Every year, Dundurn Castle--Hamilton's Downton Abbey--is decorated in Victorian style for Christmas. Built in the 1830s, the 40-room mansion is now a designated National
Historic Site of Canada.
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| Photo courtesy of the internet |
In 2013, I enjoyed the Victorian Christmas display at the historic castle.
The display of transferwares in the kitchen.
I need one of these tray tables in my bedroom!
I also coveted the secretary desk in the sitting room.
A sprig of mistletoe hanging by the front stairway.
The dining room was beautifully decorated in cedar boughs, ribbons and dried flowers.
The Drawing Room featured a Victorian table-top tree.
The costumed interpreter explained that the ornaments on the table were part of the gift exchange on Christmas morning. Interestingly, the Christmas gifts were not wrapped...perhaps the parents waited until after the children went to bed to bring down the presents?
One of the children was the lucky recipient of this miniature tea set.
If you'd like to see Dundurn Castle when it's not decked out for the holidays, you can take a virtual tour here.
Another Christmas tradition on my bucket list is to attend Canada's oldest tree lighting ceremony in downtown Dundas. Unfortunately, I missed this year's ceremony again. D'oh!
November was a busy month at work, but we made time for a tea social where we enjoyed some sugar cookie sleigh ride herbal tea.
Since the popular tea Advent calendar by David's Tea is too pricey for this frugal gal, I decided to create my own! I'm not particularly crafty so I was thrilled when I found this HUGE stocking Advent calendar with generous pockets at HomeSense last year.
I will be enjoying 24 days of tea while I countdown the days to Christmas!
I'm joining the following parties this week:
This is beautiful, I love anything Victorian!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful castle! I would love to visit there sometime! Thanks for sharing pictures!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun tour, Margie! I need one of those bedroom trays, also. Wouldn't that be wonderful to have one like that?
ReplyDeleteYour advent tea calendar stocking is perfect for you!! How was the sugar cookie tea? I saw that at Target and wondered if it was tasty.
Enjoy your different teas each day, my friend.
I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving Margie. What a beautiful estate. Very elegant and grand. love visiting historic mansions. They are works of art.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week.
Janet
What a wonderful tour, Margie! I love the table top tree! The estate is quite something, isn't it? What fun you have gallivanting around visiting all these places! I went into our Bulk Barn this evening but they didn't have the Sugar Cookie tea. They had Candy Cane Lane, Gingerbread Spice, which I found interesting, and a few others that I'm going to try. Thanks again for joining my little party. Hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
Oh, I forgot to mention how cute your Advent stocking is. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteDear Margie:
ReplyDeleteYour visit to the castle was wonderful and so many awesome antiques. I also adore those cute stockings which are a great idea. Your post was most enjoyable! So glad you shared!
Your photos are all familiar to me Margie as I did a post a few years ago after visiting Dundurn Castle near Christmas as well. A gorgeous place. You made a cute advent stocking and I can say I was a lucky gal to have been gifted with the David's box from hubby. I'm looking forward to my first tea tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe dining room and drawing room in the castle are amazing. I sort of like the idea of not wrapping the gifts (ha ha). I also would love to have the tray table in my bedroom. What a great way to start the day with tea and a good book. Love your stocking advent calendar!
ReplyDeleteHi Margie,
ReplyDeleteI love your tea stockings and your idea to have 24 days of tea. Lol! So cute! Much better than fattening chocolate advent calendars. I would love to visit the castle at Christmas and see the tree decorating. Thank you for helping me to get in the Christmas spirit! Happy December and Tea Day! Karen
Hi Margie,
ReplyDeleteI love your tea stockings and your idea to have 24 days of tea. Lol! So cute! Much better than fattening chocolate advent calendars. I would love to visit the castle at Christmas and see the tree decorating. Thank you for helping me to get in the Christmas spirit! Happy December and Tea Day! Karen
Dundurn Castle looks beautiful decorated for the holidays. I've never seen anything like that tea stocking - looks like a great idea for a tea lover. Happy 1st of December to you.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful to see the castle decorated for the holidays! Visiting via MM.
ReplyDeleteThe castle is wonderful. I would love having the child's teaset, it is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI especially love that drawing room -- beautiful! Your advent calendar is adorable. My old one fell apart, and I have been looking in vain for a new one. Wish I had kept and repaired the other one. 24 days of tea sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHa ha...fun to see the Tetley Tea Folk! I would have loved to visit there with you! I love historic homes with antique china. Love it! Thanks so much for linking to Tuesday Cuppa Tea!
ReplyDeleteRuth
What a beautiful place. I love the children's tea set.
ReplyDeleteThat castle is lovely decorated for the holidays! I love the dining room with the swags of cedar and ribbons! I'm tucking that idea away to use for a future event. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe advent stockings are really cute too!
Deanna
Oh that is a marvelous castle! And so beautifully decorated too. Very festive!
ReplyDeleteYour stockings full of tea are fab! What a great idea and you made them so well.
Hugs,
Terri
Ooooh, what a lovely place and it's so beautifully decorated during the Christmas season!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us on a tour through your beautiful pictures. Hugs to you, my friend!
Your very own Tea Advent Calender is very clever, indeed, Margie!
ReplyDeleteThat castle is amazing too - so much to take in, huh?
Can't wait to hear all about your sunday gathering. Hugs.
Your very own Tea Advent Calender is very clever, indeed, Margie!
ReplyDeleteThat castle is amazing too - so much to take in, huh?
Can't wait to hear all about your sunday gathering. Hugs.
I'm trying to get my husband to come with me to Dundurn Castle this year. He's not really keen on it I can tell :( I didn't know Dundas had the oldest tradition for tree lighting ... I wonder if there are any disputes over that distinction! Great idea with the advent stocking, a perfect pocket for tea packets.
ReplyDeleteWendy
Be still my Victorian Soul!! Absolutely stunning!! Thanks so much for sharing this breath taking place!!
ReplyDeleteThanks too for visiting!!
Hugs,
Deb
Hi Margie,
ReplyDeleteJust stopping by to let you know I am featuring this post at No Place Like Home today.
Smiles,
Sandi
Loved seeing this place! Glad you shared.
ReplyDeleted