Hampton House Mansion's Old Time Holiday Celebration
Experience Christmas past -- in the present
Photographer: WMAR
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 12/28/2011
Three costumed musicians at the front of the room pluck out a twangy carol. Chances are, you’ll recognize the holiday favorite. What may be unfamiliar, though, are the style and the instruments of this antebellum rendition.
Jingle Bells, Silent Night, and other traditional Christmas tunes echo through the halls of the Great Hall of the Hampton House this holiday season, during the Hampton Historical site’s annual Yuletide program.
Each year, the mansion, the former estate of the Ridgely family, welcomes visitors from far and near to partake in a holiday blast from Christmas past.
All of the rooms in the mansion are decorated in period fashion, corresponding to different times in the mansion’s history. The dining room décor, for example, dates back to 1820, around the time when the master of the house served as governor of Maryland. Most of the furniture and artifacts are actual Ridgely property.
Hampton House will welcome about a thousand guests from far and near this holiday season. Visitors tour the house, noting the differences between Christmases past and present.
“Stockings that are not really socks!” a difference one keen young eye notices as she looks at the long, skinny socks hanging from the mantle.
Rangers and volunteers, dressed in period costume, give tours, sharing the rich history of the house and the Ridgely family with guests.
Just before the entrance to the traditionally trimmed living room stands a ranger in a peach and mint colored frock who looks a little younger than the others. Hands folded, eyes bright, and eager to answer questions from guests, it’s sixteen year-old high schooler Molly Ertel, and it’s her first day on the job.
“People see you as someone who’s living here,” she says of her unique experience as a ranger and her previous roles at the park as a volunteer and a re-enactor. “You’re experiencing it, and people get to see that and learn from you.”
And while the mansion typically attracts guests young and old, as Molly will tell you, a visit definitely has value for those in the middle.
And while the mansion typically attracts guests young and old, as Molly will tell you, a visit definitely has value for those in the middle.
“It’s interesting, and to actually experience it for yourself instead of learning about it in a textbook,” Molly says. “It’s more fun that way. And I would encourage people my age to come see it.”
The Yuletide program also features period crafts, dancing, and carriage rides. The mansion will be decorated until January 9, so after Christmas has come and gone, there’s still time left for a holiday visit. Visit http://www.nps.gov/hamp/planyourvisit/yuletide-at-hampton.htm for more information.
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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