Christmas with the Lincoln family in Springfield

[LincolnMan]

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?"

[Eva Elisabeth]

What about this:
   

[LincolnMan]

Wow, that is so heartwarming. Great depiction.

[Rob Wick]

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-d...stmas.aspx

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...5469,d.cGU

[LincolnMan]

Thanks Rob!

[Eva Elisabeth]

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...HMyKyiSe8U

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=diG9jU6L6fU...iG9jU6L6fU

* http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night_(holiday)

[LincolnMan]

Eva: I agree. The Lincolns would have loved it.

[LincolnMan]

And what do you suppose Mary would purchase for Abraham for Christmas? Maybe a book?

[Gene C]

Socks, underwear, and of course gloves.

[LincolnMan]

Gene: you forgot neckties!

[RJNorton]

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.

[LincolnMan]

Nicely done Roger. May we assume the purchases were Christmas gifts? I wonder if those items were considered modest?

[Gene C]

That's what I always wanted for Christmas when I was a kid -- not

[LincolnMan]

Fido: what did you enjoy getting for Christmas?

[Gene C]

Great leftovers from Christmas dinner. Love those giblets