A Colonial Christmas at The Jacobus Vanderveer House

Today a couple of friends and I went to A Colonial Christmas at The Jacobus Vanderveer House in Bedminster, NJ. This lovely Dutch house was built c. 1772 and c. 1813. During the Revolutionary War it was used by General Henry Knox who established a military encampment and training center on a nearby hillside.
  

This is the front of the house with its original windows.

 

Visitors were greeted by candle luminaries that were suspended from the tree in the driveway.

 

The main bedroom featured blue and white bedhangings with a fringed canopy. A pinecone garland decorated the mantel.

All the holiday decor was inspired by nature using materials found on the property and in nearby orchards. The mantel in the dining room was covered with dried leaves--and dates. 

Here is a date tree centerpiece on the table. 

I was in awe of the apple garlands decorating the staircase. The apples were strung with jute.

I can't imagine how heavy these garlands were to work with but they sure are beautiful.

The Federal Room fireplace was decorated with garlands of dried fruits.

Here's a close-up. There were raisins, cranberries, chestnuts, apricots and--you guessed it--more dates.

 

Driving home on one of New Jersey's country roads, we found these Osage Oranges and Bittersweet. We gathered a bunch and when I got home I promptly put them in a wooden bowl for a holiday decoration in our  house which was built in 1730.