Another Stocking To Fill: Antique Christmas Toys And Decorations
December 10-21, 2014 |
Macculloch Hall Historical Museum new exhibit “Another Stocking To Fill: Antique Christmas Toys and Decorations” will be open during touring hours on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday beginning Wednesday, December 10th through Sunday December 21st. The exhibit features toys and ornaments from a century ago and includes a variety of Santa Claus figures, children’s toys such as Steiff stuffed animals, toy drums and a Noah’s Ark that would have been a common gift from Santa around the turn of the twentieth century. A number of candy containers in various shapes and sizes which were given as gifts to children during the Christmas season period are also on display. This is the seventh year this special exhibit has been created through generous object loans from “Sign of the Tymes Antiques” Lafayette NJ and curated by Museum curator Ryan Hyman with co-curator Barbara Silverstein.
The exhibit is complimented by the museum’s collection of Thomas Nast Christmas images, which was recently enhanced by a generous donation from private collectors Thomas and Nancy Cantwell. The Museum has the largest collection of Nast originals in the nation. Visitors can also enjoy additional Thomas Nast original Santa and Christmas images throughout the Museum’s galleries and period rooms. While Thomas Nast was primarily a political cartoonist, he was perhaps proudest of his now-iconic image of Santa. Portrayed as a jolly old elf riding high above the rooftops in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and filling each Christmas stocking “hung by the chimney
with care” Santa Claus was inspired by the famous poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” or “Twas The Night Before Christmas”, written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822. Nast’s imagination placed Santa’s home and workshop in the North Pole, and he developed the idea of sending letters to Santa through the U.S. Postal Service.
In addition to the exhibit, visitors in December can enjoy tours of the Museum’s period rooms which will be decorated for the holidays in traditional style by the Garden Club of Morristown with fresh holly and boxwood, greenery and other live decorations. In the drawing room visitors will find a special Christmas tree decorated with historically inspired ornaments. 2014 marks the 24th year Morristown’s Assumption School fourth grade students have handcrafted these ornaments and this year’s theme includes small felt stockings inspired by the Museum’s Christmas exhibit.
The museum Christmas shop will also be open during touring hours with new items including the 2014 Thomas Nast ornament, “Christmas Post” which depicts a child posting a letter on a snow-filled street. The engraving was originally published in “Harper’s Weekly” on January 4th 1879. This ornament and frameable print are on sale in the gift shop along with other unique gifts, stocking stuffers, decorative items, books and Thomas Nast items, including ornaments from past years.
The Museum is open for guided tours of the decorated period rooms and visits to exhibits beginning December 10th through December 21st on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons, 1pm–4pm, the last tour leaves at 3pm. The museum is closed Wednesday December 24th through Thursday January 1st. Tours of the museum resume on Sunday January 4th 2015. The Museum will have the Drawing Room Christmas tree, Thomas Nast images and Christmas exhibit on display during touring hours beginning Sunday January 4th through January 29th.
Admission Adults $8; Seniors & Students $6; Children 6 – 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free. Call (973) 538-2404 ext. 10, visit maccullochhall.org or find us on Facebook. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960.
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Website:
www.maccullochhall.org |
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| Location Information |
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Macculloch Hall Historical Museum |
45 Macculloch Avenue
Morristown, NJ 07960 |
| Website:
www.maccullochhall.org |
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| Contact Information |
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Karen Hollywood |
| Email:
khollywood@maccullochhall.org |
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