A poetic holiday

SPRINGFIELD - The annual Christmas Open House, featuring holiday performances and seasonal decorations, will be featured Saturday, December 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site at 603 S. Fifth Street in Springfield. The event is free and open to the public.

Students from Lanphier High School's Teaching Academy will present Lindsay poems at 1 p.m., and Kevin Purcell will perform Dylan Thomas' whimsical story of his youth, "A Child's Christmas in Wales" at 2 p.m. Seasonal songs will be performed on the home's piano during the day.

The Vachel Lindsay Home will be decorated for the holidays in the simple style of the Lindsay family, circa 1917. Holly wreaths will hang at the windows; holly sprigs will adorn on the drapes; wrapped presents will be stacked on the parlor and library chairs with the names of each recipient pinned to the back of the chair; and the parlor Christmas tree will be decorated with glass and handmade ornaments and paper flowers, reminiscent of the way the Lindsay family decorated their tree. Visitors will receive candy canes and souvenir copies of Lindsay's Christmas poetry, and spiced tea and cookies will be served.

The Vachel Lindsay Home was built about 1850. The house was purchased in 1878 by Lindsay's parents, Dr. Vachel Thomas and Catharine Frazee Lindsay. Poet, author and artist Nicholas Vachel Lindsay was born in the home on November 10, 1879 and died there in 1931. The Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is open on Saturdays for free public tours.