Bulloch Hall in the Festive Season

On a very cold but sunny day we decided to visit Bulloch Hall in Roswell, Georgia. It is about 15 miles from our home. We had driven by it many times but had never stopped. Bulloch Hall is an antebellum grand house that was the Bulloch Family’s estate, circa 1839. Martha “Mittie” Bulloch (1835-1884) grew up in the home - she was the mother of President Theodore Roosevelt and the paternal grandmother of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Martha “Mittie” Bulloch (1835-1884)

Later in the upcoming year we will return to Bulloch Hall and I’ll post a history on the family and the house. This time we visited the house to see it with all its holiday decorations. Unfortunately I forgot to take my Nikon – I just had my Sony camera, so some of the pictures are not too crisp.

Click on picture to enlarge

I have always liked the Christmas lights, decors, wreaths and all the trimmings. Growing up in Paris, my mother would take me to see the beautiful windows of the large department stores, Le Printemps and Les Galeries Lafayette. We would walk inside first so I could give my letter to Papa Noël (Santa.) He used to sit in a huge armchair in the middle of the central stairways. I had to walk up the stairs to reach him and was petrified to miss a step. There were no photographers then. My friend Peter of the blog Peter’s Paris has graciously let me use a couple of the photos he recently took in Paris of the stores.

Grands Magasins, Paris (courtesy of Peter's Paris)

Wooden platforms were installed under the large windows, with steps, to enable little children to see well. Every window had a different scene – mainly automated toys and stuffed animals. Here is another picture from Peter’s blog – I would think that these little men are dancing to lively music.

Animated store window in Paris (courtesy Peter's Paris)

Here in Atlanta, now that all the department stores have moved to malls, there are no longer large windows to walk by and admire. The two big department stores, Macy’s and Rich’s, have moved away from downtown. When our daughters were little, we used to take them to Rich’s downtown and they would ride Priscilla, the “Pink Pig” on top of the roof, then we would go to the Magnolia Tea Room and have a piece of succulent apple pie.

Rich’s Pink Pig in downtown Atlanta in the 70s (postcard copyright Whitefield)

But that was then, now to Roswell we go to look at the pretty Christmas decor.

It was very warm inside. We entered the large hall

then turned right entering the parlor and going toward the chimney where, it seemed, a nice fire was burning.



On the side a little table was set with “savories” ready for our tea.

click on collage to enlarge, then click on each picture to biggify

Walking into the next room we saw many snowmen.





As this huge snowman was standing close to the fire I wondered why he was not melting…



Snowmen were everywhere - on a sideboard, reflected in a mirror, on a table, on the floor …



and under a painting.



On our way to the kitchen downstairs we walked by a “deer” having a snack.



The kitchen looked inviting.

We were the only visitors and I would have liked to get my hands in the flour and cut the dough to shape gingerbread cookies…




then to move the bread and pie in the oven aside so they could have room to bake…



Or, maybe we could stop a while and read the book, open on the stand…



“Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound…”




“He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work…”



Is the chimney large enough for St Nicholas?...



Let’s close the door to the kitchen and explore the upstairs rooms…



First we walk by a wall in the hall sheltering a small village…




Upstairs, the children are well tucked in their bed and the bears are having tea…




The parents’ bedroom is also brightly lit. Going downstairs I see an inviting armchair where it would be nice to relax and read a tale of Noël.




Here is another charming room with lovely Christmas trees – but wait, is that a gentleman caller waiting on the settee?



Perhaps he would like to partake of some caroling accompanied by the pianoforte?




I don’t think so, he is not moving from the settee. As we walk by a tall window I look up and what do I see? Could this be some Osage oranges on that bare tree outside – there in the top middle pane?



Let’s walk in the garden and find this Osage orange tree (which was the subject of my post here) Yes indeed, there is an old tree, must be as old as the house, with 3 fruits left on it.




Now it is time to end our visit of Bulloch Hall and keep its delightful Christmas decorations in our memory.




I’d like to take y’all to our family gathering for Noël where we will be a diverse group of Catholic, Non-believer, Agnostic, Free Thinker, Muslim and Buddhist (plus three dogs.) But since we cannot take you with us I am sending you the postcards below with my warmest wishes for a merry and happy time during these festive days.

Vintage postcard illustrated by Jenny Nystrom, Swedish 1854-1959