Packwood House Christmas 1918

As you all know this year marks 100 years since the end of the First World War, also known as the Great war and the War to end all wars. Packwood House are celebrating and remembering Christmas 1918 in honour of this. They have decorated the rooms as they would have been decorated when Graham Baron Ash returned home from the war to celebrate Christmas with his family that year. Here are a few of the photos that were taken as I walked around the property yesterday.

                               The Dining room with it's cosy fireplace.

The Entrance Hall where you are greeted by a 12 foot Christmas tree.

Decorations made from coloured paper, music sheets and playing cards adorn the trees.

Paper chains made from old newspaper.

                         

 My favourite room has to be the room with the Armistice Day poppy display to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War. It is quite beautiful and has around 2,200 hand made poppies which were made by volunteers, National Trust staff and the public. It took around four months to complete.

Looking at the poppies yesterday with the lights underneath them reminded me so much of the gingerbread house I had made this year. I had no idea at the time of planning what Packwood were doing but I am loving the way it connects them.

For more on the Charlecote gingerbread house, click on the link below.

https://janaruzena.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-1918-christmas-at-charlecote-stepping.html

As you walk around Packwood House you will spot a few more of these hand made poppies.

The Long Hall

These trees show how soldiers might have celebrated Christmas in the trenches and also to commemorate local soldiers from Packwood who lost their lives.

Then we go into a room which is my favourite at all times of year. The Great hall. I love this room. Even though it is not as old as it looks, you can really let your imagination go in here. I can imagine what it must have been like to have a banquet in this hall with the beautiful long table that stretches the length covered in food and voices raised in celebrations.

The theme through the house was red and gold and red and white which worked beautifully. It is thought that putting red and white flowers together was unlucky as it represented blood and tears but maybe that makes them the right colours to use to remember the centenary of the end of the First World War.

As always, beautiful fresh flowers flow throughout each room.

The Drawing room

 Packwood House will be decorated this way until the 1st of January. For more information, click on the link below.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/packwood-house