Last week I explored the Victorian croquet craze and the role that flirtation played in the game’s quick rise in popularity. Young men and women delighted in the opportunity for casual socializing and flocked to lawns around England and America to interact. It lost as many fans as it gained, however, with many losing their [...]
The holidays are here, and boy, don’t we all need it? It’s been a year of struggles for all of us, and I can tell how much people are looking forward to being with their families and to enjoying some comforts as we wait for the fresh start of the new year. And some of [...]
Do you count down the days to Christmas with an Advent calendar? What kind? The Advent calendar is a holiday tradition with historic roots that seems to be increasing in popularity each year. There are now the beloved Trader Joe’s version, versions with tiny bottles of booze, luxury versions, numerous food Advent calendars, versions with [...]
Part Two How are your Thanksgiving dinner plans coming along? Are you planning to do things differently this year? I am looking forward to a cozy solo holiday weekend of gluten-free pumpkin pie, books, and some nice red wine. I will also be having a virtual cook-off of sorts with a couple of friends in [...]
I have been with the Recollections team for just under a year and have had a lot of “favorite” blog posts. This one, however, might take the cake. Today, I had the privilege of speaking with customer and actor Nancy Jean Gray about her experience working as Mrs. Claus and had a ball. I am [...]
Thanksgiving is coming up! The gatherings may not be as big this year, but families around the country will find ways to celebrate safely. And that means a lot of food. On average, Americans consume 3,000 calories during their Thanksgiving dinners. It’s not hard to see why. With the smorgasbord of tempting dishes, many of [...]
I love looking at Victorian greeting cards. The style is so charming and there are a lot of things I find quite humorous about how they celebrated holidays back then and what the cards teach us about their attitudes and culture. For instance, I love that there is so often a romantic angle in many [...]
Do you have a copy of A Christmas Carol at home? Or is there a film adaptation that you enjoy watching each year? The Charles Dickens’ tale is such an ingrained part of our holiday celebrations in the Western world that it is something that we might not think much of as it begins to [...]
Although it is a very unusual pandemic Halloween, members of the Recollections team and some friends were able to start a new tradition this year. A very witchy group attended the Witches Weekend in historic Houghton Lake, Michigan. They had a blast and were able to showcase their costume skills so we thought it would [...]
I am a big fan of the 1950s. The clothing, the decor, the many things we would now consider kitschy. I LOVE poodle skirts and have a goal to create a new tradition of wearing one each Christmas (the first poodle skirts had Christmas designs on them). It was fun for me to read about [...]