For a few days less than the traditional twelve, we visited Colonial Williamsburg between Christmas and New Years for Christmas festivities!
In the 18th century the days prior to December 25 were for Christmas reverence, whereas the twelve days after were for merriment.
During that time of merry friends and family gathered, danced, and even got married.
For us, it meant a break from college for my daughter, and in proper 18th century style, our visit included greetings from many friends of history and Colonial Williamsburg, which interspersed our merry making.
CHRISTMASTIDE FESTIVITIES
Throughout the weekend we attended various holiday programs in between enjoying Colonial Revival decorations!
The first festive event we attended was the Illumination of the Taverns.
A Christmas Tale at the Raleigh Tavern wonderfully presented theater and music during the Twelve Days of Christmas, which included inviting us to join them in singing one of my favorites, The Holly and the Ivy!
That night we attended one of our favorite evening programs, Christmastide at Home.
We also enjoyed the Williamsburg Old Time Radio Hour.
While attending the Public Audience with Patrick Henry, I was so overcome with his thunderous words that I completely forgot to take a picture of him.
Mr. Henry has so impacted me, that during quiet moments I read a book about him, A Son of Thunder, which I highly recommend!
FIRST OVAL OFFICE
We also visited the First Oval Office one more time…bedecked more than when we first toured the inside six weeks ago!
Dubbed the First Oval Office, this is a reproduction of General Washington’s marquee tent from the American Revolution.
The Museum of the American Revolution, set to open in Philadelphia in 2017, commissioned Colonial Williamsburg to create this reproduction for them to use in their traveling programs…a true legacy to its history.
Since this first version the tailors’ sewed is the prototype, its assembly makes easy reference of placement for stitches to sew the official version in the Secretary’s Office.
This new addition keeps rain from dripping inside the tent.
I love seeing the light and shadow of the craftsmanship from the inside.
After a great chat with a couple of the tailors, we went inside the Secretary’s Office to see the work on one of the walls of the tent.
It is so huge it is laid flat on the floor while the tailors prepare the next step for sewing.
Furniture is currently being reproduced from originals for the tent, one of which is this bed in the back corner that General Washington might have slept in.
Expecting to culminate the project by New Year’s Eve, the tailors expect to grandly display General Washington’s marquee tent in its entirety on New Year’s Day.
I want to come for that! =) But I don’t think I’ll be able to. =(
Meanwhile in the room next door, guests read about the history of the tent, while children print their own seal to keep, along with a paper project to cut and fold their own marquee tent from paper!
Stepping outside, we found the dismantled tent.
Wow! We arrived just in time to see the gorgeousness earlier, and now to see how it disassembles!
This looked interesting! My son especially wanted to watch the entire process, as did I, but we were also drawn to other programs on the schedule…
LAFAYETTE
At the public audience we met with the Marquis de Lafayette, whom engaged us in many interesting details from his life. So overcome by his grand stories, I again neglected to take a rendering.
FIRST OVAL OFFICE
GREETINGS
That afternoon we were pleasantly surprised to be greeted, in French, by General Rochambeau!
Alas, I was so overcome by his visit, that I completely neglected to take a rendering of him, especially since his regimental was quite unique from what I’m used to in Virginia!
BASSETT HALL CHRISTMAS TOUR
On Saturday afternoon we toured Bassett Hall, the seasonal home of the Rockefellers who financed the restoration of the historic area in the 1920s and 1930s.
I love Mrs. Rockefeller’s lovely gown, which she wore for a 1941 painting.
Traditionally displayed every Christmas season in Mrs. Rockefeller’s bedroom, as she prepares for a party, the gown has become so fragile it must be removed to the museum for archival storage.
As I recall, this is a late 1930’s Colonial Revival gown that she had designed for a costume party. Unfortunately, I forget the name of the designer (and the link to the backstory has since died-2024 update)
ILLUMINATION OF THE PALACE
After the Grand Illumination of the Palace, we attended a grand concert at the Palace, with 6 instrumentalists and 2 vocalists, in powdered wigs and silks, performing the grandest of music in candlelight, including selections from Handel’s Messiah!
