A Very Late Christmas Post *wink*
January 5, 2019
Right, so I meant to make a Christmas post, you know, on Christmas. I had the best intentions. Or a few days before. But I got sick and also if I’m being 100% honest... I forgot. Heehee. But why should the holidays stop after the 1st of January?! LET’S KEEP CELEBRATING! January is BORING so here’s some late Christmas spirit to spice it up for you.
Over the past two months, I have done a little traveling, but mostly for family occasions (a wedding and Christmas) so I did very little relevant blog-activities. (I’m sure you are all very curious for an inside look at Hawthorne Christmas, but it's so chaotic that I don’t even have the words. And it felt off topic. I have a ~brand~ to maintain here.)
Normally, I theme each post around a trip. But like I said, there was so much family time that there wasn’t a whole lot of material for each trip. But we did do a few Christmas activities. So without further ado, here are three fun Christmas events in two completely different areas to keep on your radar for the next 354 days.
And if you only watch one of the vlogs, make it Vlog 85. It's the cutest.
The Glensheen Mansion
Duluth, MN
November 17, 2018
The Glensheen Mansion was completed in 1908 for the Congdon family. Chester Adgate Congdon was influential in the development of iron and copper mining near Lake Superior, and by the time of his death, was the richest man in Minnesota. The house is 20,000 sqft and sits on 12 acres of land, on the banks of Lake Superior.
The mansion was occupied by Chester's youngest daughter, Elizabeth, until her death in 1977. After, the University of Minnesota Duluth opened the mansion up to the public for a variety of tours. Including, their Christmas time tour! Enter the Hawthornes.
We were in Duluth for the wedding of Marit and Kyle Hansen and had time to take a self-guided tour of Glensheen. We wandered through room after, each one bedecked with a Christmas tree and hidden "Elf On a Shelf" for kids (and Cristianas) to find. The lawn outside was decorated with COUNTLESS light-up yard ornaments, and if I'm being completely honest, it looked horribly tacky. But 'tis the season! I believe the word I used at the time was "cute".
On the self-guided tour, you can see the first two floors and all the grounds of the mansion. On the guided tour (which didn't match our schedule) you can also visit the third floor and the attic. The whole house is incredibly beautiful. My dad and I had a fun time guessing which room I would've had, and which room Grady would have had if we'd lived there as a family. (Spoiler alert: I would have had Majorie's Room.)
You might've also heard about the Glensheen Mansion murders. Is that a holiday topic? No. Is murder particularly appropriate for a Christmas post? Not really. But it does come up when you look into Glensheen. Out of respect for the surviving family, the tours do not mention the murder, nor will staff answer very many questions. In 1977, Elizabeth Congdon and her night nurse, Velma Pietila, were found murdered. (This might be a tad graphic so go ahead and skip this sentence if you want to.) Velma was found on a window seat, was beaten to death by a candlestick, and Elizabeth was suffocated with a satin pillow. Roger Caldwell, who was married to Elizabeth's adopted daughter Marjorie, was found guilty.
Yes. Fun stuff. Despite the grisly side of the mansion's past, the tour and museum do not mention it, and it remains a cheery, and joyful holiday destination. On to the next!
Last but not least, spending the day in one of our beautiful National Parks is a fun and reflective way to celebrate. We went up to Glacier National Park.
Most of the roads are closed for the season, but you can get up to Apgar Village and Lake McDonald. If you've been to the park in the summer, you should 100% go visit in the winter. It is much quieter, and almost nothing is open. But the views are stunning! Plus, nobody was manning the entrance so we did not have to pay. *smirks* (Should I be smirking in a Christmas post? That doesn't seem very jolly of me...) *unsmirks*
So there you have it. Three possible ways to celebrate the holidays while you are traveling. Some general holiday reminders before I go. Lines are long. Airports are busy. Snow can cause travel delays. Plan ahead. Also, if you have Prime, ship you presents to your destination ahead of you. Alright, those are my random and pretty self-evident holiday travel tips. Aren't you glad I just threw those on here at the end?
Happy holidays, whatever you're celebrating! See you in March, when I get around to writing a Valentine's Day post.
Peace,
Cristiana
Glensheen Mansion
The mansion was occupied by Chester's youngest daughter, Elizabeth, until her death in 1977. After, the University of Minnesota Duluth opened the mansion up to the public for a variety of tours. Including, their Christmas time tour! Enter the Hawthornes.
We were in Duluth for the wedding of Marit and Kyle Hansen and had time to take a self-guided tour of Glensheen. We wandered through room after, each one bedecked with a Christmas tree and hidden "Elf On a Shelf" for kids (and Cristianas) to find. The lawn outside was decorated with COUNTLESS light-up yard ornaments, and if I'm being completely honest, it looked horribly tacky. But 'tis the season! I believe the word I used at the time was "cute".
The Lawn Ornaments...
On the self-guided tour, you can see the first two floors and all the grounds of the mansion. On the guided tour (which didn't match our schedule) you can also visit the third floor and the attic. The whole house is incredibly beautiful. My dad and I had a fun time guessing which room I would've had, and which room Grady would have had if we'd lived there as a family. (Spoiler alert: I would have had Majorie's Room.)
Take a quick little peek inside, with Vlog 84: Glensheen Mansion... NO MURDER
You might've also heard about the Glensheen Mansion murders. Is that a holiday topic? No. Is murder particularly appropriate for a Christmas post? Not really. But it does come up when you look into Glensheen. Out of respect for the surviving family, the tours do not mention the murder, nor will staff answer very many questions. In 1977, Elizabeth Congdon and her night nurse, Velma Pietila, were found murdered. (This might be a tad graphic so go ahead and skip this sentence if you want to.) Velma was found on a window seat, was beaten to death by a candlestick, and Elizabeth was suffocated with a satin pillow. Roger Caldwell, who was married to Elizabeth's adopted daughter Marjorie, was found guilty.
Yes. Fun stuff. Despite the grisly side of the mansion's past, the tour and museum do not mention it, and it remains a cheery, and joyful holiday destination. On to the next!
Whitefish Mountain Torch Parade
Whitefish, MT
December 24th, 2018
Whitefish Mountain, formerly (and forever colloquially) known as Big Mountain, is a ski resort in Whitefish Montana. There, you can ski your heart out on 14 different lifts and two sides of the mountain. On December 24th, we went up to see their annual torch parade. Dozens of skiers ski down one of the slopes waving red flares to celebrate the holiday. It is not the MOST exciting thing you will ever see, but it is a fun tradition and would be especially fun for younger kids. Especially if they have their snow pants on, so they can roll around for a bit (or whatever it is kids do in the snow.) Plus, do you hear how lively and festive it sounds?
Vlog 85: Torches and the Hellroaring Saloon
Afterward, we went to the Hellroaring Saloon and Eatery. Built in 1949 as the first base lodge, under the name "Rocky Mountain Chalet", it is a classic up on the mountain and hosts some of the best food in town. Grady and I are huge fans of their hot chocolate.
The lifts themselves are also open for skiing on the 24 and 25, so that could also be a fun way to spend the holiday!
Glacier National Park, MT
December 25th, 2018
Last but not least, spending the day in one of our beautiful National Parks is a fun and reflective way to celebrate. We went up to Glacier National Park.
Cristiana, Pippin, and Grady at Lake McDonald
Most of the roads are closed for the season, but you can get up to Apgar Village and Lake McDonald. If you've been to the park in the summer, you should 100% go visit in the winter. It is much quieter, and almost nothing is open. But the views are stunning! Plus, nobody was manning the entrance so we did not have to pay. *smirks* (Should I be smirking in a Christmas post? That doesn't seem very jolly of me...) *unsmirks*
86. A Glacial Christmas
So there you have it. Three possible ways to celebrate the holidays while you are traveling. Some general holiday reminders before I go. Lines are long. Airports are busy. Snow can cause travel delays. Plan ahead. Also, if you have Prime, ship you presents to your destination ahead of you. Alright, those are my random and pretty self-evident holiday travel tips. Aren't you glad I just threw those on here at the end?
Happy holidays, whatever you're celebrating! See you in March, when I get around to writing a Valentine's Day post.
Peace,
Cristiana
