Christmas is a time of year marked by family gatherings, decorated trees, home-cooked meals, and age-old family traditions concluded by presents for children of all ages. To celebrate the holiday spirit, the Western Development Museum (WDM) is preparing to host its annual ‘A Christmas Long Ago’ event.
The event will take place at the museum’s Saskatchewan Hall and will begin on Dec. 9 and again on Dec. 16. On both dates, the two-hour event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. to allow more room to accommodate everyone’s busy schedule.
The theme for this year’s holiday event is ‘an early settler’s Christmas.’ According to the museum’s program co-ordinator Alexis Jones, the event will provide a demonstration of what life would have been like in the early days of prairie settlement.
The program is set in and around 1910, and the particular focus is on family traditions that mark the holiday season.
One important aspect of the historical season was built around family: this was perhaps the one time of year when everyone would gather for a family reunion. Some family members might come in from far-away cities like Saskatoon, and others would come in from the family farm. The focal point for the meeting would typically be at their grandparent’s house.
“For 'A Christmas Long Ago' we will set up the Saskatchewan Hall like a settler’s house, (and it will be) kind of like grandma’s house. We will talk about the traditions of long ago,” Jones explained.
There won’t be any of grandma’s home cooking, but the exhibit will focus on traditions, artifacts, and will bring old-fashioned toys to show what children from this point in time would be looking forward to on Christmas morning.
In a neat twist, guests at the event will have an opportunity to compare the traditions and lifestyles of long ago – including a life without cellphones, video games, and other modern technology – to what life is like today.
Pioneer children may have been without the trappings of modern life, but they nevertheless found creative and enjoyable ways to spend the holiday season given what resources they had available.
One such activity was the writing and sending of Christmas cards, which enabled communication with loved ones and provided a shared family pastime.
The holiday event is recommended for ages five and up. Everyone is welcome to listen to a presentation put on by the museum’s staff, and children will be able to make an old-fashioned homemade craft afterward.
Tickets are now available for purchase, and pricing depends on membership at the museum. For WDM members, the cost is $12.50 for adults and $9.50 for youths aged five to 18. Non-members are charged $15.50 for adults and $12.50 for youths. All prices include applicable taxes, and children of preschool age can attend free of charge.
All proceeds will help support the WDM and its ongoing programming initiatives.
For more information, visit the museum’s website at wdm.ca/moose-jaw or contact Alexis Jones at 306-693-5989 (ext. 16227). She can also be reached by email at ajones@wdm.ca.
The Moose Jaw branch of the Western Development Museum is located at 50 Diefenbaker Drive.
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