‘Tis the season at Warren County Historical Society
With Christmas a little over a month away, it was the time to ‘deck the halls’ of the Warren County Historical Society.
The Warren Garden Club was out in force making sure the Struthers-Wetmore-Schimmelfeng House is appropriately decked out for the holidays.
There were 11 club members working throughout the house early last week.
Many of the decorations were created by hand.
Hand-crafted glimmering beaded snowflakes are among the focal points on the tree in the Historical Society’s Victorian Parlor. Wallpaper hand fans also adorn that tree.
“We always try to think of a theme,” Committee Co-chair Josie Gerardi said.
For the Victorian Parlor, a Victorian theme was an easy choice.
The office decorations feature fruit.
There is a children’s theme in the store on the second floor.
Louise Morgan and Linda Gray volunteer for that duty.
“I’ve been doing this room for four years,” Morgan said. “We enjoy it.”
“I’ve done the room downstairs before, but I prefer this one,” Gray said.
The decorations will remain on display into January. The Historical Society will hold an Open House from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Horse-Drawn Trolley Tours from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.
Decorating the Historical Society is something the club members — some of them have been part of the organization for 30 years — have always done. “It’s just something we do,” Christy said.
Sometimes, their efforts are rewarded extrinsically.
Decorating historic places is an activity recognized by the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania.
The club members take pride in their work and the Federation has shown its appreciation.
“We’ve won awards through the Pennsylvania Federation many times,” President Pat Christy said.
The phrase ‘deck the halls’ is a familiar one, but the meaning of ‘deck’ in this instance may not be.
Committee member Josie Gerardi described the decoration of the tree in the Historical Society’s Victorian Parlor as ‘elegant,’ an appropriate term when one is decking halls.
According to Merriam-Webster, ‘deck’ as a verb can mean ‘decorate’ or ‘clothe in a striking or elegant manner.’
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