Travel back in time to the 1850’s to get an idea of what a traditional Christmas looked like for slaves in Texas at Washington-on-the-Brazos Historic Site’s Candlelight Christmas at the Barrington Plantation.
Beginning originally 11 years ago, Candlelight Christmas first came to fruition as a way to showcase the origins of many Christmas traditions that we know and love today as well as a way to see how slaves were able to celebrate the holiday. Held on two nights in December, the program welcomes guests of all ages to partake in scenes that share more about the past.
“We wanted to create more of a feeling of Christmas in 1850, and maybe some of the characters that you might meet if you are traveling through the period and so that's how we ended up with our series of vignettes,” Barb says.
The experience is based on true experience from the last President of the Republic, Dr. Anson Jones, who lived on the Barrington Plantation for 13 years, Barb says.
“The idea for the experience actually came from Dr. Jones's letters,” she says. “He writes that he is in 1850, but that he wants to make sure to have the kids' stockings hung and that is a very new fashion that not a lot of people are doing.”
Guests can expect to see a number of scenes including a wagon ride, house party scene with some rowdy gentleman and even a reading of the original Night Before Christmas poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore as the children go to sleep on Christmas Eve. The actors will also take guests through how slaves in Texas celebrated the holiday and how their masters allowed them to celebrate with their families on the plantation.
“It's a really transitional period in American history for seeing Christmas, who celebrates it and how the enslaved were allowed to celebrate the holiday,” Barb says. “I like it because it really feels immersive for the visitor, especially being lit by candlelight and the scene in the house, or during that party scene which is pretty touching, we light the tree at the end and sing carols — that's something that you won't see with your own family even because we're so used to electric lit trees.”
The tour ends at a Barn Dance, where guests will have the opportunity to enjoy music and dances taught by characters, Barb says.
“We have a band playing — I believe a violin and a guitar and some other instruments who play period music,” Barb says. “We also have someone who will teach them some very short dances and people can participate if they choose or just enjoy watching others.”
Candlelight Christmas is hosted by the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site at the Barrington Plantation located at 23400 Park Road 12 in Washington on Dec. 8 & 9. Groups of 20 will leave every 15 minutes at the entrance of the Barrington Plantation to begin their immersive experience. Tickets can be purchased for time slots between 6 and 8 p.m. at eventbrite.com/e/candlelight-christmas-tickets-726241587137 for $10.50 per person. Children 5 and under are free.
