Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, will celebrate Yuletide on Sunday and Monday, Dec. 26 and 27. After a 2020 hiatus due to COVID and with an eye to lingering COVID concerns, "Voices of Yuletide Past" will be offered with several new twists. Rather than the crowds of people present during the holiday open houses of past Yuletides, visitors can expect a more intimate experience as they arrive at the mansion on Jan. 6, 1795, Twelfth Night.
At the turn of the 18th century, many Lancaster families of English extraction like the Hands and the Yeateses celebrated the Old English traditions of Yuletide, which consisted of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Yuletide started on Dec. 25, which was primarily a day of religious observance of the birth of Christ. In the following days, people held dinners, card parties and balls, culminating on Jan. 6, Twelfth Night, which commemorated the magi's adoration of the baby Jesus. In contrast to today, Christmas Day was only the beginning of Yuletide, not its primary focus. Gifts, when given at all, tended to be little more than trinkets and tokens. Yuletide was about family, friends and fun rather than the giving and receiving of gifts.
During "Voices of Yuletide Past," as groups of guests are escorted from room to candlelit and holly-bedecked room, they will see the sights and hear the sounds of a household about to welcome guests to the first Yuletide Ball to be held in the new mansion. Although none of the characters will be seen, guests will hear the voices of Katherine Hand, Edward Hand, Jasper Yeates, Sarah Yeates, Dorothy Hand, young Jasper and Edward Hand, and a female servant trying to get the younger children ready for bed.
This program represents a collaborative effort with both the Theater of the Seventh Sister - whose actors will offer dramatic recorded readings of character scripts written by Rock Ford board member Pamela Stoner and executive director Sam Slaymaker - and with Barry Atticks, associate professor of music business technology at Millersville University. Atticks will provide the recording studio for use by the actors, and his students will create and edit the voices and sound effects as well as position the necessary sound equipment in the mansion. The students will receive academic credit for their work on this project.
In addition to the mansion tour, guests will be able to join in Christmas carols as they gather around a fire pit outside the mansion and then enjoy the holiday fiddle music of Tom Knapp of the Celtic band Fire in the Glen in the Snyder Gallery lobby. They will then enter the Snyder Gallery to look for clues and information relating to Yuletides past. Children will be invited to participate in activities.
Guests, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear face coverings while inside the mansion and the gallery, and groups will be limited to 10 people. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.rockford.yapsody.com; there are separate fees for adults and for youths ages 6 to 17. Admission is free for children age 5 and younger. Timed entry tours of the mansion will be held on the half hour, with the first at 4 p.m. and the last at 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Proceeds will benefit educational programs at Historic Rock Ford.
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