We are getting closer and closer to the day that we cut down the tree that will adorn our Lodge for the Open House. The picture you see is our tree as it exists now, growing in the wild! Isn’t it a beauty? On Monday, December 1 this tree will be cut in Pennsylvania and transported to Sewell’s Farm in Taneytown, MD where we will pick it up on Tuesday, December 2 and put it in its stand inside ThorpeWood’s Lodge that same day.
One of our favorite blog posts from last year was the one we did about the history and process of bringing in the tree for the ThorpeWood Open House. Click here to read that post again, it has some great details in it and some fantastic pictures of the labor of love that is the ThorpeWood tree raising!
The process of selecting the perfect tree is the result of weeks of prep work, and thinking about this journey led us to consider the history of this beloved holiday symbol. Did you know that although plants and trees that remain green during the winter have held special significance for centuries, it was actually Germany who the first to start the Christmas tree tradition as we know it today. In America, having a tree in the home didn’t have widespread appeal until Britain’s Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert (who was German), were sketched in the Illustrated London News in 1846 standing around a Christmas tree with their family. Queen Victoria was very popular – even here in America – so anything she did was instantly in vogue. And so, a Christmas tree in the home became the norm.
Here at ThorpeWood, a Christmas tree has always been the focal point of our decorations in the Lodge. In fact, we set up another tree for the kids to decorate in our lower area, the Tree Room. If necessary we will undecorate and redecorate throughout the evening of our Open House!
This year, the Open House is on Saturday, December 6 from 3 to 8 pm at the ThorpeWood lodge. This free community event is one of the highlights of our year, and we know that it figures prominently into the holiday festivities of so many members of our community. We can’t tell you how we are looking forward to celebrating the season with all of you, so please, make plans now to attend this wonderful event!
Remember this is a free event …the only thing we ask is that those of you with favorite HOMEMADE cookie recipes, bring 2 dozen cookies and your recipe (we will make copies for you) to share with others. This will be your gift to others and we so appreciate that you are willing to share your treasured cookies. We will display your recipe alongside your platter of cookies and provide copies that people can take home with them. When your platter of cookies is gone, your recipe will be posted on our bulletin board along with additional copies. Thank you, in advance, for giving us such a personal present.
We can’t wait to see you, your family and friends and to share this most special of holidays with you. We are all getting excited about your arrival here on the mountain.