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Holiday Traditions Go On Display At Homestead National Monument Of America

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November 22, 2016

Homestead National Monument of America is getting into the holiday spirit with displays that celebrate the cultures and ethnic traditions of people who came to places like Nebraska to file homestead claims and become landowning citizens of the United States.

The Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures and Holiday Traditions Through the Decades exhibits run November 25 through January 2. These holiday displays include trees, ornaments, and other festive decorations with Czech, French, German, Hispanic, Irish, Polish, Scottish, Swedish, and Welsh representations.

“This fun holiday exhibition showcases the rich traditions that the various ethnic groups that settled Middle America practiced during the holiday season,” Superintendent Mark Engler said in a release. “We invite everyone to come and experience this fun-yet-educational show over the holidays.”

New this year is a special exhibition that highlights traditions starting from the 1860s to the present. Bob and Lorine Mares developed the display to showcase their collection of holiday ornaments and trees collected over 20 years.

The event will feature three special presentations on Sundays through December 11:

Fun, Farces and Frivolity, 2 p.m. November 27: Presented at the Education Center, learn about the games, dances, and entertainment enjoyed by people living on the plains in the early 1900s. This interactive, entertaining presentation will be given by Marla Matkin, a re-enactor and descendent of homesteaders. Audience members will get to be a part of the show, learning games and dances that would have brought enjoyment to homesteaders at the turn of the century.

Midwinter With the Scots, 2 p.m. December 4: Bagpiping, stories, singing, and tea are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. Lori McAlister, a renowned researcher on Scottish traditions, led a project to capture the oral history of Scottish holiday memories from Jean Drysdale Granlund, Fred Scott, Christine Cathro, and Ken Bunnell. They will join her to share their Scottish stories and traditions. Kevin Arnold, a Highland bagpiper, will pipe in the group. Traditional Scottish tea will be served after the presentation.  

Music Around the World, 2 p.m. December 11: Musician David Marsh will entertain with music from around the world at the Education Center. This multicultural program is a musical exposé of the influence that immigrants from around the world have had on our American culture. Learn about the creativity of the “folk” who developed the instruments and musical styles, the role music has played in traditional cultures, and the musical influences various cultures have had on one another in America.

Homestead’s Heritage and Education centers will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, though the trails and other outdoor areas will be open.

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