The Christmas season as we know it today is an amalgamation of traditions that have been observed by cultures around the globe. Over the course of many centuries, people have adopted customs rooted in ancient pagan societies such as the Roman Empire and rituals that originated during the earliest days of Christianity as it spread from nation to nation. Although the modern-day holiday season typically concludes after Dec. 25, Yuletide is a bygone Christmas tradition that kept the party going well into the new year.

Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, will host its annual Yuletide Tours on Friday, Dec. 27; Saturday, Dec. 28; and Sunday, Dec. 29. On Friday, timed entries will take place at 4, 5 and 6 p.m.; on Saturday and Sunday, guests will be admitted at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. The self-guided tours will offer members of the community a glimpse of Yuletide celebrations as they were celebrated by Colonial Americans in the 18th century.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for a set price, and discounted rates will be offered to seniors and youths between 6 and 17 years old; children age 5 and under may attend for free. A limited number of spaces are available for each tour. To purchase a ticket, visit https://rockford.yapsody.com.

During each tour, guests may wander the halls of the former home of Revolutionary War general Edward Hand, a mansion located on Historic Rock Ford's grounds. Although some Christmas traditions originate from German culture, such as placing a Christmas tree in one's home, Hand and other Irish or English Americans observed their own culture's customs, including Yuletide. The English tradition involved 12 days of revelry that began on Dec. 25. Christmas Day was reserved for religious rites, but the holiday was followed by a series of parties. The large gatherings typically included big meals, music, games and dancing that culminated in an extravagant ball on Twelfth Night. Yuletide did not highlight gift-giving as much as contemporary Christmas festivities do, but revelers usually exchanged small items of sentimental value.

The many rooms in the mansion will be restored to the way they likely were when Hand still walked its halls. The home will be filled with historically accurate decorations and cooking demonstrations of popular meals from the Colonial era, as well as live music provided by harpsichordists Faith Martin and Margaret Marsch and violinist Mercy Martin. Volunteers and performers will be dressed in period-accurate attire and stationed in the hallways to answer questions and showcase traditional 18th-century dances. This year, Historic Rock Ford will partner with Town and Country Garden Club to place a mixture of live greenery and faux flora throughout the home.

"One of our main goals is to introduce people to the Christmas traditions of the late 18th century and early 19th century," said Christina McSherry, executive director of Historic Rock Ford. "Some of them might surprise people, and it's a good way to celebrate the season and to keep the holidays going."

For more information, visit http://www.historicrockford.org.