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18th Century Holiday Traditions & Music of the Mohawk Valley
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Description
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire and a brightly decorated Christmas tree are relatively modern traditions of Christmas. For residents of the Mohawk Valley during colonial times traditions were much more varied. On December 21 at 7:00 PM, the Rome Historical Society will be hosting a look back at holiday and winter traditions of Central New York. The program is free and open to the public.
Colonial America was a melting pot of people from varied nations and traditions. The New England Puritans did not celebrate Christmas at all. The early German and English immigrants to the Mohawk Valley were more accustomed to celebrating the holiday. In combining elements from various cultures, America developed its own unique traditions.
The custom of burning the yule log goes back to before medieval times. Yule is the name of the old Winter Solstice festivals in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe such as Germany. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.
After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
William Sawyer, Park Ranger for over 30 years, will present songs and stories looking at the various American holiday traditions in the Mohawk Valley through research of the 1700s and how the different cultures contributed to a shared version of the holiday.
Don’t let winter get you down just yet - celebrate the winter solstice with an evening of festive holiday stories and music for people of all ages! The Rome Historical Society is located at 200 Church Street in Rome and is handicap accessible.
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