Palatines and Presents, A German Christmas
Herkimer Home invites you to join us for a celebration of the holidays at Palatines and Presents: A German Christmas!
This year’s event will be held on Sunday, December 7th from 3pm until 6pm. Admission is free, though we are encouraging guests to bring new unwrapped toys for this year’s toy drive in partnership with Stuff the Bus CNY!
Christmas in the 18th century was widely different from the holiday lights and traditions of today.
The simple traditions of Colonial America centered on the gathering of family, the celebration of the year past and of what is yet to come. Natural decorations of pine boughs, fruit, nuts, and berries would have covered the mantles and doorways in colonial homes who celebrated the day. German immigrants even brought their taste of the holidays and their own customs, eventually giving us one of the most iconic Christmas decorations of all, the Christmas tree.
Holiday Traditions
Following the holiday traditions of the past, General Herkimer’s colonial mansion will be decorated in an 18th century style for the holiday season. Historical interpreters will fill the home and provide living history vignettes showcasing how our forefathers celebrated the Christmas holidays! Be sure not to miss the German Foodways program in our museum hearth which will fill the air with the aromas of Christmas and holiday cheer. Warm up by the fire with musket in hand and celebrate a year gone by as you join in our celebrations just as the residents of the Mohawk Valley would have 250 years ago!
Children in attendance are welcome to join in and craft their own Christmas ornaments with our interpretive staff and volunteers as they learn how to get in the holiday spirit of the 18th century. Make sure they have been good, however… rumor has it, all these 18th century festivities have brought with it a figure from Christmas’s past. The Belsnickle is expected to make his presence known as a part of our celebration with treats for those children who have remained good this past year and a holiday warning for those who have misbehaved… but don’t worry, there is still time to heed his warnings and share in his treats!
Don’t miss out on this year’s holiday celebration and join in the fun!
Returning once again this year we welcome the Little Falls MS/HS Band who will perform a holiday concert in the Visitor Center. Warm refreshments, wonderful music, and holiday cheer await you at this year’s German Christmas celebration at Herkimer Home!
Be sure to check in with the Herkimer Home Facebook page for additional announcements in the near future. We hope that you stop by and join us as we celebrate the holiday season and the local traditions of an 18th century Christmas at Herkimer Home’s Palatines and Presents event!
