For our Christmas present to each other we packed our bags to enjoy a colonial Virginia Christmas.
On the first day in the area, a chilly and drizzly day, we toured the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown, then enjoyed a seafood dinner on the York River.
On our last day, we enjoyed a dry and comfortably warm day in the Colonial Williamsburg historic area.
Meanwhile, my son and his wife and baby were en route to join us later that afternoon.
LIVING GREENERY
Since most of December had been rather chilly, the Christmas living garlands and wreaths that hint at history well endured to this last week before New Years.
COLONIAL HOT CHOCOLATE – CHARLETON’S COFFEEHOUSE
Discovering that Charleton’s Coffeehouse was open, the first I’ve seen that on any visit I’ve made in years, I told my hubby he had to experience that.
The tour was quite different from what I once knew from the evening of the grand opening in 2009, and many visits afterwards.
Having learned of the interesting history of 18th century coffeehouses in Britain and the most British of the colonies, Virginia during our interactive tours, I used it as the basis for one of our homeschool history presentations.
On this visit, our interactions were quite limited, which was sad because my hubby would have thoroughly enjoyed the older version of the tour…engaging in political discourse 18th century style!
While the older tours are described in the previous links, this is how today’s went.
First sitting down in the historic cafe section, my husband and I took seats at a table for three.
When another gent joined us, he engaged in Colonial Williamsburg fan love with me, a we compared notes on how far we’ve traveled, how often we visit, and how much we love the history here.
My hubby was laughing, because all this is new to him…and he thought the fan love was rather unique to me.
Instead, upon every visit, we tend to meet a CW fan who engages me in such conversation!
When all the guests were seated, the 18th century waitress offered the usual colonial assortments of drinks, she was surprised by the results.
Who would like some colonial coffee? No one.
Who would like some colonial tea? No one.
Who would like some colonial chocolate? Everyone!!!
After enjoying our hot colonial chocolate, we moved to the neighboring room, also in the front of the building.
Here we engaged with chit chat with an interpreter, although this time, not historically. Nor did we tour the back room, which is well styled for the day.
PATRICK HENRY
After a wonderful presentation, as always, from Patrick Henry, one of my heroes…
…my hubby took a rendering of us! It was so good to see him, again!
GOWN RESEARCH – MILLINERY SHOP
Later that afternoon I visited the milliner shop which had a new gown with accessories to display for the Christmastide season.
After admiring the lovely assortments, I researched pudding caps and gowns for my young granddaughters. Stay tuned for that!
EVENING CANDLELIGHT TOUR
After a bit of shopping, as dusk began to fall, my son and his wife and baby arrived.
The evening was gloriously comfy, not too chilly, which made enjoying all the candelight in the windows quite enjoyable.
Too soon it was time for all of us to leave for a seafood dinner in Williamsburg, which turned out to be the sister restaurant of the one in Yorktown we had enjoyed the day before.
All in all, introducing my youngest sweetheart to a Colonial Williamsburg Christmas was the best part of the day!
For more photos of Christmastide in Colonial Williamsburg through the years, check my Flickr set.
