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JOIN US FOR A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS AT HEARTHSIDE
The Victorian era is what most people think of when referring to “an old-fashioned Christmas.” It was the time when friends and families gathered together and homes were made bright and cheerful for the Christmas holidays, complete with evergreen garlands and wreaths. The Victorian Christmas tree was gloriously decorated with glitter, tinsel and glass ornaments. Decorations were as simple or elaborate as the homeowner cared to make them. Candlelight in the windows provided a warm welcome to visitors who knew there would be food and shelter inside. The Victorians also created the first Christmas cards to send seasonal greetings to friends near and far. With such a wide variety of festivities planned, there's something for every interest and every age group, as Hearthside brings the traditions of a Victorian Christmas to life this holiday season. December 4, 2011 Victorian Christmas Open House
Adding to the festive spirit will be traditional holiday music performed by a harpist and a pianist on the antique piano. Santa Claus is due to make a stop at Hearthside from 4:30-6:30 p.m. He’s the real Santa (just check his driver’s license and credit cards...it says Santa Claus), so don’t forget to bring your camera. No visit would be complete without a stop in the Hearthside Gift Shop to bring home a little Hearthside for the holidays. Two Christmas books featuring Hearthside are now available, as well as Christmas cards, a keepsake ornament and tile trivets and plates, any of which would make a great gift for friends and family from Lincoln. Visiting Hearthside will inspire you with creative ideas to decorate your own home and bring that nostalgic feeling for a Christmastime from long ago. The house will be open from 2:00-7:00 p.m. Admission is $7/adult; 12 and under free. Light refreshments will also served. Reservations are not required. December 10, 2011 Civil War Christmas in the Camp
Several Civil War re-enactors will set up an encampment on the grounds of Hearthside on Saturday, December 10th. The smell of chestnuts roasting over the open fire will greet visitors as they approach Hearthside. Tents, decorated with evergreen boughs, will be set up on the front lawn, along with a Christmas tree and woolen socks hung on pine roping. The most treasured present a soldier could get was a new pair of socks, quite understandable since socks wore out and were always wet with the miles of walking through rain and mud. Re-enactors will discuss how Christmas was celebrated during the Civil War. Then all are welcome into the house to warm up with some hot cider and appreciate the beauty of this 200-year old home and its gaily decorated rooms for the holidays. In general, winter time was a time of military inaction during the Civil War, as the armies of both sides would hunker down in the camp to wait out the winter. Santa Claus, as depicted by Thomas Nast in Harper’s Weekly 1863, was quite patriotic, wearing a blue suit with stars and stripes on it. The Harper’s Weekly cover with the illustration of Santa Claus visiting the soldiers in a Union camp was designed with the hope that it might raise Union morale and had been ordered by President Lincoln. Nast went on to draw many more Santa Claus illustrations, which became the image of Santa we enjoy today. Self-guided tours of the house, including a visit with the Civil War Santa Claus, take place between 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Hearthside Gift Shop will also be open during the event. Reservations are not required for this event. Admission is $7/adult; no charge for 12 and under. December 11, 2011 An American Girl Doll Christmas
In addition to the readings and keepsake ornament craft, there will be hot chocolate and sweets, a visit with Santa Claus, prizes, and a raffle. All are invited to stroll through the house to enjoy the holiday decorations. The special guest reader will be Lincoln’s most eloquent Charles Cox. The event is geared towards girls ages 5 and above, and they must be accompanied by an adult. A special treat awaits in the Hearthside Gift Shop, with a one-day only offering of doll outfits and accessories for the American Girl Doll. Seating for this event is very limited, and tickets are non-refundable. The event takes place at 1:30-3:00 p.m. and at 3:30-5:00 p.m. Tickets are $15/child and $5/adult and must be purchased in advance by calling Hearthside at 401-726-0597. December 27 and 28, 2011 Home for the Holidays Candlelight Tours
Tours through the house are even more dramatic by the soft glow of candles and twinkling of tree lights. Visitors will get a chance to learn about the history of Hearthside and enjoy the holiday decorations as they are led through the house by costumed interpreters. This is a great chance to stop by if you missed the openings earlier this month. There is limited capacity so reservations are required for tours starting at 6:30, 7:30, or 8:30 p.m. Admission is $7/adult; 12 and under free. Light refreshments will be served. Call 726-0597 to reserve your spot. |
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There’s no place like Hearthside to enjoy the spirit and warmth of a Victorian Christmas. Each year, families from throughout the state and nearby Massachusetts come to Hearthside to enjoy the magic and charm of this beautiful house at Christmastime. Highlighted by spectacular holiday displays created by the volunteers of the Friends of Hearthside, the house has become a popular attraction with most everyone that visits. There are five opportunities for guests to enjoy the nostalgia of an old-fashioned Christmas at Hearthside during the 2011 season: A Victorian Christmas Open House on 
As guests step through the door of this grand home on Sunday, December 4th, they will be transported back to a late 19th century Christmas. The Hearthside docents, decked out in period attire, invite visitors to tour this magnificent house at their leisure and enjoy beautifully appointed Christmas trees, with delicate ornaments, gaily decorated mantels, a dining room elegantly appointed with gilded décor, garlands adorning staircases and doorways and brightly colored poinsettia plants throughout. A collection of antique Christmas cards will also be exhibited.
The traditions of Christmas as we know today, and even Santa Claus, originated during the 1860s. Yet, during that time we were in the midst of one of the most turbulent and significant periods of our nation’s history, the Civil War. With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War taking place this year, Hearthside is commemorating it with A Civil War Christmas in the Camp, a look at how the holiday was celebrated by the soldiers in the camp.
Young girls and their American Girl Dolls are invited to get “dolled up” in their winter finery and come for a special afternoon at Hearthside on Sunday, December 11th. The lavishly decorated Drawing Room will host the girls and their dolls for a special Christmas craft, followed by a reading of Frozen Charlotte, a tale about a young girl in the 1840s. Also, a reading of one of the oldest and well-known Christmas poems, The Night Before Christmas, will bring the joy of Christmas, and Santa Claus himself, to everyone present.
If you are wondering what to do once the Christmas rush is over, or if you have a house full of guests from out of town who are looking for something special to do, why not consider an AFTER Christmas visit to Hearthside to view the decorations before the end of the holiday season. On Tuesday,December 27th and Wednesday, December 28th, Hearthside will open its doors between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. for tours by candlelight. Visitors will be greeted by seasonal music played on the antique stringed dulcimer.
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