11 January 2025

Yuletide Around the World at the Reading Public Museum

The Reading Public Museum’s holiday tree display was a pleasant surprise, as we didn’t know it was there until we stopped in to see a different exhibit. The small museum had 16 displays set up throughout their galleries, each presented by a different community organization. About half the displays represented other countries, with the others were more aligned with the interests of the group that created them.

 It was a fine display, and if I hadn’t just seen the over-the-top Festival of Trees at the Wadsworth, I probably would have been more delighted.

The cover photo to this post is a close up of the “Scandinavia – Wheat Weaving” tree. The full tree is pictured below.

Greece, displayed in the Ancient Civilizations Gallery.
Germany, in the Pennsylvania German Gallery.
The German tree featured “brezels” (pretzels) and a dame serving beer – perfect for Doug!
A tree decorated by the Columbiettes, an organization of Catholic women that promote faith and unity.
A “seeds and garden tools” themed tree by the RPM Arboretum Assistants.
Scandinavia. The theme of this tree is “wheat weaving,” in homage to the tradition of taking the last standing wheat at harvest time to use for making decorations for the home. Some of the tree decorations have been made from wheat by the Viking Lodge 375.
A Ukrainian tree decorated by the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Church. It is situated in front of Virgin and child from the workshop of Lorenzo Ghiberti, circa 1420.
Detail on a tree decorated by the Garden Club of Reading.
Detail on tree in the North American Indian Gallery, decorated by Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge.
The Chinese tree is themed “porcelain” and was decorated by the Chinese Community.
This Romanian-themed tree was decorated by the Romanian Community Center. A tree hung with candy on it would not last long in my house.
A Poland-themed tree by the Polish-American Heritage Association of Berks County.
Detail on another tree decorated by the RPM Arboretum Assistants.

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