Wednesday in Wyoming - December 6, 2023

 

Snowflakes are beautiful; Santas are cute; but they're not the reason we celebrate Christmas. That's why this month's posts will feature the true reason for the season.

I found this nativity scene in the basement of the Historic Governors' Mansion here in Cheyenne. The building and trees aren't ones you'd find in Bethlehem, but maybe that's the reason the artist crafted this -- to remind us that people all around the world celebrate Jesus's birth.

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 28, 2022

 

It must have been fun to be a guest at the Historic Governor's Mansion and find your room decorated for the holiday. How often do you find a tree waiting for you when you spend the night with friends or family?

As 2022 comes to an end, I want to thank you for visiting my blog and wish you a new year filled with health, happiness, and everything you hold most dear.

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 21, 2022

 

Doesn't this look festive? I wonder if this is what the residents at the Historic Governor's Mansion left for Santa on his rounds. If so, he probably wanted to linger there.

However you celebrate Christmas, I hope it's a joyous day for you.

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 14, 2022

 

Is your kitchen decorated for Christmas? Given how much time must have been spent in the Historic Governor's Mansion kitchen preparing for festive dinners, it's no surprise that the staff wanted to make their room special.

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 7, 2022

 

It's the season to deck the halls, and the Historic Governor's Mansion in Cheyenne does that exceptionally well.

The entire house, from the entrance hallway to the children's playroom in the attic to the fallout shelter in the basement (a reminder of the Cold War) are filled with festive decorations. 

As you can tell, it's a beautiful place to visit, particularly at this time of the year. That's why I plan to feature pictures from it for this month's Wednesday in Wyoming posts.

Wednesday in Wyoming - December 5, 2018

For many of us, a decorated tree is one of the most enduring symbols of the Christmas season. Fortunately, those of us who live in or near Cheyenne can enjoy many beautifully decorated trees as part of the Historic Governors' Mansion's Tinsel Through Time exhibit.

I particularly like this one, since (1)it has plenty of tinsel and (2) I didn't have to decorate it.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 6, 2017

Today's St. Nicholas Day, the perfect day to start my holiday-themed blog posts.  This year I'm going to focus on decorations in Cheyenne.

One of the most beautiful Christmas displays in the city is at the Historic Governors' Mansion. Each year they feature "Tinsel Through Time," an exhibit that showcases the differences in tree trimmings over the years.  But there's more than trees on display -- much more. Even the kitchen and laundry chute are decorated.

If you've ever toured Tinsel Through Time, you understand why it takes literally months to decorate the entire mansion. What incredible attention to detail!

This room features an early twentieth century tree, complete with boxes of animal crackers used as ornaments. I like the old-fashioned sled and wicker chair, and of course the idea of oranges being a special treat reminds me of how much has changed in a hundred years.

But some things haven't changed, including the love that makes this such a special season.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 28, 2016

Last week we saw how part of the kitchen at the Historic Governors' Mansion was decorated for Christmas.  Let's end the year by visiting the dining room, where guests enjoyed the results of all that cooking.

While few of us host such elegant and elaborate meals, there's no doubt that one of the joys of the holiday season is sharing a meal with friends and family.  I hope that your holidays have been filled with health and happiness, and I wish you and your loved ones a joyous new year.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 21, 2016

As the countdown to Christmas continues, even the kitchen at the Historic Governors' Mansion has its share of decorations.

As you can see from the eight burners and the multiple ovens, Wyoming's governors were accustomed to hosting large dinners. No microwaves here!

Like the other pictures I'm sharing this month, this one comes from the "Tinsel Through Time" exhibit.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 14, 2016

Continuing our tour of the Historic Governors' Mansion's "Tinsel Through Time" exhibit, we're now in one of the children's rooms.

Can you imagine being a child and having all those Santas in your bedroom?  What happened to the story that there's only one Santa?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 7, 2016

Every year the Historic Governors' Mansion in Cheyenne has a special "Tinsel Through Time" exhibit, with the entire building -- everything from the entrance to the fallout shelter -- decorated for the holidays.  It takes literally months to decorate the house, but -- as you can see -- the results are impressive.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 31, 2014

As 2014 comes to a close, I'd like to share one more tree from the Historic Governors' Mansion with you.  This one isn't as elaborate as some of the others.  What makes it unique is its location.  It's inside the basement fallout shelter.  If you look carefully, you'll see that the tree stand is a barrel of drinking water.

If you're like me, today isn't only a day to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another.  It's also a time to give thanks for all the blessings we've received.  Among many other things, I'm thankful that we've had no need to use a fallout shelter.

And so I end the year by wishing you a new year filled with peace and prosperity. 

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 24, 2014

Can you guess the era when trees like this were popular?  I wouldn't have known without the explanatory signage.  It turns out that this tree is from the nineteen forties.  Because America was at war then, many trees were patriotic, with red, white and blue as their predominant colors.  And stars were popular shapes for ornaments, reminding those at home of the men and women who were serving in the armed forces.

What I found particularly interesting were the lights.  I've never seen metal skirts (for want of a better term) for them.  Have you?

However your tree is decorated, I hope that your Christmas is a joyous one and one filled with the celebration of the true reason for the season.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 17, 2014

Did you notice anything unusual about this tree?  How about the bandanna at the top?  You've probably guessed that this is a western tree, designed for the room in the Historic Governors' Mansion with western decor.

As you can see, some of the ornaments were boots.  But the most unusual part is the tree topper.

I have to admit that this is the first time I've seen a  cowboy angel.  Dare I say that this is an "only in Wyoming" tree?

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 10, 2014

You may notice that this tree is much simpler in appearance than the one I featured last week.  It's smaller and lacks the brightly colored ornaments of earlier times.  As a reaction to what some considered the excesses of the Victorian era, trees in the early twentieth century were often decorated with nothing but white ornaments.  That doesn't mean that the ornaments were any less elaborate.  As you'll see below, they were not.  But they were white.  Mostly ...

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 3, 2014

Welcome to Wyoming's Historic Governors' Mansion, located in downtown Cheyenne.  For the rest of the month, I want to share some special Christmas trees with you.  These were all part of the Mansion's 2013 "Tinsel Through Time" exhibit.

The first tree I'm going to share with you is one you might have seen in any well-to-do house in the early twentieth century.  Notice the candles (a fire hazard by modern standards).  If you look closely, you'll also see the Barnum's Animal Cracker boxes used as ornaments.  Although animal crackers had been produced before then, it was 1902 when the National Biscuit Company, later known as Nabisco, introduced the boxes with string handles that could turn them into ornaments.

Wednesday in Wyoming -- December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas!  Though beautifully decorated trees, Santas and reindeer seem to be everywhere, today is the day to remember the true reason we're celebrating -- the birth of a Child in a humble manger more than two thousand years ago.

May your day be filled with love.

(And, in case you wondered, I found this somewhat unusual nativity scene in the Wyoming Historic Governors' Mansion as part of the Tinsel Through Time exhibit.)