News flash: Santa doesn’t deliver gifts in Italy, Belarus or many other places, according to Naper Settlement exhibit
Yes, there’s Santa Claus. But there’s also Papa Noel, Krampus, Mikuláš, Befana — and Naper Settlement is honoring them all.
As an ode to the cast of holiday figures that command winter celebrations across the globe, the Naperville history museum has curated a new exhibit for the season: “Santas Around the World: Exploring Holiday Traditions.”
Open through Jan. 5, the display focuses on the histories and lore of holiday characters from about a dozen different countries. It also delves into the beginnings of different holiday traditions, including how — and why — they came about.
“From sending cards to decorating trees, this exhibit dives into the origins of several popular holiday traditions as well as … fascinating holiday characters from around the world,” Dina Spoerl, exhibits team leader at Naper Settlement, said in a news release. “Some of these holiday characters are charming, while some are saintly and some are sinister.”
Naper Settlement puts on an original winter exhibit every year, spokeswoman Denise Cartina said. Past displays have featured everything from holiday toys through the decades to holiday catalogs.
“It’s just a lighthearted, family fun thing to do,” Cartina said.
This year’s exhibit is split into two galleries. In one, there’s more standard museum fare, with artifacts, display cases and research offering an overview of how holiday icons differ from Czechia to Italy.
The other half of “Santas Around the World” is more visitor-centered. Designed to make museum-goers a part of the show, the gallery is entirely interactive. There, visitors can write letters to Santa, decorate wooden ornaments and share their own holiday traditions on postcards for the settlement to display.
The exhibit’s interactive portion is primarily open during the settlement’s annual Holly Jolly Days event, Cartina said, which launched over the weekend and will continue on Dec. 15-16.
Otherwise, the exhibit is included as part of general admission to the museum campus.
More information about Naper Settlement hours and tickets can be found at www.napersettlement.org/66/Admission-Hours. Details about Holly Jolly Days are available at www.napersettlement.org/659/Holly-Jolly-Days.
