Hampton Bays Family Participates in ‘Decembers Past and Present’

One of the true delights of the Southampton Historical Museum's "Decembers Past and Present" is the generous sharing of cultures that takes place each year.

Proud grandparents Mary and Peter Caloir of Hampton Bays came directly from services at the Greek Church to show their 4-year-old grandson, John Tzimas, and his mother, Helene, the Christmas display at the Rogers Mansion on Meeting House Lane in Southampton. 

They are a great, loving and caring family. They immediately made this writer an honorary Greek as they shared their family holiday traditions, which include lots of Greek pastries. For the non-cook they shared the order form for homemade Greek pastries for the Christmas Holiday.  To order, call The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons at (631) 283-6169 or print it out on their website www.kimisishamptons.org before December 3.

 Once again, the Southampton Historical Museums and Research Center has opened its doors to the entire community to create an exhibition that displays the winter traditions of the diverse communities that have helped settle the area.

Decembers Past and Present, a colorful and festive exhibition, opened with a special reception on Nov. 14 at the Rogers Mansion. In conjunction with "Decembers Past and Present," the Museum is also showcasing the artwork of E. Halsey Howell on display in the upstairs gallery.

This annual holiday tradition at the Southampton Historical Museums, the brainchild of Executive Director Tom V. Edmonds, has in a few short years become one of the most eagerly anticipated highlights of the Holiday season. It is a unique celebration of the variety of communities that make up our community.

The historic 1843 Rogers Mansion is decorated with holiday trimmings and displays from Southampton's many ethnic and cultural communities. The exhibition illuminates the traditions of Poland, Costa Rica, Colombia, Russia, Croatia, Peru, Paraguay, England, Brazil, Greece, Ireland, Mexico, Italy, The Shinnecock Nation, African American and Jewish cultures.

For the opening reception, the amateur "curators" and their families and friends contributed a dazzling spread of holiday dishes and specialty drinks representing their heritage. There were steaming platters of the Kielbasa with horseradish and plates of poppy seed cake from Poland.

From Peru, there was a veritable meal in itself: Papa a la huancaina (potato and egg dish), empanadas, flan, potatoe causa (potato cake) and a dessert dish of sweet corn. From Colombia, there was Pan de bono, tasty cheese bread, and from Greece there was Vasilopitta (St. Basil's Bread).

A Peruvian family explained the holidays in their native country. Christmas is one of the biggest holidays celebrated in Peru. Two or three weeks before December 25, people start to embellish their homes with the Nativity scene and colorful decorations. On December 24, the family gathers together around the Nativity scene waiting until midnight. As soon as the clock strikes 12, they have a champagne toast. At the same time, fireworks illuminate the sky with a variety of colors.

As the show points out so well, the holiday season is not simply about the Christian holiday of Christmas. The exhibition also dedicates displays to the African-American celebration of Kwanzaa and the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah — both very significant events to many Hamptons residents.

The Hanukkah table featured a menorah and the traditional toy of the season — dreidels. The Kwanzaa display featured a lavishly decorated display of Kente cloth items and the candelabra aglow with black, red and green candles — the colors of African unity.

In England the real celebration is Boxing Day, which falls on December 26, the Feast Day of Saint Stephen the first Christian martyr. Some historians believe that this very British holiday dates back as early as 400 AD, but its roots can definitely be traced to 1500 AD. During the Middle Ages, wealthy merchants filled boxes with food left over from their great Christmas feasts and distributed them to their servants and the less fortunate. Apprentices used earthenware boxes to collect money door to door from their master's clients, and after church services the "Poor Boxes" were opened and money was distributed to the needy.

To celebrate her English roots, Christina Redding created a magnificent mantle display with evergreens and brightly wrapped boxes tucked in. As she explained, "As December twenty-fifth was a working day for people in service to the great houses in Britain, so the next day was theirs to celebrate and to receive gifts and money from their employers. Boxing Day was then and still is a day of appreciation and thanks. When I was a girl in England, I remembered the postman, the milkman, the dustman, and the window cleaner coming to our door the day after Christmas to drink a glass of sherry and receive their Christmas Box and an envelope with money discreetly slipped into their hand at the front door on their way out."

Each of the displays comes with its own unique story, lists of special foods and drinks and long held traditions of holidays past. Viewing this delightful exhibition is truly a marvelous way to get to know our neighbors' customs. Stop by and give yourself a little boost of cheer and good tidings for all. "Decembers Past and Present" runs through December 30 at Southampton Historical Museums and Research Center, 17 Meeting House Lane, Southampton. It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cost is $4.00 for adults Children under 17 and members are admitted for free. For more information, call (631) 283-2494 or visit  www.southamptonhistoricalmuseum.org.