Every December the Homestead Museum
focuses its attention on the making of the modern Christmas. Exhibits
in the Museum's historic homes help transport visitors through a century of
changing Christmas celebrations with a particular focus on the 1840s, 1870s,
and 1920s. The highlight of the holiday season comes with A Southern California
Christmas, the Homestead's most popular special event featuring music,
theatrical performances, holiday merchants, family activities, food, and historic
house tours. Once again, living history characters depicting people from the
1920s will interact with visitors in La Casa Nueva, the 1920s Spanish Colonial
Revival home of the Temple family. This year, A Southern California Christmas
will take place on Sunday, December 14, 2003 from 1-5 pm. Admission is free.
Throughout the holiday season, free guided tours emphasizing the history of Christmas in California will be offered through Sunday, January 4. Tours depart on the hour Wednesday-Sunday from 1-4 pm. The Museum will be closed December 24, 25, 31, and January 1.
Christmas celebrations in California have undergone many changes over the years. While the region was still a part of Mexico, the holiday was observed in a distinctly different way than what early settlers were used to. On Christmas morning, most people attended mass at church (misa de gallo) and then spent the day feasting, dancing, and playing games. The day's events might have also included a viewing of Las Pastorelas (The Shepherd's Play).
As more and more Americans settled
in California after statehood, they brought some well-established
holiday traditions with them. By the 1860s, Christmas in the Los
Angeles area became focused more on children. Some families began
decorating Christmas trees, and slowly, the idea of gift giving
became part of the holiday festivities. Because of the lack of
mass-produced goods, many items were handmade, including ornaments
for the tree.
By the time the 1920s arrived, Christmas had turned into a commercialized holiday that was no longer a private observance, but a public one marked by elaborate department store displays and festive parades. Women's magazines featured articles about holiday entertaining; actress Mary Pickford promoted decorating with artificial greens as a way to preserve the wilds; and families began decorating the exterior of their homes with electric lights. It was also during this period that personalized Christmas cards gained popularity.
Be sure to visit the Homestead this holiday
season
and witness the making of a modern Christmas with
your own eyes!
Revised May 1, 2002