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A Colonial Christmas

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Services for Real Estate Pros with The Historic Interior

 

A   Colonial Christmas

 

In the 18th Century the colonists in America celebrated the Christmas season according to where they lived.  In the northern colonies the revelry was more somber and  centered around the church whereas the southernmost colonies were much more  festive as they observed the twelve days of Christmas starting on Christmas day and ending on January 6th, the Epiphany.

Contrary to common belief, as evidenced in many of our popular magazines depicting Colonial interiors, there is no evidence that the colonists decorated their homes for the season. We definitely know there was no Christmas tree as this was a later era tradition, brought over from England during the beginning of the Victorian period. If there were decorations, they used what limited sources nature could provide, but one myth needs to be dispelled here – no way would they have ever used fruit in their decorations.  It was too rare and expensive to use in that fashion.

If you would like to see beautiful modern adaptations of period homes decorated in a Colonial “fashion,” then please go to Early American Life magazine.  This publication is one of the best sources for all  products, services and great educational articles about the period.

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