Christmas Village At Veterans Park In Clementon/Gloucester Township, NJ On December 13, 2025

Clementon or Gloucester Township (I see both referenced) in New Jersey hosted its Christmas Village tonight, December 13, 2025.  Included in the village were a holiday carousel, a lighted train, tractor with sleigh, vendors, faux snow and much more.  A large crowd attended.

Video: 

The url in case the video does not embed properly: https://youtu.be/yfYXo0Xni_0

Photographs ...

Holiday Train and Holiday Carousel:

Before the tree lighting:

After the tree lighting:

Dickens Festival On Main Street In Medford, NJ On December 06, 2025

On Saturday night, December 06, 2025, Main Street in Medford, New Jersey hosted its massively-popular Charles Dickens Festival.  The event saw a huge turnout with certainly 10,000+ attendees.  There was much to see and do at this festival: fake snow shooting into the air, multiple areas with the Dickens Festival banner backgrounds for photo opportunities, a sleigh to sit in, two horses pulling a wagon, pony rides, animals in a Nativity display, several groups of carolers and musicians, people on stilts, magicians, an area for ice skating, historic homes, stores, The Grinch with The Grinch Mobile and much more.  To me, this was an incredible experience.  Indeed a five-star event.

Video: 

The url in case the video does not embed properly: https://youtu.be/qswbaKNPSEE

Photographs ...

An absolutely packed itinerary as you can see:

I saw three of these Dickens Festival banner backgrounds on Main Street:

A sleigh for sitting:

Animals at the Nativity display.  The sheep in the front was chewing while staring at me.  It was hilarious.

A great party took place at The Medford Memorial Community Center (built between 1835 and 1860; renovated in the 1900s and 1950s):

One of the highlights of the evening - a machine producing fake snow:

Surrounded by it:

The Medford Dickens Festival is held on the first Saturday of December.  I already have 2026's date on my list.

#dickensfestival #dickensfest #medforddickensfestival #medforddickensfest #medford #medfordnj #medfordmainstreet #mainstreet #livinghistorian #1800sclothing #1800scane #1800scostume #1800sdress #christmasseason #christmasevent #fakesnow #fakesnowmachine #christmastour #christmaslights #singingbythepiano #1800shome #1800sproperty #cane #walkingcane #walkingstick #victorianclothing #victorianhistory #victorianparty #victorianreenactor #victorianreenacting

Shoreline Vintage And Antiques Holiday Market And Customer Appreciation Event In Richland, NJ On December 06, 2025

Shoreline Vintage And Antiques in Richland, New Jersey held their third annual Holiday Market And Customer Appreciation Event yesterday, December 06, 2025.  There is much to see inside of the Shoreline Vintage And Antiques store.  A vast array from toys and comic books to holiday blowmolds and antique household items to plenty more is present on the premises.  It is a multi-vendor establishment.  Walking through it will take at least an hour for those who look at every shelf and display case.

The crew set up this fine display for photo opportunities:

Shoreline's website: http://www.shorelinevintage.com

Shoreline's FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/ShorelineVintage

#shorelinevintage #richland #richlandnj #shorelinerichland #shorelineantiques #smallbusiness #holidaymarket #holidayeventseason #tophat #tophatandtails #tophatandcane #antiquecane #antiquewalkingcane #antiquewalkingstick #regency #regencyfashion #regencyattire #1800s #1800sfashion #1800sstyle #regencyera #regencyerafashion #victorianwalkingstick #victoriancane #victorianwalkingcane #grinch #thegrinch #winniethepooh #piglet #christmastree 

Whitall House Candlelight Tour In National Park, NJ On December 05, 2025

Last night, I attended the Whitall House Candlelight Tour on Revolutionary War Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, NJ.  Copious decorations were abound as I was face-to-face with authentic artifacts from the 1600s and 1700s.  A steady crowd throughout ... a big success.

Video: 

The url in case the video does not embed properly: https://youtu.be/UUy_XeSYIoc

Photographs ...

Whitall House links:

https://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Whitall-House-Museum-15

https://www.nj.gov/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/whitall_house.shtml

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087446182719

#colonialfashion #earlyamericanfashion #1700sfashion #1700sstyle #whitallhouse #1700sbuckles #nationalparknj #reenacting #reenactor #livinghistorian #reenactorclothing #livinghistorianclothing #livinghistoriandress #reenactordress #nationalpark  #redbankbattlefield #revolutionarywar #christmasseason #christmasevent #holidayevent #holidaytour #christmastour #revolutionarywarbattlefield #colonialamerica #christmaslights #christmastree #candlelighttour #1700shome #1700sproperty #colonialhistory

Colonial Holly Nights At Pennsbury Manor In Morrisville, PA On December 04, 2025

Last night, I visited Pennsbury Manor in Morrisville, PA for the "Holly Nights" event.  The land was once the country estate of William Penn.  The event ran from 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM.  I arrived shortly after 08:00 PM, and the grounds were still packed.  A fine turn-out for Holly Nights.  I debuted the gold buckles that I made mere hours before the event began (The DIY guide for those shoe buckles is at this link: https://michael-the-researcher.blogspot.com/2025/12/diy-1700s-style-gold-buckle-shoes.html).  A little girl asked why I had the feather.  I told her that, back in those days, people would dip the feather into ink and use it to write like a pen or a pencil.

Video: 

The url in case the video does not embed properly: https://youtu.be/yQ_ece00nic

 Photographs ...

Pennsbury Manor's website: https://www.pennsburymanor.org/about-the-manor

#hollynights #colonialcandlelight #morrisvillepa #morrisville #colonialattire #1700s #colonialera #colonialerafashion #1700sevent #colonialamerica #colonialpa #colonialpennsylvania #christmastime #pennsburymanor #williampenn #colonialestate #colonialarchitecture #earlyamerican #earlyamerica #americanarchitecture #earlyamericanhome #colonialhome

DIY 1700s Style Gold Buckle Shoes Colonial Eighteenth Century Fashion Do It Yourself Reenactor

I needed a pair of 1700s style buckle shoes to accompany my outfits.  I decided to create a pair on my own.  This do it yourself tutorial will show you a cheap way to look like an eighteenth century reenactor or a living historian using bargain brand shoes and dollar store hair clips.  The shoes cost $10.00 for the pair, and the hair clips cost $1.25 each.  These buckles will be specifically painted gold.  I will create silver buckles in the future.  I cut gashes into the shoes so I can swap the different colored buckles.

Video: 

The url in case the video does not embed properly: https://youtu.be/ZiKlpBDoVP8

Photographs ...

The necessary elements:

The plan:

Blading away the strap:

I will save the straps ... I might need them some day:

Incisions for the hair clips, and you can see the hair clip missing the latch: 

The missing latch allows the metal pieces to provide deep staying power for this plan:

The metal pieces fit nicely inside of the gashes:

Great fit ... now ready for the gold paint:

The finished product:

#diytutorial #diy #doityourself #homemade #homemadefashion #colonialfashion #earlyamericanfashion #1700sfashion #1700sstyle #1700sshoes #1700sbuckles #shoebuckles #diyfashion #diyreenacting #diyreenactor #reenacting #reenactor #livinghistorian #reenactorclothing #livinghistorianclothing #livinghistoriandress #reenactordress #reenactorshoes #livinghistorianshoes #bargaindiy #budgetdiy #cheapdiy #diycheap #diycheaply #clothingtutorial

Nürnberger Christkind Prologue And Pyramid Lighting At Christmas Village In Philadelphia, PA On November 30, 2025

The Christkind of Nürnberg (Nuremberg) was present at the official opening of Christmas Village within Love Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania yesterday, November 30, 2025.  This has been a fine tradition for a number of years.  I met the Nürnberger Christkind at this event and location back in 2014.  On this cold, late afternoon, Christkind appeared to read the Prologue, listen as "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" ("Silent Night, Holy Night") was performed by a choir, light the Pyramid (which is new for the village), cut the ribbon, pose for pictures and hand out candy and postcards.   Rain in German/Deutsch is regen, and, indeed, it was raining.  You can see rain drops coming down and on me in the following video and photographs.

Video: 

The url in case the video does not embed properly: https://youtu.be/iBxI5SgOlA0

Photographs ...

I met Christkind prior to the Prologue.  I wore my Bavarian-style tie for this occasion.

The Pyramid before being lit and after being lit:

Philadelphia City Hall (the once tallest habitable building in the world from 1894 to 1908) to the right:

Christkind handing out candy to children:

Philadelphia Christmas Village website: https://www.philachristmas.com/events.html

Link with further information about the Nürnberger Christkind: https://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/en/christkind

#philachristmas #philadelphiachristmasvillage #christmasvillage #philadelphia #philadelphiapa #nürnbergerchristkind #nürnbergchristkind #nurnbergerchristkind #nurnbergchristkind #nurembergchristkind #christkind #stillenacht #stillenachtheiligenacht #heiligenacht #silentnight #silentnightholynight #holynight #christkindlmarkt #christkindofnürnberg  #christkindofnurnberg #christkindofnuremberg #weihnachtsmarkt #weihnachten #philacityhall #philadelphiacityhall #lovepark #loveparkphila #philadelphialovepark #germanchristmas