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Victorian Yuletide
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November 28 through January 4, 2009
Museum of Art, Fountain Elms
The Victorian Yuletide exhibition is free and open to the public.
Each year the Museum’s Victorian Yuletide exhibition offers carefully researched representations of the origins of many of today’s holiday customs.

Christmas became a legal holiday in New York State in 1848. Two years later, Godley’s Ladies Book, one of the most popular periodicals of the time, published the first image of a Christmas tree in American print. The prominence of the tree as the central holiday decoration was slow to catch on. In the 1860s, despite the growing popularity of tabletop Christmas trees, many families enjoyed communal trees rather than have one in their own homes. Most households featured decorations of greenery highlighted by colored ribbon and dried flowers or leaves. Homemade ornaments and gifts, lavish festive family meals, and ethnic traditions were the central aspects of mid-century holidays; all will be represented in the Museum's period rooms during the Yuletide exhibition.

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By the turn of the 20th century, nearly every home had a tree, many of which were floor-to-ceiling in size. Illuminating trees with small candles remained common, but strings of lights were available by 1910. Gift-giving traditions had grown exponentially. In 1887, to meet shoppers’ demands, a holiday excursion train with sleeping cars and passenger coaches transported eager consumers from Rochester to New York City. Greenery remained an important aspect of decorations; now, however, they were often profusely draped from corner to corner in formal rooms, at times appearing like a canopy.

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During the holiday season, enjoy the spirit of a Victorian Christmas with a visit to the Museum’s period rooms. The Victorian Yuletide exhibition will be on view through January 4, 2009.

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Bus Trip to New York City
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
$40 members; $50 general public

After being dropped off at Macy’s, enjoy free time all day in the city, shopping, seeing a show, sight-seeing, museum-hopping or taking in the magnificent holiday window displays at Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and more.

Departing MWPAI: 6:30 a.m. Returning: 11:30 p.m.

Registration requested by November 26.



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Brownie/Daisy Girl Scout Program
Victorian Yuletide:
Listening to the Past

Saturday, December 6, 2008
Times: 10 to 11:30 am, 12:30 to 2 pm, 3 to 4:30 pm

Fountain Elms

$5 per Girl Scout

Please register through the Foothills Girl Scout Council by contacting program specialist Michelle Miller at 315-733-2391, extension 33.

Brownie Girl Scouts can earn the Listening to the Past Try-it with an adventure back to the Victorian era during the holiday season. Daisy Girl Scouts will receive a fun patch.


Docent Guided Tour
In Advance of the Messiah Sing
Redesigned 19th-Century Fine and Decorative Arts Galleries

Sunday, December 7, 2008 1:15 pm
Meet in the Edward Wales Root Sculpture Court
Free and open to the public


Fourth Annual
Messiah Sing

Sunday, December 7, 2008 2:30PM
Museum of Art Auditorium
Free and Open to the Public.

Light refreshments will be available on the
terrace of Fountain Elms following the event.

Sponsored in memory of
Mary W. Bach
by her friends at
Reid-Sheldon.

All members of the community are invited to gather in the Museum of Art Auditorium to sing the choruses of the Advent and Christmas portion and the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s masterpiece. The performance will be conducted by Charles Schneider with piano accompanist Tina Toglia. Singers are encouraged to bring their musical scores, and scores will also be available to borrow.

Light refreshments will be available on the terrace of Fountain Elms following the event.

Docent Guided Tour
Victorian Yuletide exhibition

Sunday, December 7, 2008 4:15 pm
Fountain Elms
Free and Open to the Public


Candlelight Tour
Victorian Yuletide exhibition

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 6:00 pm
Fountain Elms
Free and Open to the Public
Meet in the Terrace Gallery of Fountain Elms.

Three 19th-century women who significantly influenced how Christmas is celebrated today—Louisa May Alcott, Isabella Beeton, and Queen Victoria— are the focus of this year’s annual Victorian Yuletide exhibition. Following the tour, refreshments will be offered on the Terrace.

Contact the Museum Education Department
at 797-0000, ext. 2158 to register.
Space is limited.

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Gingerbread House Workshop
for Children of all Ages

Saturday, December 13, 2008
9 am to noon
Fountain Elms Terrace
$10 MWPAI members; $12 general public.

Space is limited
Registration is requested December 6.

Enjoy the magic of the holiday season by making a “gingerbread” house of your own design. Make a cottage, Victorian mansion, or country store using a pre-constructed basic form and an assortment of candy, cookies and icing. Bring any special cookie or candy you’d like to use in case we don’t have it. Make this an annual tradition!




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Consider a Year-End Gift to Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute
Giving
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Victorian Yuletide
Events & Exhibitions
Friday, November 28-Sunday, January 4, 2009
» More Info
Bus Trip to New York City
Victorian Yuletide
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
» More Info
Book Discussion
Diaries of Adam and Eve
author Mark Twain

Book Group
Offered in association with
the exhibition, Picturing Eden

Thursday, December 4, 2008
» More Info

Brownie/Daisy Girl Scout Program
Victorian Yuletide:
Listening to the Past

Victorian Yuletide
Saturday, December 6, 2008
» More Info
Docent Guided Tour
In Advance of the Messiah Sing
Redesigned 19th-Century Fine and Decorative Arts Galleries

Victorian Yuletide
Sunday, December 7, 2008
» More Info
Docent Guided Tour
Victorian Yuletide exhibition

Victorian Yuletide
Sunday, December 7, 2008
» More Info
Candlelight Tour
Victorian Yuletide exhibition

Victorian Yuletide
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
» More Info
Gingerbread House Workshop
for Children of all Ages

Victorian Yuletide
Saturday, December 13, 2008
» More Info
Thomas Doughty in Upstate New York
Discover the Museum Collection
With First Friday Shorts

Friday, January 2, 2009
» More Info
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of
James E. Freeman
1808-1884
An
American Painter in Italy

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Saturday, September 12-Sunday, January 17, 2010
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