'Tis the Season: Volunteers recreate Christmas traditions from 1775 in Old Bethpage

Around the holidays, the Old Bethpage Village Restoration comes to life at night by candlelight.  At the historic Schenck House, volunteers from the Huntington Militia show visitors many common Christmas

News 12 Staff

Dec 23, 2015, 11:43 PM

Updated 3,186 days ago

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Around the holidays, the Old Bethpage Village Restoration comes to life at night by candlelight. 
At the historic Schenck House, volunteers from the Huntington Militia show visitors many common Christmas traditions of 18th century Long Island. Martin Schenck's family lived in the house in 1775. 
Volunteers recreated the Dutch custom of St. Nicholas Day.
According to tradition, on the night of Dec. 5, Sinterklaas will fly through the air on a great white horse, and if the children have been good, Sinterklaas will leave them small gifts.
Christmas Day, which is very solemn day, is a day for going to church. Then the 12 days after Christmas would have been a time for partying and celebration.