A Victorian Christmas – Weekends November 21 to December 20, Old Montreal LiveEvents November 15, 2015 5405 A Victorian Christmas at Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site The Magic of Christmas Unfolds The red parlour in all its splendour! © Parks Canada Every Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., from November 21 to December 20, 2015. An event for all ages to immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas preparations in a 19th century bourgeois home and discover the fascinating origins of holiday traditions. Take part in the Christmas card workshop and try wassail, a traditional holiday drink, and immortalize your visit at the souvenir photo booth. A magical and memorable experience awaits! Exhibition and Characters in Period Costumes The Historic Site takes on a completely different look during the exhibition. Meet characters in the process of preparing holiday festivities and Christmas dinner! Savour Hot Drinks from the Era: Wassail and Hot Chocolate Head down to the lounge set up in the basement. You are cordially invited to taste the hot drinks and take advantage of this opportunity to immerse yourself in the holiday atmosphere. A savoury treat! Old-fashioned hot chocolate, which has been developed by the Historic Division of Mars chocolates according to a 1750 recipe. Apple juice-based Wassail is a drink that is delicately flavoured with comforting spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. Discover the delight of this period drink inspired by a traditional English recipe. A magical experience awaits!© Parks Canada “Kissing under the Mistletoe” Souvenir Photo Booth In the 18th century, mistletoe had a very specific, rich symbolism drawing its origin from ancient times…. To refuse a kiss under the mistletoe meant risking not having anyone kiss you in the coming year. Join in the fun and ensure your year to come is full of love by posing under the mistletoe, dressed in beautiful accessories from the era, and have a photo taken as a keepsake of your visit! Christmas Story Morning 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. In the magnificent blue living room, sitting at the foot of the traditional Christmas tree, children from 4 to 8 years old of age will be charmed by this Christmas story classic, which is one of the very first to tell the wonder of the visit of the legendary Santa Claus! Christmas card and decoration workshop © Parks Canada Christmas card and decoration workshop with creator MamiKiki 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. You are invited to “become part of the décor” and experience being a member of the household. In a setting that will bring back childhood memories, paper, ribbon, and lace will be turned into greeting cards or decoration – whichever takes your fancy. Just like in years gone by, beautiful creations will be fashioned from what is at hand. Nothing will be wasted; everything will be used to make something new! At the end of the activity, you will have the option of keeping your creation or writing a greeting in it and donating it to the Association des popotes roulantes du Montréal métropolitain (only in French) to be given to someone who will be alone during the holidays. Historic Clips on the Origin of Various Christmas Traditions Storyteller, historian, and Victorian era specialist Yvan Fortier will be sharing his passion for the holiday season and his wealth of knowledge of the Victorian Christmas with us. Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site Old Montréal is full of unexpected treasures. Give in to your curiosity and open the door of the home of Sir George-Étienne Cartier on Notre-Dame street. Get acquainted with one of the main architects of Confederation, both a lawyer and businessman of great influence. As well, discover the new interactive exhibition which allows you to share your ideas of what makes a country. Fees Youth (ages 5 to 16): $5.80 Adults: $7.80 Seniors: $7.30 Family: $19.60 For more information: www.pc.gc.ca/cartier 514-283-2282 Toll-free: 1-888-773-8888 Sir George-Etienne Cartier National Historic Site of Canada Neighbourhood: Old Montreal and Old Port 458 Notre-Dame Street East, Montreal Metro: Champ-de-Mars
