm as the surrounding shadows grew long upon the floors and walls, knowing if I was truly in the 18th century, only the fireplace or a candle would be my light.. Feeling and seeing the past in such ways rarely gets any better. Remember - if the only light and heat comes from candles and fireplaces because of a power outage at your house, it is frustrating and annoying - but inside a colonial house, it is charming and peaceful. |
Out of all the years I worked there and of all the days and nights spent at Daggett, there are a few that stand out above the rest. One Holiday evening in particular back when the Village was open during the day, sometimes we would work a different shift time than normal. One year we Holiday evening workers would head to the house at 4:30 so the day shift did not have to put out the fire, stoves and candles and then the evening shift have to turn right around and relight everything. So one night, I'm at Daggett at 4:30, day shift leaves and I'm there alone until the 2nd evening person arrives. Fires burning in Great Hall and Kitchen, candles lit in various lanterns, and over an hour of pure bliss. I sat and relaxed, ate my supper, sat by the fire and read a book. It was absolutely, historically magical.
Angela
Yeah...I bet it was...
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| December 8 This Christmas outing certainly was a fine time indeed! A decently large group of us were invited to historic Crossroads Village for their Christmas event a number of years back, and we certainly added quite a bit of that mid-19th century Victorian ambience to the open-air museum, even with the electric lights on the trees. We strolled about the Village, singing carols, entering the homes (not all at once lol), and entertaining the visitors, giving them the extra bit of Christmas spirit not often seen there. I would love to do this again.  Maybe we can plan something for next year... |
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| December 9 This is one of those pictures that just turned out absolutely perfect. It emits a time from 250 years ago so well. Jordan has always been a wonderful presenter at Greenfield Village, but she really shined at the 18th century Giddings House during Holiday Nights, and she always made me feel welcome. As you can see from the second picture of the Giddings House itself, it truly was a cold winter's night, and the fire in the hearth offered warmth. It is unfortunate that Greenfield Village is entirely closed during the winter months. When I was younger they used to remain open: had sleigh rides, sold hot chocolate (or coffee), and one could enjoy the winter like no other place in our area. I do have high hopes that may change one day - never say never - so in the meantime I have to enjoy the winter there as I can get it. And for now that time is during Holiday Nights, the event that shows the Christmas Holiday season through the ages, from the 1700s, as you see here, through the 1940s and WWII, and for the two hundred years in between. Yes, it is still occurring this year, and you'll get a report loaded with pictures after I attend later in the month. So, Jordan, thank you for helping to make my visits as awesome as they were, and for posing with me. You are sorely missed.  |
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| December 10 My period vocal group, Simply Dickens, spent most of our performing time in 2019 in the beautiful Village of Holly, where the nation's oldest Dickens Festival takes place. Holly, Michigan is a town filled with wonderful antique shops - much of what I own came from one of the myriad of shops here - and for two weekends I had greatly admired an all-too-cool old Christmas poster, which was a bit out of my price range. But on our last day performing, I was surprised - very surprised (which nearly moved me to tears) - to receive this poster I'd been admiring while it hung in a shop throughout all of our weekends there, as a gift from a very special young couple in my group. Once again I thank this young couple (who have since gotten married!) so very much!  This is probably the coolest Christmas poster I've seen and have it proudly hanging next to my Christmas Tree in my parlor at home - I am so touched... |
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| December 11 Visiting Greenfield Village during their Christmas Holiday Nights event I will oftentimes have a few of my living history friends come along, as you see my friend Rae with me here. As living historians, there are not many opportunities to wear our cold-weather garments because there are so few reenactments this time of year, and Greenfield Village closes up for daytime visits until April, so Holiday Nights allows us that opportunity in an old-timey-type festive atmosphere. And to you snarky folk----yeah...you know who you are...yep, I am quite aware of this electric light thing going on in the picture here. However, you gotta admit, it makes for a cool photo! |
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| December 12 Playing parlor games had been popular, especially during the cold months of winter, since...well...there have been parlors! At the Christmas at the Fort event or at the 21st Michigan Civil War Christmas party (as shown here) we will sometimes play parlor games, such as Question & Answers. One of the favored games we've played is The 12 Days of Christmas, which I've read actually began as a parlor game in the 1700s. When we play we cannot choose any of the "gifts" from the well-known song. In other words, we all stand or sit in a circle and I may say "On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a candle in a holder." The person to my left will have to come up with something other than two turtles doves and then remember my item. The next person will come up with a third gift other than three French hens then remember what was gift two and what was gift one. And so on. Give it a try - it is a great Christmas party game with plenty of laughs. |
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| December 13 On a dark December evening, I was moving about the streets of Greenfield Village during Holiday Nights in my 1860s clothing, enjoying the spirits of Christmas past, as I usually do. But there was this overwhelming feeling that something - I wasn't sure what - but something unusual was about to happen, when suddenly BAM! An other worldly bright light engulfed the whole Village and there was a loud explosion, two barks of a dog, and... Then everything went dark. As my vision returned, I found myself inside the Cotswold Cottage where I saw my friend, Jillian, a reenactor who also usually dressed in 1860s clothing. However...she was no longer in that Civil War-era style but, instead, she was dressed as a 1940s WWII nurse. And I was now in 1770s clothes! It was like we were sucked up into a strange vortex of time or cast into the 4th dimension or a black hole or something. We were both out of our normal element of time. Will we ever get back? |
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| December 14 Over at the Henry Ford Museum they have quite a collection of pure American History, rivaling even the Smithsonian Institution, to be honest. And among the artifacts there are a few items related to the Father of our Country, President Washington, a truly great man among men. So on this day - the 221st anniversary of his death - I thought I would pay homage to him for my reenacting/living history photo(s) of the day. In this first picture I look almost like I am a part of the display of the George Washington items, some of which were around during his time, as well as a couple that were made as a tribute to him after his death.
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| December 15 My bride (you know her as Patty) and I on board the Christmas Train at Crossroads Village a few years back when a large group of us Civil War reenactors spent a cold December night enjoying the festivities of the season. Oh! We had a grand old time walking along the wood-plank walkways of historic Crossroads, which was all electrically lit with the colored lights, singing carols and speaking to visitors about Christmas celebrations of the 1860s. A fine mix of 19th century with the 21st thrown in for good measure. And the train ride - in authentic century-old train cars - was the highlight: It's Christmas time and I can't wait Come on, hurry, don't be late Let's go down to the railroad tracks Christmas Train is coming back Hoo Hoo Here it Comes Hoo Hoo Christmas Train Hoo Hoo Get on Board Hoo Hoo Christmas Train We hope to do this again - - maybe next year, God willing. |
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| December 16 Contrary to popular belief, the persistent myth that none (or very few) of the colonists celebrated Christmas continuously tends to be spread as fact. Oh, yes, there were those that, due to their religious convictions, did not celebrate. And, yes, the holiday was banned for 22 years in the later part of the 17th century (1659 to 1681) in Massachusetts colony - only to be revoked because of its growing popularity. But many of our 18th century ancestors truly did celebrate the date as Christ's birth (even though it is more likely Christ was born in the spring). However, their celebrations, with no Santa as we know him today, and a very low amount of gift-giving - that was usually for the more well-to-do - many times did consist of a bit of decorating as well as enjoying a feast. Greenery as Christmas decorations during the time of our founding generation actually dates back to the pagan roots a millennia before, and generally consisted of holly and ivy strung throughout the house, with a sprig of mistletoe or a kissing ball prominently displayed. A great effort was also made to decorate the churches with laurel, holly, and other garlands. Something that was common was the "sticking of the Church" with green boughs on Christmas Eve. Garlands of holly, ivy, mountain laurel, and mistletoe were hung from the church roof, the walls, and the church pillars and galleries. The pews and the pulpit, and sometimes the altar, were bedecked with garlands. Lavender, rose petals, and pungent herbs such as rosemary and bay were scattered throughout the churches as well, which providing a pleasant holiday scent. Scented flowers and herbs were chosen partially because they were aromatic and thus were considered an alternative form of incense. So, now you got me standing in front of the home of lexicographer Noah Webster. Though the house was built in 1822, it still has the strong architectural feel of the previous century, which is why I am posting this picture of me in my favorite fashion. |
I've mentioned before, in my Passion for the Past blog, as well as on Facebook, about our core living history group - the few of us who, for a decade, have recreated an 1860s reenacting family where we do true living history - 1st person/immersion - during a few of our events, especially at the Christmas at the Fort event in Detroit.
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| December 17 Included in this wonderful group of time-travelers is our domestic servant, Carrie, who is always has a part in our scenarios. For instance, while we had a tour group inside our house - an actual 19th century house - our servant would sometimes stop working to take a peek inside the parlor to view our celebrating. I, of course, would chastise her and send her back to her duties of which I pay her for. Soon after we hired this young domestic, she was given, without choice, a new name - the name of Agnes, for it was felt Agnes would be an easier name to remember than Carrie. Renaming servants was not an unusual practice at the time; it was quite common to have a certain name associated with a certain job. The scullery maid could be called Mary. If you hire Gwyneth, you call her Mary because she is the scullery maid. We hired Carrie and call her Agnes. A servant couldn’t even depend on maintaining their own name for the purposes of their working life. So from this point on, whenever we get our reenacting family together, Carrie becomes Agnes. And she does serve us as a servant would. In fact, I've heard of a few reenactors outside of our group comment how I (supposedly) force Carrie into servitude during such events. Yeah...whatever...
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| December 18 The two pictures here were taken at my first two Colonial Christmas parties occurring in January of 2019 and of 2020, hosted by Citizens of the American Colonies and the 1st Pennsylvania. They were my first attempts at putting together such a gathering, and both went along very well. Our food, which included pasties and a Martha Washington dessert, was perfect for the era - it all tasted very good indeed, washed down by cider and madeira.
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| December 19 As a kid I always looked forward to watching one of the myriad of filmed versions of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" on TV. In those days before DVDs and VHSs we had no choice but to wait and watch whatever the TV stations scheduled. No matter because whichever version they showed I watched intently, and fully engulfed myself in the story, for top hats & bonnets, horses & carriages, and candles & oils lamps epitomized the kind of Christmas I sorely wanted to be a part of. I didn't necessarily dream of a white Christmas as much as I dreamed of finding myself in those earlier Victorian days, moving about the gas-lit bricked or cobblestoned streets and hearing carolers or even a loan fiddler performing "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" or "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" echoing somewhere in the distance. That was what I was dreaming about. But it was just that - a dream. When I met the girl who would one day become my wife, I told her of this Christmas fantasy I had. Believe it or not, she loved my idea. We just didn't know how to actually take part and make it happen way back then. Things changed when I got involved in reenacting. Oh yes, it certainly did change! Living history has given me the opportunity to make my Christmas dream come true, and so, over the years - at least a decade - I've had opportunities to experience the Christmas I had always hoped to - Victorian AND Colonial. Here you see Patty and I inside one of the historic Victorian homes in Crossroads Village, enjoying Christmas in the 19th century. Dreams can come true - you just have to make it happen instead of sitting back and talking about it. |
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| December 20 Holding a grand ball (for the more well-to-do) or a country dance (for the rest of us!) at Christmas time was a popular tradition in the later part of the good old colony days. It was early in 2019 when Tony Gerring came up with the idea of holding an 18th century dance. It had been a while, from what I was told, since the metro-Detroit area of Michigan had held such a colonial festivity, so when Tony decided to give it a go, he put his own money and his best foot forward and, well, it showed, for those of us who attended what he called the Golden Lion Country Dance during the October harvest had a wonderful time. A Country Dance, intended for general participation, is the granddaddy of our present day Square Dance, whose movements are, in many cases, quite similar. However the country dance is a bit slower, allowing time for a bit of conversation or even flirting amongst the young. ‘Twas held inside a 150 year old schoolhouse. No, not a building from the 18th century, as would have been preferred, for those are pretty hard to come by for use in such a manner in lower Michigan. So the old 1872 schoolhouse in Eastpointe, though not necessarily historically accurate, would have to do, at least for now, especially for the price.
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| December 21 Christmas on the Farm - at Waterloo Farm in Munith, Michigan - was one of our most looked-forward-to Christmas events on our calendar. 2011 was the year and this farm was the place when we really "pulled it all together," and created an 1860s family & friends scenario, maintaining a mostly 1st person position for us and for the touring visitors. We kept it real. The realism of this event immersed us into the time of the Civil War, and included the sights and sounds of the farmhouse that added to our experience, such as the odor of kerosene from the oil lamps and the smell of wood burning in the stoves upon entering the home, Christmas greens placed throughout, and even a tabletop tree. There was the scent of foods baking emanating from the kitchen where women were busily making Christmas confections. Even heading outside in the snow to the icy cold "necessary" (outhouse/bathroom), which was quite a ways from the house itself, added to the realism.
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| December 22 It was five years ago, in 2015, when friend of mine notified me that there was a gentleman on Facebook who had left the reenacting hobby a few years ago, and he (along with his wife) were giving - yes, giving - away their period clothing. He had numerous garments from different eras in time, ranging from the 18th century through the early 20th century, and was looking for good homes for them. The only garments I was interested in were what he called his Patrick Henry clothes (for that's who he portrayed as a living historian). Our sizes seemed to match up close enough so, after private messaging each other a bit, I became the lucky - bless'd, rather - receiver of this wonderful set of colonial-era clothing. And the best part is the package arrived on Christmas Eve day! What I found inside the large box was an 18th century living historian's dream: a coat, waistcoat, shirt, knee breeches, socks, neckstocks, buckle shoes, and even a colonial wig (nope---I don’t wear that – my hat covers my hair’s absence pretty good!); a prodigious collection of colonial clothing! ~(the hat seen here in this picture is mine, however)~ What a fine gift indeed! The quality of the clothing is top notch - the gentleman mentioned they were sewn by a professional seamstress from the northeastern part of these United States who specialized in the Revolutionary War era, and it's obvious, upon close inspection, that they were made very well. So I tried them on and... Well, they didn't fit too bad, eh? Yes, I did need to have the breeches and waistcoat taken in slightly... but I knew numerous seamstresses who easily took care of that.
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| December 23 I've been celebrating an 1860s Christmas with friends (who became my living history family) since 2009. And because of this and how we interact with each other, we can pretty much honestly say we've experienced a true Victorian Christmas as much as the actual Victorians have, I believe. But, in 2013, something extra special occurred for the first time that no one had been able to do in over 30 years previous: we were able to eat a traditional period Christmas meal in the dining room of the 19th century Commander's House that we take over at Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit...and we dine by candle light and oil lamp at that! The idea came about as we made our plans about a month before the event, while we discussed how we could expand our authenticity for our Christmas past excursion - to make it more real than in previous years - and the idea came up of eating a Christmas meal in the dining room. However, I didn't expect the Fort Wayne coalition to agree to it. But we have proven to them over the years that we are historical professionals in all we do, and because of that we got the thumbs up. Wow! So, yes, the realism of celebrating an 1860s Christmas comes to pass for us annually (except this year, unfortunately), and, as one of our members said to me, "It would not be Christmas without us doing this." She is right. |
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| December 24 - Christmas Eve It's 1843, and here I am, in the company of perhaps the two most well-known characters in literary history: “Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr. Scrooge, or Mr. Marley?” I asked. “Mr. Marley has been dead these seven years,” Scrooge replied. “He died seven years ago, this very night.” “Then who is this to my left?” Could it be…? Why, it’s the ghost of Jacob Marley! “It’s humbug still!” said Scrooge. “I won’t believe it.” The same face: the very same. Marley in his pigtail, usual waistcoat, tights and boots; the tassels on the latter bristling, like his pigtail, and his coat-skirts, and the hair upon his head. The chain he drew was clasped about his middle. It was long, and wound about him like a tail; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel. His body was transparent; so that Scrooge, observing him, and looking through his waistcoat, could see the two buttons on his coat behind. Scrooge had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels, but he had never believed it until now. No, nor did he believe it even now. Though he looked the phantom through and through, and saw it standing before him; though he felt the chilling influence of its death-cold eyes; and marked the very texture of the folded kerchief bound about its head and chin, which wrapper he had not observed before; he was still incredulous, and fought against his senses. “How now!” said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever. “What do you want with me?” “Much!”—Marley’s voice, no doubt about it. “Who are you?” “Ask me who I was.” “Who were you then?” said Scrooge, raising his voice. “You’re particular, for a shade.” “In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.” “You don’t believe in me,” observed the Ghost. “I don’t,” said Scrooge. “Why do you doubt your senses?” “Because,” said Scrooge, “a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!” At this the spirit raised a frightful cry, and shook its chain with such a dismal and appalling noise, that Scrooge held on tight to his chair, to save himself from falling in a swoon. But how much greater was his horror, when the phantom taking off the bandage round its head, as if it were too warm to wear indoors, its lower jaw dropped down upon its breast! Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands before his face. “Mercy!” he said. “Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?” “Man of the worldly mind!” replied the Ghost, “do you believe in me or not?” “I do,” said Scrooge. “I must..." Now...read the book---or watch the movie. |
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| Christmas Day This is my daily Living History Photo for today - December 25: Day 274 Merry Christmas from 1770 to all of my family & friends! May God's blessing be upon each and everyone of you. Now I ask my other friends in the hobby to please post a reenacting/living history picture celebrating Christmas Past, no matter which era. To my non-reenacting friends & family, I would love to see a picture of your Christmas Tree or a pic with your family at Christmas time posted here in the comments.  |
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| December 26 This was taken during my first year as an “official” reenactor. I say ‘official’ mainly because it was when I joined an actual reenacting unit and began to research the clothing of the period – 1860s – rather than just wear what “looked Victorian.” I still had a ways to go, however. This was also the first year I had a "pseudo-period" Christmas party at my house – 2004. I really didn’t know what I was doing in the authenticity department at that time; I only knew I wanted to finally have a Christmas party depicting those “Victorian times”…and I put out a strong effort to do so! Oh, yeah, it was far from perfect and historical accuracy – we were all pretty much still learning – but what fun we had. And, it was a start. Also, as you see in this picture taken that night, I lit the candles on the tree for everyone who was over. In the 17 years since this party, I have learned so much more about 1860s life (rather than “Victorian life”) and, with a few wonderful friends, have been able to bring that time back, down to specifics, in a much more historically accurate way! |
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| December 27 Here I am, watching and learning from a chocolateer about how to make chocolate in 1770. Chocolate was initially a treat for the wealthy, but soon was available to the every man. By the early 1770s, the demand for chocolate in the colonies resulted in the importation of over 320 tons of cocoa beans, which made drinking chocolate affordable to all classes of people and was available in most coffee houses, where colonists would gather to talk about politics and the news of the day. However, if one had the means, such as a man of the stature of shipping merchant John Giddings, one could have afforded to hire a chocolateer, who would make it right there in the kitchen to impress and entertain the guests for a party…perhaps a New Year’s gathering. |
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| December 28 December 14, 2013 was a snowy one, and Simply Dickens was there in the midst of it, performing three different places (a house gathering in Birmingham, Mill Race Village in Northville, and at Greenfield Village in Dearborn) while 6 to 8 inches of snow fell throughout the day. Did we have a great time! The two pictures here were taken at what was probably the snowiest part of the day...mid-afternoon at Mill Race Village.  A memorable day for sure---oh what fun indeed! |
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| December 29 You've read how we have celebrated Christmas in the 1860s at Historic Fort Wayne and at Historic Waterloo Farm, but one time we also celebrated a Victorian Christmas at the Crocker House Museum in Mt. Clemens inside another historic house, as you see in this photograph. More than one member of our living history group has said that it just isn't Christmas unless we reenact our 1860s "Logan Family" Christmas. In the first picture you see my daughter and I there, and that's Larissa playing the pump organ. And in the 2nd shot is the group of us on the porch of the magnificent Crocker House porch.  We truly missed our Christmas reenactments this year - all of our reenactments, in fact - but we are planning a grand return in 2021! The top photo was taken by a Macomb Daily newspaper photographer. |
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| December 30 You caught me during the nighttime in the 18th century, lit only with a glass-pane lantern (taken at Greenfield Village just a couple nights ago). It's unfortunate that a myth continues to persist telling the tale that folks in the good old colony days went to bed when the sun went down, no matter what time of day or season of the year it was when the sun set. Well, this little fable is simply not true. Just like in our modern times, people stayed awake past nightfall, especially during the dark months of winter. So in the time of year when darkness was king of the 24 hour day, it dictated daily activities, for there were still chores to be done after the evening meal: furniture to build or repair, tools to mend, beer to brew, wool to be carded and spun, knitting, bible or almanack reading, and perhaps filling out account books, journaling, or letter writing - - all by the light of the hearth or by candlelight… Even barn or barnyard chores could be taken care of if there was a bright full moon or a goodly lantern with clear panes of glass rather than horn translucents. For most, however, candles were sparingly used. This attitude was not unusual, for it was a great luxury for many folks to have candles. Of course, guided by lantern light, an evening visit with nearby friends could and did occasionally occur, as did stops at the local tavern to catch up on the latest news of the day, if the distance was not too great. Nighttime was also a good time for engagements; too busy during the day for social activities, young people, according to historian Jack Larkin, looked forward to dances, balls, sleigh riding, and skating in the evening, many times staying out until past midnight. So, yes, evenings in the 18th century could be filled with the similar types of activities as today, without all the electronics, of course. By the way, I have researched something called "second sleep," where people would awaken in the middle of the night to read, pray, perhaps even visit with neighbors. This may have been true in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but further research has shown that references to the first and second sleep started to disappear during the late 17th Century, and over the course of the next century and a half had receded entirely from our social consciousness. So, most likely, if you were living in the colonies in the later 18th century, you would not have taken part in a 1st and 2nd sleep. Now I ask my other friends in the hobby to please post a reenacting/living history picture with a small explanation on your own page and even in the comments here. |
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| December 31 - New Year's Eve So here we are in, say, 1769, and it is the New Years holiday, rivaling, and even (in many instances), over-taking Christmas. Yes, our colonial ancestors did have New Year's Eve parties, not unlike today in so many ways, and family and friends would gather to enjoy each other's company, eat food, play games, and, if there was room, maybe even dance a reel or two. As I stepped up to the stately Giddings home on New Year's Eve to help celebrate the coming of 1770, I was warmly greeted, as you see in the first picture, and welcomed into the house for their celebratory party (2nd & 3rd pictures, which were taken at a different time, hence the red stockings lol).
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Yes, you read what I wrote correctly - I plan to continue this series at least through the one year mark, which will be late March. I have high hopes that by then we should be well on our way back to normalcy. If not, I am certain there will be many questions coming from a large world-wide populace.
But in the meantime, to see my other photo-challenges as they have occurred month by month in 2020, please click
HERE for November
HERE for October
HERE for September
HERE for August
HERE for July
HERE for June
HERE for May
HERE for very late March & April
Click HERE to read how Thanksgiving was celebrated in the colonies
Click HERE to read how Christmas was celebrated in the colonies
Click HERE to read how New Years celebrations took place in the colonies
Now I ask my other friends in the hobby to please post a reenacting/living history picture with a small explanation on your own page and even in the comments here.
I got a feeling '21 is gonna be a good year...
Until next time, see you in time.
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