“Bitterly chill is the winter wind, biting our cheeks as we go;
Gray is the sky, and the silent fields,
Are white with December’s snow.
But the message we bear make warm our hearts
With the joy of Christmas tide;
It is, “May God’s Grace and Christ’s sweet peace,
With you and with your’s abide.” – Unknown
Tradition.
What are your holiday traditions that bring about a warmth in your heart and stir feelings of joy?
Do your or your family have something special you do every year that just makes the closing of each year feel better?
We were blessed to participate in one of South Georgia’s deep-rooted Christmas traditions this past week.
In the beautiful town of Thomasville, Georgia, less than an hour’s drive from the Gulf of Mexico, a very special tradition is celebrated by all, a Victorian Christmas.
People come from all over to share in the joy and celebrate the history and magic the town has to offer. They ask for visitors to dress in traditional Victorian garb, but it is not required. (We, of course, jumped at the chance!)
Men in frock and sack coats wearing woolen top hats sporting polished canes walk proudly, arm in arm with their beautiful Southern belles in ball gowns.
In a time where our clothing is cheaply made, style and class are relative. When anything requiring even the least amount of effort is forgotten, there is something about putting on an ornate gown with details and layers that make you walk a little straighter and hold your chin up higher. (Okay, that could also be thanks to the boning in the bodice!)
Thomasville is a beautiful, historically preserved town clad in brick streets, hidden brass quail for visitors to locate throughout the town, and an abundance of unique shops and delicious food options.
During this Victorian Christmas, the streets are shut down and are filled with local vendors, dance performances, and a live nativity. Stores open their doors and are filled with beautiful options for gifts and treats, ballet performances of the Nutcracker are rotated through multiple stages and snow is brought in for the children to play! The whole experience is sealed with horse-drawn carriage rides.
This was a truly wonderful experience for us and we are so glad our friends from APAFIA Farms invited us!
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Where did we stay?
We stayed at a well maintained cabin outside of Thomasville, Little Pine Lodge at SaddleCreek Plantation. The plantation is over 1,100 acres with 50 acres of trails for hiking or horseback riding. Directly in front of the cabin is a large pond stocked with fish (and to my delight, otters that danced through the water in the early mornings!).
They offered a full kitchen, three large beds, and plenty of space outside for entertainment. This trip was just for my husband and I; however, we would love to return with our boys!
Bryce spent the better part of a day fishing while I explored the trails and tried identify the surrounding plants and fungi (what can I say, I’m a creature of habbit!). We saw otters, birds of prey, coyotes, white tailed deer, and Bryce caught several fish from the pond.
Where to get traditional Victorian Clothes?
Just like everything else, there are many options for getting clothing, but how good of quality that clothing is varies greatly. Overall we were very happy with what we chose, but definitely weren’t fully prepared for how chilly it would get in Georgia!
Bryce ordered his from Historical Emprium. The options and quality of the clothing is really good.
My dress was ordered from Victorian Choice. The quality of the dress is great! But you do need to order the crinoline skirt and underskirts separately.
There were a few things we overlooked that next time I’d change for more comfort or fun:
Some dresses I may consider in the future:
Where did we eat?
This was our second trip to Thomasville. Our first visit was a short one. We drove down last year to pick up our first Irish Dexters from APAFIA Farm. We fell in love with the area (and the cattle!) and made plans to return this year for another Dexter and to spend more time exploring.
There are so many options for food and we barely scratched the surface of what the area has to offer. Just incase any of you decide to visit, I wanted to share our experiences!
- The Q Cafe (THE BEST pulled pork sandwich I’ve ever had, and their biscuits and gravy were phenomenal.)
- Grassroots Coffee (They have organic coffee options!)
- Jonah’s Fish & Gritz (Their clam chowder is spectacular.)
- AJ Moonspin Pizza (Pasta and Sourdough pizza – so good!)
- Rock Bottom Seafood & Grill (Cozy and comfort food)
- Kilwins (Fudge, closest fudge to my Memaw’s I’ve ever found!)
Check in soon to read about why we decided to go with Irish Dexters and how our first year with them has been!