Traditional Christmas decorations at Castle Fraser
This year, we have created a guide to producing fabulous festive adornments, based on archive materials. This guidance is being trialled at Castle Fraser, near Inverurie, one of Scotland’s largest tower houses. Here, the decorations highlight appropriate historical events, time periods and pertinent details of social history to form stunning installations, in line with our aim to provide inspiring heritage visitor experiences for everyone.
The extensive research was carried out by Dr Jo Riley, one of the Trust’s Visitor Service Assistants in the Collections Care team. It draws on the time when properties used resources from their estates, such as seasonal foliage from the garden, for decorating, which created a real synergy between the building and its grounds. Dr Riley has been working with Vikki Duncan (the Trust’s Curator North) and the gardeners to develop authentic decorations using sustainable materials from Castle Fraser’s estate that represent different periods in history.
Dr Riley said: ‘Many of the customs and traditions relating to how homes were decorated and used during the festive season of midwinter originate before Christianity. They have been adopted and adapted over time, influenced by culture and religion. A lot of the customs we enjoy at this time of year have evolved from ancient pagan practices. Pagan celebrations focused around the winter solstice, which takes place on 21 December. Later, Vikings introduced customs that related to Jól (Yule), a twelve-day period during the darkest time of the year.
‘We have created seasonal decorations for Castle Fraser that will transport visitors through the ages – from the medieval period, which will be centred around the Great Hall; moving into the Georgian period in the Dining Room; and then progressing to the Victorian sitting room, where the festive legacy of this era will be portrayed.’
Different types of decorations were used to adorn homes across Scotland throughout history. The gallery below shows some of the most popular forms.
Dr Riley also explored the significance of the ‘language of plants and flowers’ throughout history, and how their relevance was passed from one set of beliefs to the next. Many plants were incorporated into seasonal displays because of their symbolic meanings, as a means of conveying a message, bringing luck or adhering to superstition.
Typical types of foliage used in festive decorations due to their symbolic meanings include:
- Evergreens – Synonymous with seasonal decorations, the display of evergreen leaves represents immortality and nature’s strength during the winter months. The tradition of bringing evergreens into homes pre-dates Christianity and remains popular to this day.
- Rowan – During winter celebrations, it has been customary in Scotland to burn a twig from a rowan tree to ward off feelings of jealousy and dispel mistrust between friends and family.
- Mistletoe – Considered sacred since early solstice celebrations, mistletoe has associations with fertility, healing, life, peace and happiness. Although not native to Scotland, its popularity over Christmas meant that those in high society would have sent for it from England.
- Yew – This tree represents the death of the old year and is also considered to be a connection between this world and the next.
- Oak – Valued for being long-lived and symbolic of eternal life, oaks represented protection, strength and endurance. The trunk of an oak tree was traditionally used in the Celtic tradition of burning the yule log.
- Birch – This tree denotes new beginnings.
- Cedar – This tree represents healing.
- Holly – Thought to provide protection, holly is considered to bring good luck.
- Ivy – Thought to have healing properties, ivy is symbolic of faithfulness and often associated with marriage.
- Juniper – Legend tells that Mary blessed a juniper bush after it opened up to hide the Holy Family as they fled from King Herod’s soldiers. It thus signifies protection.
- Laurel – This plant signifies a conquest over pain and suffering.
- Pine – Indicative of peace, healing and joy, pine is used in many decorations.
- Pine cones, seeds and nuts – These denote birth and rebirth.
- Rosemary – This is considered to be the herb of the sun.
Visitors to Castle Fraser, Garden & Estate can enjoy the seasonal traditional decorations until Sunday 18 December when the castle will close until spring 2023. The garden and grounds remain open all year round.
This work contributes to the National Trust for Scotland’s vision to delivery Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone. Our 10-year strategy refocuses our vision of caring for, sharing and conserving Scotland’s heritage. It contributes to our conservation and engagement objectives, specifically to enrich Scotland’s protected heritage to make it relevant to more people so that we become a leading provider of inspiring heritage visitor experiences.
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