Dan Antion

Thursday Doors – Christmas Tradition

My favorite. A door and a train!

I wrote last year about how quickly things become a tradition in our family. What I didn’t mention is how those traditions grow in both scope and importance. Three years ago, Faith took me to Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) for their “Christmas by Candlelight” exhibit. It’s great fun and walking around in the cold and the dark helps to better understand the way the people who first settled in New England, lived, worked and worshipped. One thing about this event is that OSV isn’t the easiest place to find. Getting there from our house involves a U-Turn at the end, and Greata (my GPS) never gets the location right.

Last year, we zeroed in on a Thai restaurant as a landmark. “The Thai Place” is pretty easy to remember, so a dinner of Thai food has been inserted into the Christmas by Candlelight tradition. Greta has a ‘saved-places’ entry for The Thai Place and Faith and I have already have our favorite menu items committed to memory. Another newly established aspect of this composite tradition is the Gingerbread House contest at Old Sturbrige Village. The houses are pretty, creative and a great source for doors, since the doors are new every year.

Of course, we need new doors to participate in Norm Frampton’s wonderfully creative and equally pretty Thursday Doors weekly blogfest. Norm gathers the list of doors from around the world, each week on Thursday. He checks that list, and finding none that are naughty, he hands it off to his blue frog elf who organizes it for public display. Norm is going to be tucked away in his workshop for the next two weeks, giving elves and door aficionados a long winter nap, but there are plenty of doors to view today.

This looks very much like the Meeting House at Old Sturbridge Village.
Log cabin and a couple of snowmen.
I think I like the icicles the best.
I like an open door
In typical New England fashion, the walk leads to the side door. Front doors are formal. Side doors are for friends.
I spend a lot of money on shingles. I didn’t think of having my wife bake them.
This little place looks cold.
The animals look happy
The splotches are where I blocked out the entrants names. Some are children.
No doubt a Congregational Church. Every town has one.
My favorite. A door and a train!
Hey Santa!
That’s a tight fit, but I think he’s got it.
Nice little winter scene
I think that might be an outhouse in the back.
Looks like the family is out decorating the trees and building a snowman.
Ghosts? I think this one is all set for Halloween.
Quiet little town.
Nothing says “welcome to our house” like a gumdrop walkway.

If you are joining what might become a holiday tradition, by taking a break from blogging, let me wish you a Merry Christmas (if you celebrate) a Happy New Year and a joyful season regardless of what or how you celebrate. I will be posting through the holidays, although I might keep some posts short and sweet.

 

73 comments

  2. The only thing that could have taken this post right over the top would have been one gingerbread house with a beautiful red dog outside. :-) I made a gingerbread house every years for too many years to count. I love the creativity behind them, and these were certainly made by some creative sugar artists. Thank you for sharing. :-) Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2018 to you, the Editor, Faith, and Maddie.

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    • Thanks Cheryl, I liked that one, too. Congregational churches (I’m not a member of one, so I may not have it all) are independent Protestant churches. The congregation runs the church. They subscribe to a generally common service and practices, but there is no organizationally higher authority.

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  5. Some traditions are well worth developing and cultivating and this sure sounds like one of those. The gingerbread doors are adorable.
    All the best Dan and thank you so much for your amazing support all year long :-D

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  6. Merry Christmas, Dan!

    WP still won’t let me *like* one of your posts. Stupid WP.

    Gingerbread houses and doors was inspired, and perfect for the season 🙂 Like you, I really like the houses with icicles along the roof line … just like home!

    Hope you have a great holiday!

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  7. I made a village of ginger bread long ago when my son was young and a house went to each of his friends – whoa! never again did that ever happen! No tradition… Glad to hear you’ll be posting, Dan, so many are going away.

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  10. What a perfect post at Christmas. The gingerbread houses are so creative. Love the icicles and the shingles. How can you get better than gingerbread doors?!

    Merry Christmas Dan, and to the Editor, Faith, Maddie, MiMi and MuMu, and of course, Sally and Sammy. Wishing you a healthy, happy and safe New Year.
    —-Ginger—-

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    • Thank you so much, Ginger. I think these doors are now part of our Christmas celebration.Several were entries by adults, but most are by children of various ages and I love the creativity on display.

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  18. Dan, that was a trip back in time! Did not know walkways led to the side doors for friends! I’ve never seen that! I’ve been to OSV for a brief stop on the way to visit a cousin in Grafton , MA. Agree, it’s lovely! Merry Christmas! 🎄🎄🎄 Christine

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  19. I am always amazed by gingerbread creations! I think the closest we are coming this year is baking gingerbread cookies. Thanks for the tour around the contest. They were lovely. I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. :)

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    • I offer those wishes back to you Deborah.

      The skill and creativity on display at this show are really amazing. I love the way they work in all the other “materials”

      All along, I’ve been shopping at Lowes and Home Depot for building supplies. I should have tried the candy aisle.

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  22. Hi Dan – love the tradition you’ve set up with Faith … special. Those gingerbread enterprises are amazing to look and quite make my mouth salivate for one or two … or perhaps a door or two! Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year … cheers Hilary

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  25. I’m all in favor for traditions when they create shared fond memories. Looks like yours do :)
    I’m starting the No Blogging tradition as soon as I read my favorite bloggers. Enjoy your holiday traditions! The gingerbread houses are also part of mine :)

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  28. How do people maintain the will power “not” to eat those houses? I got hungry just looking at your pictures, Dan. LOL It’s awesome you have your traditions around the holidays. IMHO, that is what makes the holidays special. 🤗

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  29. Sounds like a lovely tradition, indeed. I plan to head to the circle tonight, rather hoping the snow would stick, again, no, but I want to go anyway.
    Great gingerbread houses :)
    I know several people whose holiday dinners are local Chinese, so Thai for OSV night seems right to me!

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  30. These are excellent doors and excellent gingerbread houses! Usually someone at work brings one in for our Christmas lunch, but unfortunately not this year. However, I did attempt to make a Christmas tree out of profiteroles. It was kind of successful (?) but the assembly was harder than I’d expected! Can’t imagine the time and effort that would’ve gone into some of these houses!

    In my family (we’re in Australia), we’ve always used side doors and back doors more often than front doors. Maybe there’s some New England down the line somewhere ;)

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  31. This was so much fun and a great way to celebrate Christmas at Sturbridge Village and see doors in delicious gingerbread houses.
    I would say Gum Drop Lane sounds like a lovely place to live (last photograph)! 😁
    Merry Christmas again! 🎄🕊

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