(This story appeared a couple weeks ago in West Newsmagazine in celebration of a Dec. 7 holiday event to be held at several St. Louis area venues.)
Photo courtesy of the 1860 Gittemeier House in Florissant
The sights and sounds of the holiday season will be on full display from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 as more than 20 historic sites throughout the Greater St. Louis area participate in A Spirited Holiday Past, held annually on the first Saturday of December.
Buildings built as far back as 1782 will come alive for this volunteer-led program run by Historic Saint Louis, a partnership of many local sites working together to promote the history of the area.
In Millenium Park, Creve Coeur’s Tappmeyer Homestead started decorating for the event in mid-November. Come December, the Italianate townhouse from 1880 will be bedecked with natural garlands, red bows and other holiday decorations both inside and out.
Tappmeyer Program Director Laura Dierberg Ayers said there will be activities to match the festive atmosphere, like candle-making, which was a crowd-favorite in the past.
Last year’s Christmas Tree in the Tappmeyer Homestead. (Photo courtesy of Laura Dierberg Ayers)
“Years ago, we had an ensemble from one of the high schools play a violin, bass and other instruments for some live music,” Ayers said. “We don’t have a huge amount of space, but we hope to do that this year. We’ll also probably have cookies and punch, and there may be the smell of cinnamon in the air.”
The Field House in St. Louis is another historically-significant venue participating in A Spirited Holiday Past. Attorney Roswell Field, who worked on the historic Dred Scott v. Sandford case, rented the house located at 634 South Broadway. He was the father of poet and newspaper columnist Eugene Field. According to Executive Director Stephanie Bliss, the house was saved in the 1930s thanks to Eugene and became a National Historic Landmark. It is Federal-style architecture, built in 1845.
“We love holidays and don’t necessarily go by periods at the Field House Museum,” Bliss said. “We like to bring out our toy collection for the holidays, so you’ll see them on display. We’re also going to have an exhibit called ‘The Wonderful World of Collecting.’ It’s Hallmark Disney ornaments. Also, for the day of the event, we’re going to have (historian and storyteller) Kellee Bohannon.”
The Sappington House in Crestwood is also Federal-style architecture. Built in 1808 when Thomas Jefferson was President, it is the oldest surviving brick building in St. Louis County. No one knows for sure when it was first decorated for Christmas.
“We do know that Christmas trees were not part of the early celebrations in this area … so, that doesn’t happen at the Sappington House,” Resident Manager Sally Cakouros said. “We do green boughs, ferns and evergreens, green plants and holly.
This year, Sappington House’s part in the event will feature a violinist, who repaired an antique Sappington family violin.
“We might also have a guitar player with him, and are hopeful to have a pianist playing Christmas carols that people can sing along to,” Cakouros said. “We’ll also have a gingerbread house display.”
Some venues have an admissions fee. For a list of hours, costs and other information, visit historicsaintlouis.org/winter-event.
A mantle at the field house bedecked with holiday paraphernalia. (Phot
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