Exploring history of Christmas
Lecture looks at holiday’s evolution in New England
WETHERSFIELD — Christmas, like any other holiday, has a history and you might be surprised to learn how it evolved in New England.
For instance, Connecticut was the first state in New England to make Christmas an official state holiday in 1845. It didn’t become a holiday in every New England state until 1858.
The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum and Historic New England will examine the holiday’s history with “The Spirit of Christmas Past in New England,” a visual, virtual lecture tracing the development of Christmas, on Monday, beginning at 6 p.m.
The lecture will be hosted by Kenneth C. Turino, manager of community partnerships and resource development at Historic New England and Webb-DeaneStevens Executive Director Joshua Campbell Torrance.
The free program will be held via Zoom. Attendees can register on the museum website.
According to museum officials, Turino’s presentation will examine how Christmas was transformed from a rowdy celebration to a family centered event. Among the topics illustrated will be how the Christmas tree became popular, the evolution of the Christmas card and Santa Claus.
Turino said that even though many Christmas traditions are considered age old, in reality many customs we take for granted are a product of more recent history, drawing from a variety of cultures and often varying by region. It was not until the mid 19th century that Christmas trees became a national practice, following their popularization in magazines and books.
One of the oldest traditions in the United States is begging or the giving tips at the holiday, brought by English settlers and part of the Christmas celebrations associated with mummery and the Lord of Misrule, according to Turino.
“We are excited to bring this program to the community during this holiday season which we hope will bring a little bit of joy during these unusual times,” Campbell Torrance said. “As the Webb Deane Stevens Museum grows into its new Education and Visitor Center, we look forward to engaging the community in new and exciting ways — both virtual and in person. Our first virtual program, we are excited to present Ken’s presentation and share is his knowledge and enthusiasm with the community.”