Communication has been changing much quicker in the past few years. Letters have been replaced with emails, phone calls replaced with texts, and Christmas cards and birthday cards replaced with Facebook wall posts. Continue reading
The end of the year and with it the approaching holidays always get me to thinking about the past twelve months. Sort of a time for personal reflection, thoughts of things that went great and those that didn’t. I guess it all boils down to memory, which is our link between the present and the past.
One of my favorite Christmas-related manuscripts, aside from the occasional diary entry, is a series of illustrated verses created by Melancthon Woolsey in 1783 for his Grandmother Woolsey. I can understand why it survived; it is beautiful. Each verse is illustrated by a vignette in a circular “frame”, and includes the angels appearing to the shepherds in the field, the Virgin Mary and Joseph, the birth of Jesus in the manger, and the adoration of the Magi. Continue reading
Christmas has always been an enchanting time of year; the carols, elaborate decorations, and endless celebration all come to mind when thinking of this holiday. In the Nutmeg State, Christmas has influenced many serenades, poems and well wishes for the season. Lydia Sigourney’s Christmas Hymn and Louisa Bushnell’s The Watcher’s Carol are just a couple of examples that have highlighted the reason for the season. Continue reading
This time of year I always find myself hoping for an opportunity to attend a swanky party that requires a bit of sparkle and holiday elegance. Yet the season consistently brings casual family gatherings requiring little more than jeans and sweaters, or New Year’s plans including games and staying in with my sisters and our respective significant others. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love these holiday gatherings that have become a tradition in my life, but…if that invitation ever comes…I think I’d like to sew up my own version of one of these….
Woman’s Dress. 1950s. Gift of Nora Oakes Howard. The Connecticut Historical Society. 2012.532.14.
For decades now, the day after Thanksgiving has been referred to by many as “Black Friday”, the first day of the holiday shopping season. It’s a day of transition from a season of autumn and Thanksgiving to a season of holiday shopping and festivities; a day of drastic sales, crowds and madness at retail stores. As with many aspects of history common folklore often dictates people’s beliefs, falsely. So, what is the history of “Black Friday”? What does it mean? Where did it come from? How long has it been around and what on earth was it like before “Black Friday”? Continue reading
Last year, for the holiday season, the CHS store featured a reproduction ornament based on an original in our collection: Winter Wonderland, Old G. Fox Building, Hartford, designed by Richard Welling, 1995, and G. Fox & Co. This product was so popular, by the end of the season, it sold out. Continue reading
inside the CHS 