Health & Fitness
A 1911 Christmas at McConaghy House
Something to do with your out of town guests this holiday season.
The holidays are swiftly approaching, whether we like it or not. (Seriously, how is it Thanksgiving already?! I'm not mentally ready for this.) Often holidays mean out of town guests. Just what do you do with these people you love? Well, you take them to see the sights, of course!
One local gem is the McConaghy House, located next to Kennedy Park in Hayward. Every year, the Hayward Area Historical Society dresses up the house for the holidays. This year, the theme is a 1911 Christmas, and we have a special event on every Saturday. Below is a description of the theme written by HAHS Curator Diane Curry. Enjoy, and I hope to see you there!
A 1911 Christmas
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Do you think getting ready for Christmas was that different 100 years ago? People like the McConaghys threw parties for friends and family on Christmas Eve just as we do today. There were presents to buy and wrap, decorations to hang, and food to prepare.
If you’re curious to find out, come visit McConaghy House this year (Nov. 28 to Dec. 18) to experience Christmas circa 1911. A time when changes were happening not only in the Hayward area but all around the county — women in California had just received the right to vote, airplanes appeared in the sky and those noisy automobiles occasionally bumped along rough dirt roads designed for horse and carriage, electric lights lit homes throughout the Hayward area and new stores offering more merchandise were opening everywhere. It was the dawning of a new era, but that doesn’t mean traditional celebrations went out the window.
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McConaghy House’s Christmas decorations will be festive, as always, and there will be surprises in every room. Find out what a family like the McConaghys would have been doing to celebrate Christmas 100 years ago. Mrs. McConaghy may be baking a pie in the kitchen. Mary might be painting a vase to give as a present. Florence might be getting ready to wrap presents and send out Christmas cards. John might be selecting music to play on his new phonograph during the party. Mr. McConaghy might be sitting in his chair supervising all the activity. You just never know what you might find, but we guarantee it will put you in the Christmas spirit!
