Ahhhhhh, Grand Illumination weekend, that wonderful time of year to stroll around Colonial Williamsburg at night with cressets burning, snow falling (really!), naturally decorated wreaths upon the doors, 18th century carols in the heart…and freezing!
The wonderful provisions to alleviate feeling frozen are burning cressets, a fireplace roaring in the silversmith shop (if anyone else has a roaring fire please let me know!), and hot chocolate at Raleigh Tavern Bakery.
Upon arriving Friday afternoon, we collected our tickets for the special programs we wanted to attend.
Since it was too late for afternoon programming, we ambled along the streets while shopping for Christmas gifts and admired all the lovely wreaths.
As the sun set, we watched the candle lights in the windows begin to glow.
GREEN SPRINGS GARDEN CLUB CHRISTMAS HOMES TOUR
Saturday morning, we began the annual Christmas Homes tour of the historic area, sponsored by the Green Spring Garden Club.
This is an incredible opportunity to gain entrance to the beautiful historic homes of Colonial Williamsburg where 21st century residents now reside!
Walking where historic footsteps once trod and lived, we admired antiques and reproduction pieces set against lovely Christmas greenery in the homes.
The Garden Club decorates the homes in Colonial Williamsburg style, using natural elements for arrangements of various sorts, including wreaths!
They tell us all about their greenery arrangements and about unique items in the home.
First, we toured the Grissell Hay Lodging House, where all the décor focused on the color red. Never before have I been keen on the color red, but in this house, I loved it! The guest house was charmingly perfect!
Then we toured the Tayloe House, whose resident we had become friends with.
Midday we broke to go to the Tucker House to see General Lafayette, with whom we had a great discussion, and a photo op with the new regimental I sewed for my son!
We spent the rest of the afternoon finishing the house tour, which included the President’s House at the College of William and Mary and then the gorgeous Lightfoot House.
MASONIC LODGE TOUR WITH A FRIEND
We finished the day with a tour of the Masonic Lodge on the edge of the CW property. Why not? It was open for a tour!
When someone there recognized me and said hello, it took me a moment to realize who he was without 18th century clothing.
He’s done this to me before in the historic area, always grinning as he gives me time to recognize his face surrounded by his 21st century clothes!
After answering our curiosities about the lodge, we brought up the Masonic parts in National Treasure which was a great discussion.
When he mentioned Colonel Page and Governor Page, I asked for elaboration, because at our tour of the President’s house at the College of William and Mary that afternoon, I saw paintings of two different John Pages.
That confirmed my confusion in researching John Page and Mann Page, of whom I seem to find many versions.
Chuckling, he explained that every generation of the Page family alternated naming their sons John or Mann.
After he described more of his specific persona of John Page, I realized the lateness of the afternoon, as the sun was setting.
Could we find dinner at Merchant Square in all the crowds of Grand Illumination weekend and the big football game at the College of William and Mary?
With my blood sugar dropping, I’m not one of those who can delay dinner.
Our friend was confident we could, so we pursued our direction to Merchant’s Square where we found plenty of space in our favorite pizza place!
A CAPITOL EVENING
As we quickly we walked along a lit pathway to the Capitol for a special holiday program, A Capitol Evening, my son noticed snowflakes!
We were taken through the Capitol to various entertainments like the Mr. Murdoch show, (with different actors).
Then we went upstairs to meet Lady and Lord Dunmore.
At the end we went downstairs to watch them dance minuets and complicated country dances, amidst the ladies’ swishing skirts and sparkling buttons on the men’s coats.
CHRISTMASTIDE AT HOME
After the dance we rushed to the Greenhow Lumber Ticket office in the snow, to stay warm next to the cresset while waiting for the start of Christmas Tide at Home tour to begin.
The historically costumed guide chose the kids to take turns carrying the lantern to our various stops at the Governor’s Palace.
Recreating the history of Christmas in Williamsburg, from the 18th century to the 1940’s, Christmastide at Home put us in the Christmas mood.
SUNDAY MORNING SNOW DISCOVERY
Sunday morning, we arrived to find the colonial houses looking like a gingerbread village that had been sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
It was so cold, that my hands, jaw, and brain were frozen!
While spending the day seeking warmth here and there, we braved the bitter chill outdoors to see all the Christmas and unique busy-ness of Duke of Gloucester Street.
Our first stop was a relief of warmth in the Raleigh Tavern Bakery where we purchased hot chocolate, the best hand warmers for Christmas.
After that reprieve and the sun shining higher overhead, we took our time walking around the historic area, trying to capture all the confection pictures before the snow melted.
VISITING WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON AND MANN PAGE
Suddenly Col Washington and Mann Page rode by on their horses…
Stopping by, they chatted with us while we hung out with the warm horses.
Col. Washington, whom we had seen the night before, was so kind as to inquire as to whether we had been able to find dinner. I assured him we did!
When chatter turned to our tour at the President’s House at the College of William and Mary, Mann Page asked me if I knew the history of the house.
Hmmmm, my frozen brain only recalled the ladies talking about the greenery and dishes.
So, he told me all about Rochambeau’s use of it as headquarters before the Battle of Yorktown!
Wow!
(Lafayette likely was there-he knew we’d want to know that!),
After he explained how it was a strategic location for the French general, he pointed out other strategic locations for headquarters around town.
Wow! It was fascinating and not something I would have ever thought to ask about.
Then he mentioned how the French accidentally burned down the house where Rochambeau headquartered and then my frozen brain remembered!
There is a plaque about that near the house that I’ve read years ago that said the French paid to rebuild the house!
It is indeed a grand house!
GRAND ILLUMINATION FIREWORKS ANTICIPATION
After lunch we walked around some more, stopping in a few of the trades to keep warm near the fireplaces.
Then Mann Page walked over with a man he introduced as Will, Mrs. Vobe’s barkeep, who recently arrived from Scotland.
As we chatted that afternoon the Duke of Gloucester increasingly swelled with more and more people arriving to see the highlight of the weekend, the Grand Illumination!
This year we were honored with invitations to two Grand Illumination parties at two different historic homes.
When I told Mann Page that I’ve never had two invitations at the same time before, he replied that party hopping is quite the event around there.
Not quite sure how to politely hop from party to party, we decided to visit one house before the fireworks and the other one after.
GRAND ILLUMINATION PARTY #1
Our first invitation came from an employee friend who had reached out to me nearly a year ago.
Soon after our first meeting months ago, the kids and I were honored to be invited to her historic home for a tour and then tea and cookies!
Her party was quite delightful where I got to meet lots of nice people who loved the kids’ costumes.
Also, many of them kindly commented on how impressed they were on how well the kids carried themselves.
When one lady asked me questions about the costumes, I told her that we homeschool, which made her realize who I was. She said she reads my blog!
GRAND ILLUMINATION FIREWORKS
When it was time for the fireworks, we braved the bitter chill outdoors by standing near a cresset in front of my friend’s house to view them with the crowd.
Replicating the style of 18th century fireworks for very important events, the Grand Illumination fireworks has become a traditional Colonial Revival Christmas tradition in the historic area the first weekend of each December.
These unique fireworks are shot off from three venues spread about town, to accommodate the crowds’ viewing ability and add to the total ambience.
Since we like to stand at Market Square, we can easily see the fireworks from all three locations: the Capitol, the Magazine, and the Palace.
Starting low to the ground, the fireworks show gradually rises higher into the sky throughout the program.
One set is interesting, like giant whirling sparklers!
GRAND ILLUMINATION PARTY #2
Then we worked our way through the crowd to the second party, at the home of another employee who befriended us in the last year.
Entering the home there was lots of singing of Christmas carols at this party while his daughter played the harp.
My favorites were Angels We Have Heard on High, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, and O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
MONDAY WE MET NEW FRIENDS
The next morning began another cold day, which we began in the Palace garden to listen to Lafayette.
As we left, a family we had seen throughout the weekend stepped alongside us to chat.
Flying in occasionally from the central part of the country, they said they’d been asking around what about other special programs through the year that they could plan vacations for, but they hadn’t been getting much information.
When they heard that we come every month, they asked for my suggestions.
Over lunch at the warm museum, I regaled them with all the great programming through the year in the historic area.
Immediately their wheels turned to work in the different events on their calendar.
Because all our kids were in costume, I eventually mentioned that I assumed her daughters were stopped a lot by guests for photos.
She laughed and said yes! Oh, mothers of costumed children know these things.
When one lady saw one of her daughters, she requested her to pose for a photo in front of the Christmas tree.
Laughing, I whispered to the mother that there are three more sitting here in costume…she could have 3x the fun taking photos.
Boldly she relayed that intel to the guest, who ecstatically asked *all* the kids to pose for photos!
FABRIC AFTERNOON
After lunch we went to the Mary Dickenson store, followed by a visit to the tailor who was discussing the printing of fabrics.
My absolute favorite was the balloon print, based on the first balloon flight in France in the late 18th century!
Then we talked about some of my latest projects where I got a lot of tips for improvement.
COFFEEHOUSE TOUR COLONIAL WARMTH
Then we warmed up on the Coffeehouse tour, where we discussed current events with Mr. Purdie and sampled our choice of hot colonial drinks: tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.
LOVELY WEEKEND WRAP UP
Finally, it was time to leave, as the sun was setting, and the candles began to glow in the windows.
All weekend I met people who’d say interesting things like: I saw you at the Tucker House! Weren’t you talking to Lafayette? I saw you and your family at the home tour last year! I read your blog!
Everyone travels from far and wide just to attend CW Grand Illumination, despite how cold it is.
At one point, I was in a very long line for the ladies’ room at the museum, where a lady in front of me loudly exclaimed that she was so cold, she could go for a day in Aruba with a drink with a little umbrella on top.
After all the ladies in the room consented, it suddenly got quiet.
Then all exclaimed in unison: Naaawww, we’d rather be cold in Colonial Williamsburg during Grand Illumination! There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world!
