The Wayland Center Holiday Open House took place on Sunday, December 2, from 2 to 5 p.m. The weather was misty and a bit wet, but that didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of the large number of people visiting the Wayland Depot, hearing a concert at the Wayland Public Library, the period rooms at the Wayland Museum, or taking part in the caroling at Wayland’s First Parish.
The Depot, a Women’s Exchange in the historic 1881 train station in Wayland Center, had music and, of course, nibbles and a nice selection of handcrafted items that are sold to raise money for charitable organizations within the town. The Library had a concert from 3-3:45 p.m. featuring the award winning Ben Rudnick & Friends, an award winning group that encouraged all age groups to join in the singing. The First Parish of Wayland had caroling inside at 4:30 p.m. led by Rev. Maddie Sifantus, founder/director emerita of the Golden Tones. The Wayland Museum was beautifully and imaginatively decorated by the Wayland Garden Club under the guidance of Gretchen Schuler and Lois Toombs. Aida Gennis and Kathy Heckscher oversaw events at the Museum– organizing and scheduling 27 docents assigned to the front door and the various period rooms. Sally Lamprey and Ginny Steel worked with a dozen or more bakers and servers to keep the dining table well stocked with homemade baked goods, hot tea, and cold punch. The fragrant Holiday tree, generously provided by Russell’s Garden Center, was cleverly decorated with handmade ornaments by the Girl Scouts.
The decorations within the Wayland Museum started with the very simple in the Campbell Room, the earliest period room. They were slightly more elaborate in the Draper Room, representing the early to mid-1800’s. The Heard Room, representing a period around 1850, and the start of the Industrial Age, inspired Garden Club members to do something more fanciful in “Steampunk Style”
A Victorian Parlor Decorated in the “Steampunk Style”
Our interpretation of the Victorian Parlor is a fanciful presentation in the “Steampunk style”.
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk stories are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century’s British Victorian era or American “Wild West”, in a future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power.
Our designers were inspired by the peacock feather, a popular Victorian decorator item.
Waltham hosts a big Steampunk Festival in the Spring. For more information, visit www.watchcityfestival.com
