Thank you so much for tuning in! As a final gift of our Deck the Alley 2020 campaign, we have a lovely video from our friends of the Belle Canto ensemble from Council Rock High School South. These singers have filled the back gardens and narrow passageways of the Alley with carols and return with four songs here. I especially enjoyed the images from last year’s Deck the Alley included during the video’s final number.
Holiday Episode of The Alley Cast
As a child, what I looked forward to most was decorating gingerbread houses. My mother baked and assembled ten to twelve gingerbread houses for my family and friends to deck with candies, adding PEZ brick chimneys, vanilla wafer cars with Reese’s peanut butter cup wheels, or other imaginative features.
As an adult, I continued this tradition and took on the responsibility of baking the gingerbread and assembling the houses. Traditions such as these are such an integral part of the season. As part of continuation of the tradition of Deck the Alley, our gift is a special edition of our Alley Cast podcast. In this episode we look at the traditions of the holiday season on Elfreth’s and their evolution.
The History of the Christmas Tree in Philadelphia
Throughout this Deck the Alley series we have not only brought you videos, but we have also asked our leadership team to introduce the content and share a bit about their involvement with the Alley. Today, we hear from Emily Taggart Schricker, who is not only a preservationist and our Board secretary, but who also created today's mini-documentary on the history of the Christmas Tree in Philadelphia.
Open Doors
Come on in!
Let’s face it, one of the best things about Deck the Alley is seeing the inside of the resident’s homes. How they decorated for the holidays. How they redecorated since last year. How they live 21st century lives in 18th and 19th century homes. And even though you won’t get to tour the homes live this year, we still wanted to share some digital tours, including my home, to give you your seasonal Elfreth’s Alley design fix.
Winters Past
This would be the week the Elfreth’s Alley Association and residents of the Alley would be energetically preparing for one of its two primary fundraisers, Deck the Alley. Given we cannot bring this unique and special event to you in person this year, we wanted to share a “gift” of memories of the Alley in winter and from past Deck the Alleys. So, sit back and enjoy our video presentation.
In the Spirit of Thanksgiving
In the spirit of Thanksgiving…
As we prepare to gather, albeit, differently this year we wanted to share in the spirit of Thanksgiving with you! This week we bring you the “gift” of cheer(s) in the form of Smoking Bishop Punch. A mulled wine, made with port, red wine, oranges (and in this case, a grapefruit), sugar and spices, this punch dates back to Victorian England and is even referenced in Dickens’, A Christmas Carol. Please enjoy this video containing the recipe for this timeless libation, hosted by Alley friend and contributor, Markus Harris
An Interview with Isabel Steven
History isn’t just about the rich and famous!
The names and stories of everyday people may have been lost or don’t live in the history books, their stories remain and it is our responsibility to share their past to remind us of what shapes our present. This week we chatted with Isabel Steven about the research she conducted on the women who lived in house #126 on the Alley, which is our museum house.
An Introduction (in Verse!) to Deck the Alley: From Our Homes to Yours
Decking the Alley Differently in 2020
Deck the Alley, our annual holiday open house, will not occur as usual this year. The event simply involves too many people at too close quarters to be safe during an ongoing pandemic. We will, however, be channeling our festive spirits into a kind of digital festival over the next few months. Whereas we held our Fete Day via one longer video, Deck the Alley will be spread over a longer period. Elements will make their way to our social media accounts, but the best way to be sure you see all of our holiday programming is to sign up for our mailing list here.
We are so grateful for the many people who count Deck the Alley among their holiday traditions and we hope you will tune in to this unorthodox version of our classic event. Look forward to house tours, festive songs, history lectures, and a special edition of The Alley Cast!
Find all of our digital gifts at elfrethsalley.org/deckthealley!