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Escape modern Christmas hubbub at the Fairbairn House

By Lucy Scholey

This article first appeared in The Low Down to Hull and Back News in the December 21, 2011 issue. Republished with permission.

For those wishing to escape the X-Boxes, Iphones and electronic greeting cards, Wakefield's Fairbairn House is offering holiday revelers a trip back in time. The 151-year-old house will play host to an afternoon of Victorian era activities including Christmas tree decorating, tobogganing, and caroling Dec. 24. William Fairbairn, a Scottish settler from the 1830s, is welcoming everyone to his home for the second year.

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"We stay with paper chains, we stay with ribbons and coniferous boughs," said Michael Cooper, of the Fairbairn House Solidarity Co-operative. "It's a nice afternoon event before people go to the carol singing (at the Wakefield United Church)."

Wakefield United Church)." The co-operative is in the midst of restoring the house into a heritage centre. It will display exhibits about the history of the Gatineau Valley, the fur trade, local Aboriginal peoples and, of course, William Fairbairn. In 1838, he built the original gristmill - part of which is now the Wakefield Mill - and the Fairbairn House in 1860 where he lived with his family

The co-operative has raised $225,000 and refurbished the building's exterior in the summer of 2010. Benches for an outdoor seating area were erected last summer and the interior is next on the list.

The heritage centre is planned to open next year, but the co-operative is still trying to reach its fundraising goal of $525,000.

Although historical characters will be on site again this year, they may not be appropriately dressed. The amateur theatre group that supplied last year's period garb, Ottawa Little Theatre, has closed its costume rental department until January. Fairbairn Christmas organizers are seeking top hat makers to give the actors a Victorian feel.

Head to the Fairbairn House Dec. 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for decorating, hot chocolate and sweets. For more information, visit www.fairbairn.ca or contact info@fairbairn.ca.