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The Riversider | December 2022

A Holly Jolly Heritage House Christmas

WORDS: PHILIP FALCONE PHOTOS: ZACH CORDNER

While five million twinkling lights may adorn the historic Mission Inn, that was not quite the holiday aesthetic for Riverside’s Victorian beginnings. The holiday season at the Museum of Riverside’s Heritage House is a window into how some of Riverside’s earliest families brought Victorian holiday practices—steeped in British, German, and Dutch traditions—to the land of navel oranges and year-round sunshine.

The Heritage House, constructed in 1891, is a 5,000-square-foot Queen Anne style home museum that shares Riverside’s earliest history through educational programming and special events. For the last forty-three years, the Heritage House has been transformed into a Christmas masterpiece for the annual Christmas Open House extravaganza—seemingly transporting visitors into a Currier and Ives winter scene. Many of the holiday sights that await visitors behind the House’s towering exterior and ballooning turret are Christmas traditions and decorations of a bygone era.

The idea of some of today’s most iconic Christmas décor and traditions may seem as old as history itself; however, in the United States, Christmas was not celebrated in this manner until the mid-1800s. Christmas became an American federal holiday as recently as 1870 and, before 1840, it would have been unheard-of for anyone to have a Christmas tree, poinsettia and pine floral arrangements, or even know the tale of Santa Claus or Father Christmas.

Perhaps the most identifiable Christmas symbol is an evergreen tree perched near a window with the glow of lights reflecting off the jeweltoned ornaments and a mound of wrapped presents under its stretching branches. The Christmas tree

tradition originated in Germany in the 16th century. With no electricity in those days, taper flame candles were fastened to branches—with a water pail nearby to douse the tree should a fire ensue— and presents tied to the branches, not stacked at the base.

Akin to architecture and other aspects of British—then global—style during Queen Victoria’s sixty-three years on the throne, a Christmas tree representing the Queen’s German heritage in the background of a royal family portrait started the international phenomenon of welcoming a pine tree into one’s home each December. The Heritage House pays homage to this tradition with a ninefoot pine tree adorned with candles, handmade Christmas cones, fan ornaments, and other embellishments displayed in the parlor.

When it came to interior design and celebrating the holidays, the Victorian era was all about “more is less,” with homes cladded in greenery, rich velvet linens and bows, and the finest partyware. Many of the ornaments and elaborate mantle-top floral arrangements were constructed from items found around the home or in the yard. Scrap fabric was perfect for a fan ornament, and fresh citrus and pine cones framed fireplace mantles with color and texture.

The Heritage House recreates these elaborate arrangements as the House’s six mantles burst with greenery, the grand staircase is draped in Royal Stewart tartan plaid bows on pine swags, and fresh pine wreaths line the front porch balustrade and wrought iron gates.

For nearly half a century, the Museum of Riverside and the Riverside Museum Associates have made Christmas time at the Heritage House both an educational and awe-inspiring experience for the whole family.

Take in the sights of Christmas past by touring the Heritage House at 8193 Magnolia Avenue. Open Friday-Sunday, 12:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Free admission; monetary donations for care of the house are greatly appreciated.