The Christmas that most of us think about today is one of nostalgia and Norman Rockwell paintings showing how in the “good-old days”, we celebrated the holidays. Our visual images of Santa Claus derive from Clement Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas” and our concepts that, at Christmas, we are responsible for helping those around us, come from Dickens “A Christmas Carol”. Both were written during what we refer to today as the “Victorian Era”.
Those of us who wish to return to that time of holiday celebration now have the opportunity to do so. Cape Charles Christian School is sponsoring “The Cape Charles Victorian Christmas Tea and Stroll”, to be held Saturday afternoon, December 4, 2010, from 3:00 pm. to 6:00 pm. Tickets are $20.00 per person and may be purchased at Rayfield’s Pharmacies in Cape Charles and Nassawadox.
The Tea will be held in what was formerly the Cape Charles Presbyterian Church, renamed “Heyward Hall”. The Church was recently purchased by the school and has been under renovation for several months. Heyward Hall (the sanctuary) will be decorated in the Victorian tradition and will be serving the traditional afternoon tea fare, teas, sandwiches, and sweets. Guests may enjoy camaraderie and fellowship, presentations by the CC Christian School Choirs, and then depart and stroll through the Central Park, visit various B&Bs, such as Cape Charles House, Seagate, Sterling House, and Fig Street Inn, all of which will also be decorated for the holidays, and enjoy shopping in the downtown area. Additional information and maps will be distributed at Heyward Hall.
If you long for the ghosts of Christmas Past, this is your chance to relive the family-oriented celebrations of years gone by and restore the true meaning of Christmas. Call 331-1616 or 678-5878 for any additional information.