Delta Museum is once again opening its doors to show residents what Christmas would have looked like for Delta's pioneers.
In 2009, the Delta Museum and Archives teamed up with the Ladner Business Association to open its doors to the public during the tree lighting and carol ships. It was a success and the museum has decided to make it an annual event.
The museum will be open from 6: 15 to 8: 30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 to show South Deltans what Christmas looked like during the Victorian era.
It may feel like many of our popular holiday traditions have been around forever, but many date back to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).
Delta's earliest pioneers from Great Britain brought popular traditions, such as caroling and decorating a tree, with them when they settled. While the general idea and sentiments were the same, Delta's pioneer families would have done things a little differently.
Preparations would have started well before Christmas Day as goodies and decorations had to be made from scratch. Store-bought treats and decorations were rare and expensive.
Wood had to be chopped for the stove, the cow had to be milked and eggs had to be gathered before a batch of Christmas cookies could be made.
Decorating the Christmas tree was also a popular tradition for local settlers.
It was Queen Victoria's husband, Albert, who helped make the Christmas tree as popular in Britain as they were in his native Germany, when he brought one to Windsor Castle in the 1840s.
Visitors to the museum will have a chance to make some of the decorations that would have appeared in pioneer homes during the holiday season.
There is no admission fee to the museum that night, however, the museum is asking people to bring a non-perishable donation for the food bank instead.
