Photo by Chris Beasley
Christmas in Virginia didn’t arrive in a tightly wrapped box. The holiday as we know it in the commonwealth is built on years of traditions and ideas borrowed from other cultures and eras. On Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Henricus Historical Park presents “Three Centuries of Virginia Christmas,” a look at how those rituals and traditions have evolved over time.
Historical interpreters will present Christmas through the years, starting with a look at how the Dutch inspired certain English traditions back in 1611. The program continues to 1778, when the American Revolution called for scaled-back celebrations, and on to 1860, with hot cider, local craft beer from Dancing Kilt Brewery (from noon to 4:30 p.m.) and a Victorian Christmas tree. Father Christmas caps the visit to long-gone days, ready to receive your holiday wishes from a distance.
$7 to $9. During the event, Henricus is also accepting donations of cleaning and toiletry items for local nonprofit Housing Families First; more details at henricus.org.
