When you visit in December, ask for our holiday gallery guide to find these pieces in our collection and see how they are decorated for winter celebrations around the world. Charlie s Angels House Enchanted Realm. A Kwanzaa celebration. Joyous Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday celebrated for seven days beginning on December 26th. Ron Karenga founded the holiday which was first celebrated in 1966-1967 in the midst of the Black Freedom Movement. The name of the holiday is derived from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanza which means first fruits of the harvest. Kwanzaa is based on the African first fruits celebrations recorded in African history as far back as ancient Egypt and Nubia. Families and friends come together on this holiday to celebrate their heritage and to honor their values. The seven days of the holiday celebrate seven principles: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Here in the Charlie s Angels House the ladies are celebrating with their friends. The Kwanzaa holiday colors are red, green and black. Look on the dining room table for the following symbolic decorations: Mazao (The Crops)symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor; Mkeka (The Mat)symbolic of African tradition and history and therefore, the foundation; Kinara (The Candle Holder) symbolic of continental Africans; Muhindi (The Corn) symbolic of children and the future which they embody; Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles) symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs; Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup) symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible; Zawadi (The Gifts) symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children. Some families may also decorate with items from Africa such as African baskets, African cloth and traditional African sculptures. Casita Bonita- Exploring the World Gallery. Christmas in the Southwest. Feliz Navidad!
Christmas was first celebrated in the Southwest with the arrival of Spanish missionaries who converted the Native people and united their cultural traditions to form a rich holiday tradition unique to the American Southwest. For many Hispanic and Native Americans of the Southwest, the month of December is filled with religious celebrations including the Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on December 12, Las Posadas, which traditionally begins on December 16th and continues for nine evenings (but today is generally a one-night pageant) and finally Christmas. The Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Las Posadas celebrations include a processional ceremony followed by music, prayer and feasting. Casita Bonita is decorated with potted poinsettias which you will see in abundance. Instead of a holiday wreath made of pine, Casita Bonita has a ristra, a bunch of red chili peppers forming a holiday swag. Though many families put up a pine Christmas tree it is also common to decorate a cactus or tumbleweed with strings of lights. A beautiful sight to see along the walkways, walls and roof of Casita Bonita is a row of luminarias or farolitos, as they are also known; which is Spanish for little lanterns. These small lanterns are lighted candles set inside paper bags weighted with sand. Historically, luminarias were small bonfires which lined the road to guide people during holiday processions and to midnight mass on Christmas Eve. In the 1820s goods began to arrive via the Santa Fe Trail including brown wrapping paper. Residents began using the paper to create simple little lanterns that cast a warm glow against the adobe walls and gradually the bonfires diminished. Today brown paper luminarias or farolitos light a path for a procession or maybe to guide you to a holiday party. A Southwestern Christmas party includes a variety of traditions from Mexico. One favorite Mexican tradition for children is the breaking of a piñata at a holiday party. An earthenware or paper piñata is filled with candy, fruit and toys. Children put on a blindfold and swing at the piñata with a stick while the adults have fun pulling on the rope that holds the piñata. Once the piñata is broken children scramble for the treats and toys. When Christmas Eve arrives families get together to celebrate; they may gather around a nacimiento (Christmas nativity scene) and enjoy hot chocolate and bizcochitos (a diamond shaped anise and cinnamon flavored shortbread cookie also referred to as a Mexican wedding cookie) and buñuelos (a anise flavored doughnut coated with sugar and drizzled with honey or syrup) or a full Christmas Eve dinner. The traditional holiday meal must include tamales. The Christmas tamale is filled with meat and spices along with green olives. In preparation for the holidays women get together to make dozens of Christmas tamales which are not only eaten for the holiday meal but are also given as gifts.
Following Christmas Eve dinner many families will stay up late and attend La Misa de Gallo, the Mass of the Rooster which is the Midnight Mass. A Christmas feast may follow the midnight mass and extend into the wee hours of the night. Japanese Kitchen and Japanese Family Farmhouse- Exploring the World Gallery. Shogatsu. Ake-mashite-omedetou-gozaimasu! (Happy New Year!) Shogatsu is a three day New Year celebration in Japan. Though most families get together on December 31st for New Year s Eve, Shogatsu actually begins with the most important national holiday in Japan, Gantan (New Year s Day), January 1st. The Japanese greeting ake-mashiteomedetou-gozaimasu is expressed to everyone you see the first time in the New Year. Holiday decorations are placed in and around the house beginning December 30th. Shimekazari is a traditional ornament hung over the front of the house to ward off evil spirits and welcome good luck. You will see bamboo and pine decorations tied with straw rope called kadomatus at both sides of the entrance of houses set up to summon the New Year god Toshigami. It is believed that the god will bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year. The materials are symbolic- bamboo symbolizes strength and pine longevity. These decorations can be seen on the Japanese Family Farmhouse. A special decoration called Kagami mochi is set out as an offering to Toshigami in the Japanese Kitchen. The decoration consists of two round mochi rice cakes of different sizes stacked (the smaller on top of the larger one) topped with a dadai (Japanese bitter orange). The Kagami mochi also symbolizes the continuity of the family; the mochi symbolize the past year and the year ahead and the dadai represents long life and the continuity of generations. It is a tradition to give children money during the Shogatsu holiday. Adults prepare small envelopes of money for the children called otoshidama. Look on the counter in the Japanese Kitchen for otoshidama. There is also a custom of visiting a shrine or temple during the New Year s holiday to pray for safety, health and good fortune. Kupjack Georgian Dining Room- Exploring the World Gallery. Hanukkah Celebration.
Happy Hanukkah! Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, is an eight day celebration commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BC after it was desecrated by the forces of the King of Syria. In particular, it commemorates the miracle of the container of oil. According to the Talmud (central Jewish text) there was only enough olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Holy Temple for one day, miraculously it burned for eight days which was just enough time to prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil. In the Kupjack Georgian Dining Room you will find the Hanukkah menorah, a symbol of the miracle of the oil, in its proper location, placed in the window* so that those passing by will see the light and be reminded of the miracle. The menorah has nine branches. One branch is typically above, below or to the side of the rest; this branch holds the shamash candle which is an extra light used to light the other candles. Each night at sundown, one candle is lit so that by the end of eight days all the candles are aglow. The lights of the menorah should be lit for at least half an hour. After lighting the Hanukkah menorah it is customary to sing various Hanukkah songs and to play the dreidel game. Look for dreidels and gelt on the side table. A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters imprinted on each side. The letters stand for the Hebrew words Nes Gadol Haya Sham, which translates to A great miracle happened there, a reference to the miracle of the oil. Children spin the top and may win Hanukkah gelt (Yiddish for money). Gelt is often distributed to children on the holiday. Most families also exchange gifts. The table is laid out with food for the holiday meal. Central to the meal is food fried in oil. Latkes (Yiddish for potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (a doughnut) are typical holiday staples. *The Hanukkah menorah may also be located near the door leading to the street. Alderly Manor- Exploring the World Gallery. An Edwardian Christmas. Happy Christmas from Alderly Manor! The Christmas season in Edwardian times was a festive celebration that warmed hearts when cold winter winds chilled bodies. The house was decked with boughs and wreaths of ivy, yew, laurel, mistletoe and holly. People expressed holiday spirit and good wishes to their relatives and friends by sending Christmas postcards. The turn-of-the-century brought more advanced printing, photography and coloring techniques resulting in affordable high quality cards. Many
featured photographs or illustrations of children playing outdoors in the snow or depictions of Santa. Millions of postcards were sold. Notice the holiday greeting cards and postcards on the mantel near the Christmas tree. When German Prince Albert married Queen Victoria he set up a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle as was tradition in his home country. The English were enamored with the decorated fir and wealthy families embraced this new tradition. The tree was cut and decorated on Christmas Eve. Alderly Manor s tree, located on the first floor, is typical of the period. It is decorated with predominately hand-made trims and ornaments including: bows of gold ribbon, jewels (which may be made from broken necklaces), paper festoons, fruit and nuts. Glass ornaments from Lauscha, Germany were also popular with the well-to-do. Candles clipped to the branches in metal holders made the tree sparkle. You may also see small toy presents such as penny whistles and small toy soldiers hung on the tree. Like the Christmas tree decorations, many gifts were hand-made items including candies and sugared nuts or embroidered handkerchiefs. Children usually received only one present. The children of Alderly Manor were particularly lucky as they are receiving the prized toys of the day -a doll s house and the newly introduced teddy bear. Edwardian society was generous when it came to giving to others less fortunate than oneself, particularly at Christmas time. The middle and upper class presented poorer families with hampers of food and presents. German Dollhouse- History Gallery. A Traditional Christmas in Germany. Fröhliche Weihnachten! In Germany the Christmas season officially begins the first Sunday of Advent (four Sundays before Christmas Eve.) Stollen (a sweet bread with candied and dried fruit) and holiday cookies (including gingerbread and spice bars) are baked in preparation of the holiday. It is at this time that the Christkindlmarkt (Christ Child Markets) opens- the first sign that Christmas is coming and a tradition that dates back to 1628. German cities big and small offer baked goods, sweets and toys featuring local and regional specialties.* Some of the popular items at the Christkindlmarkt are nutcrackers and German smokers. Look in the small sitting room for examples of both. Standing wooden nutcrackers depicting soldiers and kings appeared in the Sonneberg and Eragebirge regions of Germany as early as 1800. There is a German legend that says nutcrackers represent power and strength and thus they were given as keepsakes to protect the home and bring good luck and goodwill to the
household. German smokers are incense burners that appeared in southeastern Germany in the 1600s. The tradition of burning incense stems from religious traditions. Incense is burned in religious ceremonies to cleanse the air of evil spirits. Unlike the nutcracker, German smokers are traditionally images of every day workers such as shepherds, farmers, carpenters and chimneysweepers. This family s smoker depicts a fireman dressed in blue. On December 6th, Germans celebrate St. Nicholas Day. At nightfall St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, travels from home to home to deliver treats to good children. He carries a book of sins similar to Santa s list. Children set out their shoes or boots in the hopes of receiving delicious holiday treats. Those who have been naughty will find their shoes filled with twigs or coal. Do good little boys and girls live here? The Christmas tree originated in Germany. The presentation of the tree takes place before Christmas Eve dinner. Traditionally the mother trims the tree with apples, candy, cookies, angels, glass ornaments, tinsel and candles or lights, while another adult (usually the father) occupies the children in another room. Presents are placed under the tree and a bell is rung to signal the children that it is time to enter the room and behold the beautiful sight. The presentation of the tree is followed by Christmas carols, the reading of the Christmas story, the opening of gifts and sometimes sparklers are lit. Near the tree are plates of fruit, nuts, marzipan, chocolate and cookies one for each family member. There is much feasting on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Dickbauch which means fat stomach is the popular term for Christmas Eve. Christmas lasts for twelve days beginning December 25th, and ending on January 6th with the Festivity of the Three Wise Men. Since incense was given to baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men, many Germans light incense in their smoker on the twelfth day of Christmas marking the end of the holiday season. *For a glimpse of the Christkindlmarkt, follow the hall to your left and find a German Christmas Market in the wall case on the right. Tordis Hus- History Gallery. A Danish Christmas Celebration. Glaedelig Jul! A Danish Christmas celebration is rooted in Christian and Nordic customs. In Denmark, Christmas is the main festival of the year. Jul the Danish word for Christmas means feast and is a Nordic tradition that pre-dates the birth of Christ. From the 18th through 20th centuries
customs of various countries were introduced such as the Christmas tree from Germany, mistletoe and holly from Great Britain and Santa Claus from the United States, forming the contemporary celebration of the holiday. Danes start the Christmas holiday by celebrating Advent which begins on the first of the month. On December 1st, children start counting the days until Christmas by opening their Advent calendar (also known as a Christmas calendar). Every child has a calendar which is made of paper and filled with chocolates, small gifts or pictures hidden behind twenty four little doors. Each day you open a door on your calendar and enjoy a delight. Adults may mark the weeks before Christmas by lighting candles on an Advent wreath beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve. On the first Sunday of Advent the wreath is hung and the first candle is lit, each Sunday after an additional candle is lit so that by Christmas Eve all the candles are burning brightly. Danes also have a calendar candle which is marked like a tape measure with number twenty four at the top down to the number one at the bottom. The candle is lit daily but must be blown out before it burns down to the next date. Children usually have the job of blowing out the flame. Find the Christmas calendar, Advent wreath and Calendar candle in the parlor on the second floor of Tordis Hus. The Christmas tree in Tordis Hus is decorated in 20th century style with a gold star on top, (never an angel), candles, festoons of national flags, cornets with fruit, cookies and candy, small toy musical instruments and white fairy hair. One special Danish Christmas ornament is the Christmas heart. The heart is made of red and white paper, the colors of the Danish flag, woven together. The hearts are put on the Christmas tree or used as a mobile. The Christmas tree is not brought in the house until Christmas Eve. Following a sumptuous goose dinner on Christmas Eve, Danish families light the candles on their Christmas tree, join hands and dance around the tree singing songs. A gift exchange follows the singing and the evening wraps up with everyone enjoying coffee and sweets before retiring for the night. Christmas day is generally a quiet family time. Luncheons and visits with relatives and friends usually begin on December 26th.