Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21
BY ISABELLE FLORENCE STORY.

@HRLSTMAS, 1880, Is another sesQui-
~ centennial anniversary In American
history, and one connected with our
Il first President For on Christmas day
in 1880 the old Washington home
Stead at Wakefield, Va, in which George wash
mgton was born, was burned to the ground
At the time Of the fire the house was occupied
By William Augustine Washington, son Of
Georges half brother, Augustine. The house
was never restored and the family moved to
another and lesser house on the estate. At the
present time the rehabilitation of the house
and grounds is in progress. to have them ready
Tor the celebration of the George Washing
con Bicentennial in 1892.
Meanwhile wonders what kind of a ce1e-
hrati0n was planned for that holiday 30 many
pears ago, and whether the devastating FIRE
came before or after dinner. No doubt great
preparations had been made. For the Virgin
ians of colonial days. after the early years Of
Indian strife and pioneer homemaking, were
noted for their royal hospitality and lavish OBJ
Servance of Christmas All of the name and
lineage were made welcome at the great houses
many of which had detached guest houses to
take care of the overflow. Few Of the guests
stayed for just one meal. Distances were long
In those days, when the horse and coach, and
the boat in good weather, were the only means
Of travel House guests. rather than dinner
guests. were the rule.
60 HUGE freplaces were built In the large
kitchens, big enough to roast a whole pig
and sometimes even q steer. For many days
before Christmas the regular kitchen force
was augmented with extra cooks, and all worked
from morning until night, stocking the larder.
AT Wakefield, on that long-ago Christmas day,
imagination pictures . festive occasion, with
great table almost grOaning from the weight Of
the many good things piled upon IL. It must be
diet; neither pounds nor Galleries were counted
In those good old times
Aft7r the sonorOus grace, one pictures the
ceremony Of carrying in q great boar's head.
decorated with green's and with cleaning red
apple tucked snugly In It's mouth In old Eng
land this was q most ceremonious event. the
butler carrying the head on q silver platter
while on either Side lesser servants carried light
ed candles On the Virginia plantations the
procession was undoubtedly a little less cere-
monioUs. For there the -boar's head must have
been borne aloft by loyal black servitors their
eyes rolling and white teeth cleaning between
broadly -grinning lips. Surely they must have
walked, perhaps even pranced with their own
tnimitable rhythm. rather than with the stately
tread OF the old family retainers Of Englands
manor houses 1t Is easy to believe that the
boar's head ceremonial played q prominent part
in the Wakefield holiday festivities, for In the
ruins OF the burned homestead boar's head
has BEEN found.
Although our mode OF life has changed almost
incredibly in the $50 years since that last
Christmas at Wakefield. we still cling to many
% the oio hoHoay customs winch those Stout
hearted cOlOnists. particularly in Virginia and
the Old South, brought with them from Eng
land The use of greens in holiday decora-
lions is one of our heritages from the Old
World. In England the homes and churches
were weathed in green boughs. The very
name holly is derived from "holy" tree, testi-
flying to the use Of this particular green in
decorating the houses Of worship during the
Yuletide period Mistletoe at one time was
not allowed in the church trimmings. Because
It had been ''profaned" through use by the