Thanksgiving Traditions and Christmas Controversies
Saturday, Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009
9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
Did early Bostonians celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas? Would Paul Revere put up holiday decorations, or exchange gifts with his many children? How did people in colonial Boston mark the darkest season of the year? Come to the Paul Revere House, home of Boston’s favorite patriot, to find out. We invite you to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, smells, even tastes of the holidays in colonial Boston!
Costumed interpreters in the Revere House, c. 1680, and neighboring Pierce-Hichborn House, c. 1711, will acquaint visitors with colonial thanksgiving traditions and controversies surrounding the observance of Christmas. Both houses will feature period appropriate displays of tropical fruits, prized by the colonists for their bright colors as much as their sweet flavors. Discover why Boston banned any observance of Christmas at times during the 1600’s. Learn how by the Reveres’ era, even Puritans sometimes treated themselves to delectable thanksgiving feasts scheduled suspiciously close to December 25, and visited Anglican churches to enjoy the greenery and festive music.
Colonial Tarts and Cakes
Warm up with a cup of mulled cider and enjoy delicious sweets baked from early American recipes. Refreshments are free with admission.
Concerts of Seasonal Songs
Each afternoon from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, R.P. Hale performs overtures, melodies and Anglican Advent songs in elegant colonial garb on a harpsichord and a hammered dulcimer he has painstakingly reproduced from period originals.
Baskets for Sale!
Looking for unique, handmade gifts? Visit with Fred Lawson on Saturday from 12 to 4 PM as he dexterously weaves natural materials into baskets of all shapes and sizes. Fred will delight you with descriptions of each basket’s function in the colonial era. Forget your shopping list, you’ll be tempted to keep one of these beautiful yet functional items for yourself!
Admission during the event: Adults $5, seniors and college students $4.50, children ages 5-17 $1.50. (Regular admission is $3.50, $3.00, and $1.)
Location: The Revere House is on Boston’s Freedom Trail, in the city’s historic North End, three blocks from Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Within easy walking distance from the Haymarket, Government Center, and Aquarium subway stops.
Winter Hours: Open daily 9:30-4:15, except Mondays in January, February, and March. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
For further information, please call the Revere House at 617-523-2338 or visit the museum’s website, www.paulreverehouse.org.
