Local holiday traditions

It’s time once again to start exploring Carolinas holiday traditions, and I have several tidbits to share.

--First, here’s a little-known tidbit that I find fascinating as a native Charlottean. Turns out our city’s namesake, Queen Charlotte (1746-1818) is credited with having the first documented Christmas tree in England, at Windsor Lodge on Christmas 1800. “She actually re-introduced the custom of the Christmas tree to Britain from Germany following the Puritan regime which had banned Christmas altogether,” wrote Marion Redd, who commissioned Queen Charlotte ornaments several years ago.

A limited supply of the German-made glass ornaments are still available through the Mecklenburg Historic Association, as I wrote in Sunday’s article.

--Next, another follow-up to that article: I left out the Mint Museums, which have sold Queen Charlotte and Queen Charlotte Crown ornaments for over 17 years. The brass ornaments, $15 each, come with information sheets and have been longtime year-round bestsellers. They’re available at both museums: the Mint Museum of Art at 2730 Randolph Road, 704-337-2037, and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, 704-337-2061.

--And finally, when I wrote Monday about Charlotte’s longstanding Singing Christmas Tree tradition from Carolina Voices (a personal favorite of mine), I learned there’s another act in town.

A reader notified me of the third annual South Charlotte Singing Christmas Tree, performing this weekend (Dec. 7-9, 7 p.m.) at Pineville’s Stough Memorial Baptist Church, 705 Lakeview Drive. Tickets are $10. More information is at www.stough.org.

What other local holiday traditions are you curious about? Let me know.