Home / Lifestyle / Past Meets Present: Historic Farmstead Celebrates Christmas
Past Meets Present: Historic Farmstead Celebrates Christmas
7 Dec
Summary
- One-room schoolhouse offered lessons in Pennsylvania Dutch.
- Bakers recreated traditional ox-tongue cookies from molasses and spice.
- A piano-playing pig and Belsnickel added to the festive atmosphere.
The Pennsylvania German Heritage Center at Kutztown University recently hosted its annual Christmas on the Farm event, offering a vivid glimpse into historical rural life. Visitors experienced a one-room schoolhouse where lessons were taught in Pennsylvania Dutch, sparking imagination about past educational methods.
The farmstead bustled with recreated historical activities, such as blacksmithing and baking. Bakers prepared traditional 'ox tongue' cookies, a festive treat made with molasses and spice, filling the air with a delightful aroma.
Entertainment included a talented Vietnamese pot-bellied pig playing a toy piano and the appearance of the Belsnickel, a figure from German folklore. Musicians also performed, adding a tranquil atmosphere to the celebration of history and holiday traditions.
