A Mystic Seaport holiday interlude Peaceful holiday scenes, i quiet chahgc from the bustle Peaceful holiday scenes, a husik bustle world outside, wkaw visitors to Mystic Seaport Museum at Christmastime. Evergreen trees top the ships' masts, period decora tions enhance the 19th-century village area, and creations by local garden clubs grace door ways of the Seaport 's formal exhibit buildings. Holiday activities for chil dren. adults and family groups at the Seaport recapture the 19th-century aspects of Christmas -- the ambiance of Christmas past which may be lacking in 20th-century life. "Christmas At Sea & Ashore" guided daytime tours, give prc-rcgistcrcd groups a sense of Christmas customs at sea and ashore during the past century Museum teachers, costumed in 19th-century clothing. PAUK 6 - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 4.1983 A traditional Roast Goose Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings will be featured in the dining rooms of the Sea- men's Inne Dec. 10-22 in addition to the regular menu No advance reservations are necessary. T raditional decora tions at the Inne will center around a striking evergreen tree trimmed with exotic sea shells. Christmas: quiet in the 19th century explain Christmas celebrations at sea during stops at the Chil dren's Museum (which is de signed to resemble a captain's cabin aboard ship), the fishing schoooer l.A Dunion and the captain's quarters of the ship Benjamin F Pat hard. _ Watch history unfold The development of Christ mas customs from the 1840s (when Christmas was not con sidered a holiday) to the 1880s HERE'S A GIFT IDEA THAT REALLY COOKS! 16 cu H. oven capacity Full Circle Cooking- i m Ten Year Limited Warranty FREE! 6-PIECE MICROWAVE COOKWARE SET WITH PURCHASE OF ANY FRIGIUAIRE MICROWAVE OVEN. OFFER ENDS SOON' PRICES START AT $ 358 00 USE OUR CONVENIENT LAYAWAY PLAN LEE & RAY ELECTRIC 1005 N. FRONT ST.. McHENRY • 'f ,'k k V V v v is shown during visits to the Buckingham House. Thomas Greenman House. Stone Store and the chapel. The I W-hour walking tours are offered daily Dec. 1 -22 to groups of at least 10 persons. Advance reservations are required through the Educa tion Dept. (for child groups) of the Group Sales Office (for adult groups). "The Star of Bethlehem." a half-hour Planetarium show illustrating the historical and astronomical theories about the origin of the Christmas Star, will be given Dec. 5-26. Private group showings for more than 20 persons may be arranged. Past comes alive Lantern Light Tours, offered evenings Dec. 10-22, offer a glimpse of Christmas customs of the 1800s. Cos tumed guides with lanterns escort visitors to selected ships, shops and homes where they see and hear St. Nicholas (circa 1850), sailors, ship cap tains, housewives, tradesmen and revellers portraying vignettes from Christmas Past. Advance reservations are required for the one-hour walking tours which begin and end at the Seamen's Inne. On Lantern Light Tour evenings, the seamen's Inne offers hot wassail, plum pud ding and other Christmas treats in its Oyster Saloon. Youngsters may participate in 19th-century Christmas pastimes during "Victorian Christmas Children's Tours" offered Dec 4.11 and 18. Making pomanders, roast ing chestnuts over an open fire, fashioning gifts from tra ditional materials, and view ing a Planetarium show are included in the four-hour pro gram. Advance reservations are required. Throughout the month of December, the pungent smell of fresh evergreen boughs, the ruddy glow of coal stoves and wood fires and the crunch of snow underfoot set the scene for a tranquil Christmas sea son at Mystic Seaport. Garlands and wreaths of evergreens, cranberries, holly and mistletoe bedeck the buildings in the Seaport's re created 19th-century village area. Toys, circa 1870, tempt window shoppers in Stone's Store. Work continues as usual in the weaver's, shipcarver's, and shipsmith's shops, but the craftspeople are willing to put down their tools and talk about their crafts or about Christ- mases past. Reflect 19th century The three historic homes on the Seaport grounds reflect the changes in Christmas customs through the 19th-century. The Buckingham House is undec- orated. because in 1840 its strict Congregationalist resi dents considered Dec. 23 as just another workday, not a holiday. By the 1860s Christmas was a recognized and cele brated holiday in Connecticut. The preparations made for St. Nicholas's visit, and hand made decorations, ornament! and presents -- typical of the Esriod -- are visible in the urrows House. In the Thomas Greenman House, home of a wealthy shipyard owner of the 1880s, some of the earliest mass-pro duced ornaments, purchased presents and Christmas cards decorate the parlor. Towering over the homes and shops of the Seaport are the masts of the historic sail ing ships, topped by un adorned evergreen trees -- an old nautical holiday tradition Talking shop Mystic Seaport Store, out side the south gate, makes Christmas shopping easy. Unusual nautical gifts, cloth ing, scrimshaw jewelry. New England foods, fresh baked .goods, maritime books and original art are featured in its 12 departments A holiday lunch is available at the Seamen's Inne to groups pre-registered with the Inne. (203) 536-9649. Individual diners mav choose the Gal ley's fast food or a more lei surely meal in the Seamen's Inne dining rooms. Mystic Seaport, in south eastern Connecticut, is open daily 9 AM • 4 PM throughout the winter, except Christmas Day. Information may be obtained from Mystic Sea- pott, Mystic. CT 06355 (203) Ample five patting is avail able at the Seaport, which is located on Rt. 27 one mile south of CT 1-95 at Exit 90. A special parkiiu area for buses in the South nuking lot sim plifies group arrival proce- of a white Christmas What's red. green and snowy white? The colors of Christmas blended together in a chiffon pie with just a hint of almond flavor. ^Apple Tree Rest* iliday Park Res< *qleside, Illinoj! (3354^5230 SHOP EARLY FOR BEST SELECTION OF UNIQUE GIFTS A N D DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES SOMETHING SPECIAL EOR EVERYONE ON YOUR HOLIDAY LIST! HOLIDAY HOURS! Iws.'Ihurs. 11:30AM-S:00PM fri. & Sil. tl:30AM-9r00PM StwdJT 10HWAM-T :00PM Closed Monday The following recipe for White Christmas Pie from Farm Journal' * Best-Ever Pies by Patricia A. Ward (Dqubleday A Company, Inc.) adds a decorative touch to any holiday table. WHITE CHRISTMAS PIE 1 env. --flavored gelatin 4 tMsp. flour & tap. and 3 egg whiles % tsp. cream af tartar Vi c. sugar 1% c.flakadi Baked »" pie : Sweetened whipped Sprinkle pehtin over po Id water to soften. Combine Vi c. sugar, flour and salt in 2-auait saucepan. Gradually add mill, stirring well. Cook over medium heat, stirring coutantly, until mix ture comes to a boil. Cook I minute more. Remove from heat. Add softened gelatin, vanilla and almond extract, stirring until gehtin dissolves, four into a metal bowl. Cool at room temperature until mix ture is partially set. >ki whippe custard mixture. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl until foamy, using an electric mixer at high speed. Gradually add to c. sugar, I tblsp. at a time, beat ing well after each addition. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form when beat ers arc slowly lifted. Fold whipped cream-custard mix ture into egg white mixture. Fold in 1 c. of the coconut. Chill in refrigerator until mixture mounds well when spooned. Turn into baked pie shell. Sprinkle with remainng Vic. coconut. Chill in refrigerafor until set. To serve, decorate with puffs of sweetened whippied cream and red and green mar aschino cherries. Makes 6 to 8 servings.