Museum's tree reflects Christmas ornaments through the decades
Decorating the Christmas tree is a cherished tradition of many families, a time when hot chocolate is made, ornaments are hung, songs are sung and lights are illuminated. It's also a tradition at the Robert R. McCormick Museum in Cantigny Park, where the DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation will decorate a Christmas tree.
The foundation's tree theme is "12 Decades of Christmas," with Victorian decorations at the treetop progressing through time and space downward through the 1920s, 1940s, 1960s and 1980s.
Visitors may notice the nuts, fruits, berries, lighted candles and gold- and silver-painted leaves and dried flowers near the top, giving way to an abundance of silver tinsel and overlapping silver garland representing the 1920s.
During the 1940s, ornaments were made of glass and also paper, string, pine cones and nuts as Americans discarded their old-fashioned German ornaments and exotic Japanese ornaments. Twenty years later, the very nature of the tree changed, trading green needles and brown branches for aluminum, often bright silver, blue, and pink.
In the 1980s, Hallmark ornaments became popular, along with gold garland, tinsel and white strands of beads.
"Each decade not only showcases fancy designs and beautiful ornaments, but provides a glimpse of what was occurring in American culture," museum Curator Ashley Downing said.
The foundation's tree will join those decorated by six other local nonprofits: Friends of Wheaton Public Library, the Ray Graham Association, the Illinois Prairie Path, the GardenWorks Project, Operation Care Package and the DuPage Convalescent Center Foundation.
They were all chosen "because their missions involve issues or causes that were important to Robert McCormick," according to Jeff Reiter, senior manager of communications for Cantigny Park.
The seven trees will be displayed in the McCormick Museum Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Wednesday, Dec. 30, the final day of 2015 operations. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends at 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. The museum will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27, as well as Dec. 24 and 25.
Admission is free; $5 parking. For information, visit cantigny.org.
The Community Trees display is in its sixth year, McCormick Museum Director Diane Gutenkauf said.
"Visitors love the creative displays and, best of all, the trees raise public awareness for the organizations and generate funding for their vital community programs," she said.
Each nonprofit is awarded a $2,500 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation for participating. Visitors can indicate which tree is their favorite by donating to it. The nonprofit whose tree receives the most votes will be awarded an additional $2,500, and all participating organizations collect 100 percent of donations to their trees.
Proceeds like these help keep the DuPage County Historical Museum free for all visitors. To learn how you can support the museum, visit dupagemuseum.org.
If you go
What: Community Trees
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends, Nov. 25 to Dec. 30 (closed Nov. 26 and 27 and Dec. 24 and 25)
Where: McCormick Museum in Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton
Cost: Free with $5 parking
Info: cantigny.org