Figure C--Wreaths were a major part of the holidays. Today, beginning in late November, the residents of Williamsburg decorate their historic houses in the simple, yet artful, fashion of colonial times. This particular wreath brings to mind an old English rhyme: "Holly and ivy, box and bay, put in the church on Christmas day." Boxwood and bayberry were key ingredients in the holiday wreaths that adorned colonial homes.

Figure D--To add color to wreaths, colonists used pomegranates and other colorful fruits. Pomegranates, in particular, indicated wealth. Many embellished their wreaths with seashells from nearby beaches, pine cones and even imported items such as pineapples and apples, which were not grown in Virginia at the time. A home's wreath would tell a visitor much about the owners.

* Note: After the twelfth day of Christmas on January 5, the colonists took down their carefully crafted decorations, removed the fruit and added them to the holiday feast, enjoying the tasty bounty of summer in the heart of winter.

Figure E--No holiday is complete without a feast, even back in the 1700s, and the most traditional of dishes was the mincemeat pie. This favorite was made from a mixture of fruits and meats. Not only did the blend make for a delicious treat, but the citrus from the fruit also acted as a preservative for the meat filling. In the days before refrigeration, food preservation was a necessity. Creating a mincemeat pie was an elaborate undertaking, considering that the fruit had to be imported. Pie spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg had to be imported as well.

Did you know?

Since mincemeat pie was associated with English excess, the strict Puritans of Massachusetts banned the making of this traditional dish in many communities. But not so in more liberal Virginia, where today in colonial Williamsburg chefs use a modified 18th-century recipe.

Figure F--Many traditions down through the years center around music. Ben Franklin invented an instrument with a mellifluous sound that was popular for playing Christmas carols. Called the glass armonica, which is the Italian word for harmonics, the contraption was unique in structure and soothing in sound. Watch the video (above) to see its fascinating history.

Figure G--Another unique musical instrument of the era was the hurdy-gurdy, a medieval stringed invention played by a rosined wheel with a crank. The sound is much like a violin. When the crank is turned, the wheel (indicated in the photo) rubs against the strings to produce beautiful music.

Figure H--In the 1700s, visiting a friend on a winter evening meant walking through cold, dark streets. As a result, it was customary to light public bonfires throughout colonial towns. In addition, to provide warmth, colonists lit huge cressets, pictured here. These were large elevated iron lanterns filled with wood that had been soaked in animal fat to make them combustible. Basically, the cressets acted as early streetlights.

Did you know?

During the Revolutionary War period, the lighting of the cressets was a nightly ritual that is reenacted today by Williamsburg citizens during the winter months.

Figure I--Christmas in the antebellum South of the 1800s was a time of ornate decoration. Much time and care were taken in the adornment of the Christmas tree. This tradition did not come from the South, however, but from the piney forest of Germany. In 1841, German-born Prince Albert surprised his English wife, Queen Victoria, with a tradition from his homeland--an evergreen tree that was brought indoors and decorated with handmade paper cornucopias. Check out our slide show to see some of the more clever ornaments that were used for Christmas trees of this period.