Kingsport Exchange Place: Christmas in the Country

Kingsport, TN – Exchange Place will once again be playing its part in the “conspiracy of love” by hosting its
annual Christmas in the Country celebration on Saturday, December 2, from 10:00 am until 4:00
pm at Kingsport’s historic Living History Farm, located at 4812 Orebank Road. Proudly listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, admission will be $5 for adults and completely free for children
under 12 in the final public event of the year at the tradition-rich farmstead.

Vendors and demonstrators will be found on both sides of Orebank Road, which will feature unique,
handmade folk arts and crafts such as pottery, one-of-a kind greeting cards, inimitable soaps, paintings,
hand-woven items, wooden ware and jewelry. People who come from all over for Vickie Price’s wreaths,
roping and bundles — made with a wide variety of freshly-cut greenery – will be happy to know that the
Mountain City resident will be there and fully supplied.

Christmas in the Country actually began its life as Christmas in a Country Kitchen, and scrumptious food is
still a main component of the festival. Joining long-time favorite Charlotte Ellis of Flour Fancies with her
homemade breads and fruit cakes will be others with baked goods and treats, both to eat on-site and to
take home. A special addition this year is Lynette Carter with her holiday molded chocolates, with proceeds
benefiting Exchange Place. Two Dads Cafe of Kingsport will have lunch and snack items available, such as
chili, potato soup, pork barbecue and cobbler.

While this is a perfect place to find distinctive holiday gifts, decorations and stocking stuffers, Christmas in
the Country is much more than just another shopping opportunity. Part of our mission is to demonstrate
how our pre-Civil War ancestors would have prepared for the holidays, which can be seen in many of our
history-rich buildings. The Eden’s Ridge Hearth Cookery Society, featuring the Junior Apprentices, will
be making salsify fritters and cinnamon waffles in the kitchen, and ginger cakes and popcorn in the Cook’s
Cabin.  The JAs will be a busy group, as they will be decorating a tabletop Christmas tree and making
pomanders (a ball made for perfumes to ward off foul odors) in the Schoolhouse, chopping wood and
assisting in the Blacksmith Shop. They will also be offering a variety of handmade and historically-inspired
goods, including tulip poplar baskets, ginger cakes, Christmas crackers, and Yule Log kits.

As is always the case, the Overmountain Weavers Guild will be in a variety of places around Exchange
Place. They will be demonstrating their skills and displaying the weavings from the three top winners of
their 50th Anniversary Challenge, and continuing their exhibit of yarns dyed naturally with herbs and plants,
as well as Suzanne Burow’s reconstructions and innovations woven from antique drafts. The rare, restored
rocker beater looms can be seen in the Burow Museum, while handmade and handspun fiber items, some
made using the wool from our Cotswold sheep, will be on sale in Roseland. Near the Burow Museum,
visitors will find a red-seated carriage (no horses, sorry!), perfect for a photo with that old-time feel that
could become this year’s holiday card.

Popular artist Jennifer Hanlon returns to lead a needle-felting workshop that will result in participants
creating their own snowman, a perfect holiday addition. This fascinating class will begin at 10:30 am in the

Roseland building and will last for much of the day. The cost of the workshop will vary, depending on how
much you would like supplied by Jennifer; please visit her website for complete information, including the
required advance registration (https://www.hanlonscreativecorner.com/events).

In the Blacksmith Shop, David and John Pace will be working using a newly-restored bellows. The father-
and-son duo, who began volunteering last year, discovered that the bellows – which provides additional air
to the fire, making the forge hotter — had several holes in the bladder, some dry rot, missing hardware and
a crack in one of its wooden paddles. They took it upon themselves to restore the bellows, and you can
see their completed effort at Christmas in the Country. (You can also see a story about their project on
www.youtube.com/@JandDprojects0965.)

Birding Kingsport, a chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society, will partner with Wild Birds
Unlimited in Johnson City and offer bird feeders, seed and other specialties for our winged friends, along
with answering questions about feeding and birding. Pine cone feeders can be made on site, and
instructions will be provided on how to build a nest box for the beautiful Eastern Bluebird. (In honor of
longtime volunteer Ron Russum, who passed away earlier this year, new bluebird houses will be put up
around the farm.) Exchange Place will also continue its tradition of inviting visitors to help decorate a tree
for the birds.

Showing the simplicity of the Christmas celebration on the Preston Farmstead in 1850 is a focus of hands-
on children's activities. A youngster of that era might have made a toy, gift or card from natural treasures
found on the farm, or from leftover cloth or yarn, something that could be hung on the Christmas tree.
Seasonal "chores," like grinding corn, or the necessity of making candles to get through the winter, will be
located around the site, depending on the weather, of course. Meeting the animals who call Exchange
Place home year-round – the cow, donkey, chickens, pigs and sheep – is always an enduring treat for
children of all ages. And stocking stuffers and unusual gifts can be found at the Museum Store, located
next door to the Roseland building. Shoppers will find ol' timey toys, oak split baskets, and a variety of
items exclusive to our farmstead, like Exchange Place prints, ornaments, a cookbook of 19th century
recipes, and much more.

The Yule Log Ceremony, a free community tradition, is always popular and will be held near the Cook’s
Cabin beginning around 4:15 pm, concluding the day’s festivities. Originated by the Vikings, it served as
a way for them to honor their gods and request good luck in the coming year. Later it was incorporated
into the harvest festivals of Germany and Scandinavia, then moved to England when the Normans
conquered the isles, and eventually was brought to the New World by the Pilgrims. While the Preston
family may not have burned a Yule Log, we like to make it a part of our Christmas in the Country as a
symbol of peace and good will for our wonderful community. Since it was often decorated with evergreens
and sometimes sprinkled with grain or cider before it was finally lit, we encourage everyone to bring a sprig
to cast onto the fire, and also to wear fine, colorful headgear to the event, which will conclude with the
singing of carols and, of course, a cup of hot wassail! Derived from the Anglo-Saxon “waes hael,” which
meant “Be in Health” or “Here’s to You,” wassail helps us to emphasize the spirit of health and friendship.
For more information, you may call Exchange Place at 423-288-6071, or visit the new website at
exchangeplacetn.org.

Exchange Place is a living history farm whose mission is to preserve and interpret the heritage of mid-
nineteenth century farm life in Northeast Tennessee. Exchange Place is a non-profit organization maintained
and operated by volunteers and is supported by donations, fundraisers, memberships and grants.