Christmas at Old Sturbridge Village: A Virtual Photo Tour

Fruitcake, Wassail and Tabletop Trees

According to research done by Old Sturbridge Village, New Englanders began to mark the Christmas holiday in a tangible way by the 1830s and '40s. Inside the Fitch House, costumed guides explain the origins of Christmas traditions such as fruitcake and wassail. We learned, as well, about tabletop trees such as the one in this picture. The first recorded tabletop tree in New England was one created by a German professor at Cambridge in 1835. Tabletop trees were decorated with treats for the children, and once unveiled, were quickly un-decorated.