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Victorian Yuletide 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. 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. 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.

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. Registration Form Bus Trip to New York City December 3, 2008   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. 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! Registration Form Victorian Yuletide Gingerbread House Workshop for Children of all Ages 2008