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Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site presents an old-fashioned Christmas on Dec. 10 with music and treats.

 The cabin’s historic interpreters will discuss the ever-changing Christmas traditions during Abraham Lincoln’s time and how the Greek bishop St. Nicholas came to be known as Santa Claus, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Visitor’s Center will offer music, snacks and family-friendly activities.

 When Lincoln’s father and step-mother lived at the cabin in the 1840s, Christmas celebrations were changing rapidly.

 For example, the Christmas tree was just making its way from Germany to Britain and the United States. “A Christmas Carol” had solidified the holiday’s reputation as a time for family and friends. Contemporary Christmas cards and drawings in magazines such as Harper’s Weekly were redefining how the holiday should look.

 Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site is part of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. It re-creates the 19th century home of Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln, father and step-mother of the president.

 The site is eight miles south of Charleston and is open Wednesday through Sunday for free public tours.

 For more information about the site and its programming call (217) 345-1845 or visit www.lincolnlogcabin.org. You can also follow the site on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lincolnlogcabin.  

 The site is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. IHPA protects the state’s historic resources, which contribute to education, culture and the economy. IHPA sites include ancient burial mounds, forts and buildings erected by settlers, and homes connected to famous Illinoisans.