BANFF – During a time when people across the world are looking at ways to reduce their ecological footprint, Lynne Huras, manager and curator at The Luxton Museum Historical Foundation, had some ideas for the holidays.
Nestled in a residential area, two blocks from the iconic Banff Avenue, Huras spoke at the Luxton Heritage Home located on 206 Beaver St., discussing how to have a greener holiday using things already in the home.
"Personally I find the vintage decorations have a warmer kind of presence and appeal to them. They are not shinny or new, but they have a family history that come with them and carry that along with them," Huras said.
Practicing what she preaches, Huras pointed to the decorations displayed in the Luxton Heritage Home, including festive ceramic displays from the 1950s, vintage angel candles and paper bells from the early 1900s.
"We have pieces in the house – some are from 1906, they have been around for a long time – since the Luxton family was in the house," Huras noted with a smile.
"If you package them nicely, decorations will survive and can be used for another day. Certainly if you have vintage decorations, I would say don't get rid of them."
Built in 1905, the house was originally home to Norman Luxton, Georgina McDougall Luxton and their daughter Eleanor Luxton – all with influential histories.
Norman helped build the Kind Edward Hotel and Lux Theatre in Banff while also publishing Alberta's oldest newspaper for nearly 50 years.
Georgina, granddaughter of the founding McDougall family who build the McDougall Methodist settlement in Morleyville, was recognized by Stoney Nakoda Nation as a princess and blood sister for helping as a peacekeeper and according to family history, may be the first non-Indigenous child born in Alberta.
Eleanor held several titles as a writer, mechanic draftsman, locomotive designer, field-worker and historian – and also established the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation, preserving the Beaver Street home, before she died in 1995.
"You don't have to buy new – a lot of new stuff is plastic and not made in the most green or environmentally friendly way – keeping vintage decor is just another way of repurposing and re-using," Huras noted.
"Even in the vintage stores you can find some of these pieces, they may not be your family history, but just the idea of that they've been around for so many Christmases, come with the sense of seeing so many different eras, is amazing."
Showing how the 113-year old paper bells lie flat after releasing a metal hook, Huras said proper storage of vintage ornaments simply means handling delicate decorations carefully and putting tissue paper between layers.
While displaying the decorations that have been in the home for decades, Huras noted there were not many decorations to display, as traditionally families would use more natural decorations, such as boughs, or stringing popcorn and cranberries – ideas she encourages.
"They would've used a lot more natural items ... they would've had a real Christmas tree where they would have used the boughs of the tree, for example if you are cutting off the lower branches of the tree to fit it in the house, use the extra around your house or on your front porch or stairwell, as part of the decorations," she said.
"They would've used real fruit to decorate the tree. It was common to slice apples or use oranges and dry them in the oven and hang them with a string. It was quite beautiful a looked like stained glass windows."
Dubbed as one of the most wasteful times of the year, the museum curator said she is hopeful to see more waste diverted from landfills by using what we already have for the holiday.
"The holidays are a big time where, I think, our garbage piles increase incredibly, boxes, wrapping paper, gifts people may or may not want – things are so short term, but if we do things that are sustainable, we just keep items out of the garbage."
To check out some of the 113-year-old decorations, visit the Historic Luxton Home Museum at 206 Beaver St. in Banff. Winter viewings by appointment only and admission by donation. Visit luxtonfoundation.org for more information.
