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Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-01-2013 06:52 PM
Abraham and Mary Lincoln spent many years as a married couple in their Springfield home. They had a family there- the boys. This thread will be for fun and imagination is a necessity. How do you suppose the Lincolns celebrated Christmas? What do we know about this? What kind of gifts were bought? What do you suppose Abraham bought Mary? And what did Mary get for Abraham? Was there a Christmas tree in the home? I don't suppose Mr. Lincoln ever dressed up as Santa? Imagine Abraham going into downtown Springfield thinking: "Now what do I get Mary?"
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - Eva Elisabeth - 12-01-2013 08:09 PM
What about this:
[attachment=307]
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-01-2013 08:47 PM
Wow, that is so heartwarming. Great depiction.
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - Rob Wick - 12-01-2013 09:41 PM
Here's a couple of links that talk about Christmas in that time period in a general sense.
By the way, glad to see you back, Bill!
Best
Rob
http://www.connerprairie.org/learn-and-do/indiana-history/america-1800-1860/history-of-antebellum-christmas.aspx
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=17&ved=0CFEQFjAGOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.co.seneca.ny.us%2Fhistory%2FChristmas%2520During%2520the%2520Civil%2520War.pdf&ei=_eSbUqCnIJHqoASKjIHQCw&usg=AFQjCNFn1h3NBvYl5WPWkVsYJTFiTbTCMg&bvm=bv.57155469,d.cGU
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-01-2013 09:47 PM
Thanks Rob!
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - Eva Elisabeth - 12-06-2013 02:43 AM
Instead of reading Macbeth or Hamlet, A. Lincoln will perhaps have turned to Twelfth Night.
Twelfth Night (or, What You Will) is believed to have been written by Shakespeare as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The title refers to the twelfth night after Christmas Day, "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking" (*).
On this day the King and all those who were high would become the peasants and vice versa, servants dressed up as their masters, men as women and so forth (as origin of the play's gender confusion-driven plot). Midnight signaled the end of his rule and the world would return to normal.
I'm sure all the Lincolns would have enjoyed changing roles (parents <=> kids) for one day!
Probably the Lincolns would have enjoyed this:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XHMyKyiSe8U&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXHMyKyiSe8U
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=diG9jU6L6fU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdiG9jU6L6fU
* http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night_(holiday)
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-06-2013 11:44 AM
Eva: I agree. The Lincolns would have loved it.
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-09-2013 05:27 PM
And what do you suppose Mary would purchase for Abraham for Christmas? Maybe a book?
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - Gene C - 12-09-2013 05:46 PM
Socks, underwear, and of course gloves.
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-09-2013 05:48 PM
Gene: you forgot neckties!
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - RJNorton - 12-10-2013 06:16 AM
I checked Harry Pratt's book regarding the Lincolns' purchases around Christmas. Here's an example from December 24, 1860. The purchases were made at John Williams & Co. store in Springfield.
3 1/2 yds. Corset at 12 1/2 cents a yard
8 yds. Purple Muslin at 10 cents a yard
4 Childs Silk Handkerchiefs at a quarter a piece
4 Linen Handkerchiefs at 15 cents a piece
1 Gents Silk Handkerchief for 63 cents
2 Gents Silk Handkerchiefs for 45 cents a piece
So 11 total handkerchiefs were purchased the day before Christmas.
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-10-2013 09:22 AM
Nicely done Roger. May we assume the purchases were Christmas gifts? I wonder if those items were considered modest?
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - Gene C - 12-10-2013 10:52 AM
That's what I always wanted for Christmas when I was a kid -- not
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - LincolnMan - 12-10-2013 11:02 AM
Fido: what did you enjoy getting for Christmas?
RE: Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield - Gene C - 12-10-2013 11:11 AM
Great leftovers from Christmas dinner. Love those giblets