Trim a Tree

John Hart, Assistant Curator of Collections

My family has many traditions, many of which I follow even though I live so far away from home. One of my favorite traditions from childhood was putting up the Christmas tree and hanging the ornaments, especially my grandmother’s that had been passed down to my mom. Grandma Bain died long before I was born so I never got to meet her, but my mom always made sure we remembered her when we put her ornaments on the tree or set up her crèche with many of the figures having come from Italy, where my great grandparents emigrated from in the early 20th century.

I still put up a tree in my apartment every year, but my grandma’s ornaments stay safely at my mom’s to go on her tree. I often see similar ornaments in other places, mostly antique shops, but the feeling I get when I look at them just isn’t the same. Oddly enough though, someone must have had the same type of feeling towards those old ornaments as me, because in the collection we have several dozen, many of which are nearly identical to my grandma’s.

Christmas Ornaments

Painted glass and metal

Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, N.Y., N0049.1978 and N0060.1978

From pinecones to bells, grandma had a pretty wide assortment and the two ornaments above, from our collection, are pretty similar, but painted a different color. I think ours are pink. In any event, they always find their way onto the tree…even if that means multiple ornaments on one branch.

Just like the a lot of things from our parents or grandparents, ornaments mean something different to everyone, but at least with ornaments, putting them on the tree is one way to remember loved ones that may no longer be with us.

Nickel Movie Night: December 10th

By: John Buchinger, Associate Director of Education

When I moved to Cooperstown four years ago my son gave me one of those folksy wooden signs with a heartfelt quote. It said “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Now I am not the kind of guy for whom wooden crows, and country candles and blue geese rally work, but the sentiment was an acknowledgement of my love for the Frank Capra classic that debuted in 1946.

For those of you who have just landed here from another planet this iconic Christmas classic follows the life of reluctant home town hero George Bailey as he struggles with the demons of living out life on the big stage of the world or on the small one in his hometown of Bedford Falls. The action of the film surrounds the loss of a large bank deposit by his business partner, Uncle Billy, that threatens to ruin George and his life. Facing financial ruin, shame and imprisonment, he throws himself from a bridge on a snowy evening, only to be saved by his guardian angel Clarence. Clarence grants George’s wish that he “had never been born.” And in a Dickensian turn, George is taken back and shown how life would be in the small town if his wish came true. After seeing the dark flip side of a world without George Bailey he begs for his life back. In the end George finds out he had a pretty wonderful life after all, and is brought back to his life and his family and finds that the town he has done so much for comes to his aid, saving George and saving Christmas.

I watch this film every year. I watch as he saves his brother from drowning. I watch as he eats a meal with his father and sacrifices his future to save the family business. I watch as he opens his arms and asks for “A big One.” I watch as he reluctantly woos his future wife in one of the most romantic scenes ever committed to celluloid, and I watch as he is reunited with his family, the most important and essential part of who he is, despite the chance of ruin and imprisonment. This is an important movie for me. Not because I am in the banking industry, or because I am a huge Capra fan, but because I have a family. Christmas is always a time of joy but also a bit of darkness that sometimes leaves us doubting. Many of us have metaphorically peered down into frothing waters when faced with hardships and have been tempted just to give in to despair.
But this time of year is a time to look around and take in the full picture of life. It is a time to see the joy in the everyday, to recognize the little connections that make all our lives better. On December 10th, we will celebrate the season and everyone’s wonderful life with Nickel Family Film Movie Night. We will screen this classic film and even enjoy a short live version of a select scene from some local actors. Pack up the kids, and join us at The Fenimore for an evening of family fun!

'Tis the Season

By: Michelle Murdock, Curator of Exhibitons

We had our first real snow of the season today, just one day after the museum’s halls were decked out in glorious holiday decorations. Every year on the Monday after Thanksgiving, the Lake and Valley Garden Club arrives at Fenimore bright and early to decorate the museum. (I was so excited after working with them yesterday that I went home & decorated my own house last night) Staff and locals look forward to the festivities every year, and our visitors from away are always pleasantly surprised by the extra treat. This year the Lake and Valley club was joined by several other local garden clubs. We thank them all for helping to make the museum a magical place to visit during the holiday season. In addition to the garden club decorations, we have installed four cases of 19th century toys from the permanent collections throughout Fenimore. Visitors young and old love to see what appeared under Christmas trees in years gone by. The outside of Fenimore Art Museum was decorated today, too. When we host our annual Member’s Holiday Reception Sunday evening, the lights will be aglow on the local evergreens. All of us at Fenimore wish you a very merry holiday season!

Sharing Christmas in Cooperstown

By: Michelle Murdock, Curator of Exhibitons
Christmas is for children, after all, isn’t it? One of my greatest pleasures at Christmas time is participating in Secret Santa events for disadvantaged families in my community.

In late 1912, the Otsego Farmer, a Cooperstown newspaper, proclaimed, “Santa Claus didn’t forget the orphans” at the Christmas party at the Village Hall. Besides gifts and treats for all, the enormous tree came to life with lights “with a wave of Santa’s hand.”

The Village Hall was located on the second floor of the Fire Hall, built in 1889 on Chestnut Street. It was an auditorium with a stage and hosted large community meetings and performances, including the Cooperstown Youth Center in the 1950s and 60s. It was demolished in 1972 to make way for the present Fire Department headquarters, still a center of community activity from voting to spaghetti dinners.

Cooperstown photographers ‘Wash” Smith and “Putt” Telfer compiled an exceptional record of the Village’s people and places for almost a century. The Smith and Telfer Photograph Collection, donated to the museum in 1951, numbers nearly 55,000 glass plate negatives. Their familiarity with Cooperstown’s people and places gave their images a natural, un-posed quality, which captures the spirit and sensibility of small town life. Through their lens Cooperstown is remembered as the classic American rural village.

Orphan’s Christmas at the Town Hall, 1912

Smith & Telfer Collection, 8-445