Historic Bethabara Park Four Christmases for Children

Using lanterns to light your way, you enter the 1754 Village where colonial re-enactors lead you in song and introduce holiday customs of the early Scots-Irish settlers. Before enjoying their simple Christmas meal cooked over a fire, they fired muskets to scare off the animals and burned sacred mistletoe in the fire, believing the smoke would ward off evil spirits and ghosts. After the meal, they danced around a great bonfire where a large Yule log burned.        

Christmas is for children, it is said, and the early Moravians started a tradition, still carried on today, of a children's Christmas love feast. The love feast, a break during the religious service and singing of hymns, was a time when everyone shared a cookie or a roll and drink. The eighteenth century Moravians talked to one another as they celebrated over food and drink.

In the colonies during the eighteenth century, the tavern was especially important during the Christmas season because it was the place where family, friends and neighbors gathered for a jolly, convivial evening celebrating "gambols," or festivities, and exchanged Christmas greetings, the news of the day and simple holiday gifts. They would find a welcoming fire, warm meal and simple entertainment.

A thousand years ago, the Lord and Lady of the castle entertained family, friends and peasants of the village. Much later in the eighteenth century the country Squire filled the role of the old time Lord. A grand Christmas party would be held for friend and neighbors, with a dance, meal and refreshments for everyone from miles around. Today the image of the Squire who loved Christmas and children lives on in our description of Santa Claus.