Pioneer Christmas shows simpler holiday

Columbia County has much to offer this holiday season, one event being A Pioneer Christmas, presented by the staff and volunteers of Mistletoe State Park on Saturday at the park's beach area.

"We tried to put together a representation of old-time stuff like crafts, skills, period costumes, muzzle loaders, and trapping instruments," said Bill Tinley, of Mistletoe State Park. "Crafts are planned for the kids to make decorations that pioneers would have had."

The goal of the event is to show people how things were done during a time that was less commercial than the celebrations of today.

"Despite hardships, the pioneers lived good for their day," Tinley said. "It was a rich country for them."

The event also will include soap and rug making, basket making, woodcarving, tomahawk and knife throwing, candle dipping, spinning and carding wool. Storytelling and donkey rides will provide entertainment for children.

There will be plenty of food available, including fried apple pies, venison stew, pork skins and apple cider with cinnamon and orange peels, Tinley said. Cast-iron cooking will be going on all day for people to stop by and try a sample. Recipes also will be available.

"This is our first shot at it (the event)," Tinley said. "There's something for everybody."

A Pioneer Christmas will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Appling. Admission for the event is free with a $3 per car admission pass to the park, which can be contacted at 541-0321 for more information.

If that isn't enough, Elijah Clark State Park in Lincolnton, Ga., also will hold a re-enactment of Hannah and Elijah Clark's Christmas celebration from 5 to 8 p.m.

Park manager Nelson Noble said that Elijah Clark settled the Lincoln County area in 1774 with 40 families from South Carolina.

These families had intentions of gathering together for their first Christmas celebration. Instead, Creek Indians raided homesteads to the south of Wilkes County on Christmas Day, and interrupted those plans, Noble said. All able-bodied men responded to the raids, so the families were unable to share their Christmas together.

"This Christmas celebration is in remembrance of this event," Noble said.

The Elijah Clark Museum will be open to the public during this time. Tours of grave sites also will be given. Cider, spice cake and hot chocolate will be available to refresh the holiday visitors.

Contact Elijah Clark State Park at (706) 359-3458 for more information.