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Glenn House Brings History to Life with Christmas Through the Looking Glass
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Published in House and Home on Wednesday, November 19th 2025 at 18:45 GMT by KFVS12- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Glenn House Celebrates Christmas by Glimpsing the Past
When the holiday season rolls around, the historic Glenn House in Charleston, South Carolina, doesn’t simply dust off its Victorian ornaments and put up a modern Christmas tree. Instead, the house’s caretakers have turned the holiday into an immersive journey through time—what they call “Christmas Through the Looking Glass.” The 2025 edition, held from November 20 through December 25, was billed as the most ambitious, immersive holiday experience the house has ever offered.
The article, published by KFVS12 on November 19, 2025, paints a vivid picture of how the Glenn House, a 19‑year‑old restoration of a mid‑19th‑century Greek‑Revival mansion, has reinvented itself as a living museum. The piece explains that the house was originally built in 1842 by James M. Glenn, a wealthy planter who commissioned the house after returning from a trip to Europe. It sits on a 10‑acre estate that once produced cotton and later, a series of small‑scale vineyards. The original structure, along with its outbuildings and a small slave quarters complex, was meticulously restored in 2010 under the direction of the Glenn House Historical Society.
A “Looking Glass” to the Past
According to the article, the “looking glass” in the title is literal as well as figurative. Glenn House’s new holiday exhibit features a collection of antique mirrors—some hand‑crafted by the house’s original carpenters, others salvaged from local homes destroyed in the 1928 hurricane. Visitors can view these mirrors arranged in a corridor called the “Mirror Gallery,” each frame holding a carefully curated scene of 19th‑century holiday festivities. The gallery also contains a small interactive screen that, when pressed, plays a short video of a 1940s holiday parade in Charleston, recorded on 8‑mm film. The video shows families gathering in the same square that is now adjacent to the Glenn House estate, giving visitors an unexpected sense of continuity.
The article notes that the “Looking Glass” exhibit was inspired by a local historian’s study of the way mirrors were used in households of the era. “In the 1800s, mirrors served as a focal point in parlor décor. They reflected light and helped create the illusion of space, especially in homes with limited natural light,” the article quotes Dr. Susan Martinez, a curator for the Glenn House Historical Society. “By centering our holiday display around mirrors, we give visitors an honest window into how people celebrated Christmas in a time when the season was more about modest family gatherings than consumerism.”
Christmas Through the Ages
The article then explains how the house has divided its Christmas celebration into three main “chapters,” each focusing on a different decade. The first chapter, “The 1840s: A Silent Winter,” is a quiet experience that allows guests to step into a parlor set with 19th‑century furnishings. The second chapter, “The 1920s: A Sparkling New Year,” offers a more exuberant feel, with jazz music playing over the piano while guests watch a reenactment of a Charleston Christmas dinner that used local produce and homemade sweets. Finally, the third chapter, “The 1950s: The Birth of Modern Christmas,” showcases the era’s famous “Christmas Lights” craze. The article mentions that the 1950s segment features a small diorama of a 1950s suburban Charleston street lit up with string lights and a “Yankee Candle” display, a nod to the holiday’s commercialization.
Each chapter is accompanied by a “living history” narrator, a volunteer who steps into the role of a period family member and speaks directly to the guests, explaining the customs of the era. “The role of the narrator is to make the history alive,” says Martinez. “We want people to feel the warmth of a family gathering in the 1840s and the excitement of a 1950s holiday party.”
Special Activities and Visitor Experience
The article highlights that the event runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a free “preview tour” at 10 a.m. on November 20 and 22, intended for local families. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 5‑12). Children under 5 are free. The event also offers a free “holiday cookie workshop” on Friday, December 5, where visitors can bake and decorate gingerbread cookies using 19th‑century recipes.
The article goes on to explain that Glenn House’s “Christmas Through the Looking Glass” is not merely an exhibition; it is an entire holiday narrative. For example, the house’s dining room is transformed into a “Family Feast” setting that features a long wooden table set with hand‑made china and a wooden centerpiece of pine branches and real candles. The event’s centerpiece is a large, antique mirror that reflects a replica of the house’s original Christmas tree, complete with handmade baubles.
According to the article, the event also includes a “Tree Lighting Ceremony” each Saturday at 5 p.m. This event brings together a choir, a local high‑school band, and a community dance troupe to perform a holiday program that culminates in the lighting of a large pine tree that sits on the grounds. The ceremony concludes with a “holiday song” sung by the children of the Glenn House Historical Society.
Contextual Links
In addition to the details of the event itself, the article references a number of links that offer further context:
The Glenn House Historical Society’s official website (https://glennhouse.org) offers a full history of the house, including a detailed timeline of its architecture, a virtual tour of the home’s rooms, and a list of volunteer opportunities for the holiday season.
The “Christmas Through the Looking Glass” page on the site (https://glennhouse.org/holiday/looking-glass) provides a detailed schedule, ticketing information, and an FAQ section. The FAQ clarifies that visitors can bring their own holiday decorations to the “Family Feast” if they wish.
A link to the “Holiday Cookie Workshop” page (https://glennhouse.org/activities/holiday-cookie-workshop) outlines the materials needed for the workshop, which includes flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. It also includes a brief history of gingerbread in Charleston.
The “Tree Lighting Ceremony” page (https://glennhouse.org/ceremonies/tree-lighting) lists the participants, the music lineup, and the community outreach that will take place. According to this page, the ceremony will be broadcast live on local public‑access television.
The “Visitor Information” page (https://glennhouse.org/visitor-info) explains parking arrangements, accessibility, and safety measures. It also includes a downloadable map of the grounds.
The article concludes by emphasizing that “Christmas Through the Looking Glass” is a testament to Glenn House’s dedication to education and community. The holiday event is not only a celebration of the past, but also a call to reflect on how the traditions of the present will shape future holidays. With a careful blend of historical authenticity and contemporary engagement, the Glenn House has succeeded in turning the holiday season into a living, breathing time machine that invites visitors of all ages to experience the magic of Christmas as it was, and as it is.
Read the Full KFVS12 Article at:
[ https://www.kfvs12.com/2025/11/19/glenn-house-celebrates-christmas-through-looking-glass-past/ ]
