yester gothidays... how the Victorians Christmased...

For the third day of The Curious Professor Z's Gothidays events (whee! Click the picture to the right to join in the fun!), I'm writing about all the amazing events that we've attended and will attend later in the season. 

Later in the month, my fella and I will be attending Maymont by Moonlight.

The description:

Enjoy an enchanting holiday evening at Maymont…by moonlight! Elegantly costumed Victorian ladies and gentlemen welcome you to the home of Major and Mrs. James H. Dooley to witness the excitement of Christmas 1893. The Dooleys’ gracious family, guests and domestic staff bring to life the busy preparations for a special celebration – the first Christmas in their new home. A horse-drawn carriage ride under the stars, seasonal refreshments and joyful carol singing by the bonfire make this an evening to remember!

Maymont is a 100-acre Victorian estate turned publicpark. It contains the “Maymont Mansion” which is now a historic house museum. There is an arboretum and a carriage collection, and there are also formal gardens. The Japanese Garden is my favorite although I've attended some beautiful weddings in the Italian Gardens. 

Major James H. Dooley was a wealthy Richmond lawyer and philanthropist. Along with his wife, Sallie, they built their Gilded Age estate on the James River. The house was completed in 1893. Upon their deaths, the entire estate of Maymont was left to the people of Richmond.

So much of my life has revolved around being near to this place. It’s been my place of exercise, meditation, and thinking; it’s been where I go discuss my escape from a bad marriage; it’s where I go to support a friend who was fired. I’ve attended weddings, picnics, and dates there.

It's hard to know exactly what to expect since we haven't yet been although we've attended other events there in the past including a presentation on mourning traditions. 
 

Maymont.com "Swan Room"

We have a history (pun intended) of attending events similar to this. Last year, we went on an Ashland Holiday Home & Walking Tour. We also attended the Blue & Gray Christmas event in Gordonsville, VA which included a walking tour with National Parks Service rangers recounting pieces of history and a  Christmas Ghost Stories event told by Michelle L. Hamilton, author of "I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears": Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln's White House. I blogged about the Gordonsville event here.