By Khalida Sarwari
Want to see how the Dutch celebrate Christmas? Or are you itching to fulfill that curiosity about what the holidays look like in Vietnam, but one look at plane tickets has you sighing and abandoning your travel plans? The good news is there’s a much more affordable way to travel this season, and the answer lies at the doorstep of the Saratoga History Museum.
The museum is opening a new exhibit on Nov. 27 that portrays how people around the world commemorate the months of December and January. Titled “Home for the Holidays,” the showcase is sure to conjure old memories and create new ones through displays of stories, recipes and even an interactive table with Matchbox toys, a Mr. Potato Head, a Jenga game and Tinkertoys.
There are displays, for example, depicting the New year’s Eve tradition in the U.S. of the lowering of the ball and countdown in New York City’s Times Square, the celebration of the Tet Vietnamese New Year and the Chinese New Year holiday with dragons and firecrackers.
Then there’s Boxing Day, which is still celebrated in parts of Europe on Dec. 26, when collection boxes for the poor are filled and distributed. On that day in the U.S., Kwanzaa, a Pan-African celebration created in 1966, is celebrated in some communities with food and activities.
And although most people are familiar with Christmas, visitors might learn a new thing or two about the holiday, such as the origin of Christmas cards, nutcrackers, candy canes, Christmas trees, Christmas stockings, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and mistletoe. Included are recipes for holiday food, such as yule logs, potato pancakes and fruitcake.
Other U.S. holiday events featured in the exhibit include the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Rose Parade in Pasadena on Jan. 1.
Above all, the exhibit will serve to highlight the value and importance of traditions, said Annette Stransky, president of the Saratoga Historical Foundation.
“Traditions build family and add to the fabric of the community,” she said. “Traditions give us a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to us.”
The exhibit runs through Jan. 31 and can be viewed from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
The museum will host an opening night event on Nov. 27 with hot cider and cookies and Christmas carols sung by the Marshall Lane Mustang Choir and the Skillet Likkers. The event begins at 5:30 p.m.
This month, the museum is also collecting toys for the city’s annual toy drive. Visitors are encouraged to drop off a new and unwrapped toy through Dec. 15.
Link: ‘Home for the Holidays’ exhibit opens at Saratoga History Museum
