National Museum of American History
1978 Trees of Christmas
December 15, 1978 – January 1, 1979
See 13 live trees, each decorated with hand-made ornaments of different American of foreign tradition. Trees marked with a '+' are new this year.
1st Floor:
- + Chrismon tree hung with early Christmas symbols (Evangelical Lutheran Church, Danville VA)
- Russian tree hung with Faberge-like balls
- Pioneer tree trimmed with pomander balls, acorn clusters, yarn dolls, and cookies
- Tidewater Plantation tree with needlepoint ornaments, gilded nuts, paper tissue cut-outs and popcorn and cranberry strings
- + Needleworked liturgical symbols in beadwork and embroidery (Dixie Rettig, Alexandria, VA)
- + Needleworked liturgical symbols in gold thread on silk fabric (Sara Hamilton, Vienna, VA)
- + Tree decorated with natural dried materials—flowers, fruits and cones (Office of Horticulture)
2nd Floor:
- Williamsburg Folk Art tree - ornaments made from natural materials, including sea shells
- U.S. Community tree - varied ornaments that reflect many ethnic origins
- Tree of Denmark, with straw ornaments, hearts and Danish flags
- + Polish tree - wooden and straw toys, figures and stars (Polish Arts Club of Washington)
- American Victorian - paper chains, cookies, candies, glass balls, cornucopias, small gifts and toys
- + Lithuanian - natural straw ornaments and garlands interspersed with decorated eggs (National Lithuanian Trust)
