John Wright Stanly House 



says. "It's very simple, so it's surpris- 

 ing to people. But there's an elegance 

 in the simplicity, in the use of pure 

 greenery. There aren't the extras that 

 we're used to seeing. Just plain 

 garlands of fresh greenery. And there 

 is a lot of festive food in the house." 



Like those of the decade before, 

 Christmases of the 1780s were marked 

 by festive gatherings. "Nothing is now 

 to be heard of in conversation but the 

 Balls, the Fox-hunts, the fine entertain- 

 ments and the good fellowship, which 

 are to be exhibited at the approaching 



Christmas," a Virginia plantation 

 tutor wrote at the time. 



The Stanlys probably offered 

 their guests a cake like the one 

 displayed in the house and baked 

 from one of Martha Washington's 

 recipes. And, since Christmas was a 

 holy day, they may have attended 

 services at Christ Church. Their six 

 children, unlike modern children, did 

 not expect gifts from Santa Claus. 

 They might have instead received a 

 book such as The Church Catechism 

 Explain 'd. 



♦ Dixon-Stevenson House 

 (ca. 1828) 



In the restored Dixon-Stevenson 

 House, the Christmas decor begins to 

 resemble that of our day. Still, it is 

 simple. The staircase is hung with 

 skinny, hand-sewn stockings stuffed 

 with treats of the early 1800s. The table 

 is laden with a large bowl of "fish in 

 jelly," a 19th-century dessert of white 

 blancmange fish swimming in a blue 

 gelatin sea. 



"By then, we start to see more 

 emphasis on gift-giving," Hicks says. 

 Children might have received small 

 toys, cakes, nuts, fruit, candy or coins in 

 their stockings. There was no Christmas 

 tree yet, but Santa had arrived to 

 American shores as a gift-bringer to 

 youngsters. He was a fused creature — 

 half St. Nicholas of Europe and half 

 ancient yule god. Not until 1863 did he 

 acquire his jolly elfish looks when 

 Thomas Nast of Harper's Illustrated 

 Weekly drew his image based on "The 

 Visit of St. Nicholas" (better known as 

 '"Twas the Night Before Christmas"). 



In an age of candlelight, the rounds 

 of dinner parties and gatherings were 

 made more festive with candles 

 trimmed in real and artificial flowers. 

 Early in the century, a woman wrote of 

 her Virginia home, where "the house 

 was illuminated by wax lights issuing 

 from bouquets of magnolia leaves 

 placed around the walls, near the ceiling 

 and looking prettier than any glass 

 chandelier." In keeping with that 

 tradition, the transom windows over the 

 doors in the Dixon-Stevenson House 

 are decked out with candleholders and 

 silk flowers. 



Chocolate, served mainly as a hot 

 drink or garnish in the 18th century, 

 began to appear as a main ingredient in 

 cakes, candies and other desserts. The 

 Dixons might also have purchased some 

 of their baked goods from a local baker 

 such as Francis Bangard, who adver- 

 tised in 1836 that he had "constantly on 

 hand the first quality of Loaf Bread, 

 fresh Crackers and Cake of every kind." 



"That's interesting because many 

 Continued 



COASTWATCH 5 



