By VICKI BROWN
vbrown@lowcountry.com
On Sunday, December 12, the Little Library, Colleton County’s oldest structure, was decorated for the holiday season.
At 2:00 p.m., the Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society, along with the Mayfield Garden Club and City of Walterboro, held the 30th Annual “Hanging of the Greens” at the Little Library.
Dr. Sarah Miller, professor at University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, was mistress of ceremonies, and musician Scott Brennan provided musical entertainment with “Carol of the Bells” and “Silent Night.”
Dr. Zane Brown brought the Invocation and Benediction and Walterboro Mayor Bill Young remarked how thankful the city was to still have the Little Library standing after 201 years.
Young also thanked the Historical and Preservation Society and the Mayfield Garden Club for their upkeep of the building and grounds. Several of Miller’s history students, including Brayden Banis, Becca Martin, and Kaylee Spears, explained the history of the greens, which began with the Norse people, the Celts and Romans which involved evergreen decorations which coincided with the winter solstice around December 21st. It reminded them of springtime while winter kept people indoors.
It was symbolic of life and growth.
Early Christians began to decorate their sanctuaries with evergreen as a sign of the hope that in Christ all live forever. Later, Christians added holly and berries which reminded people of Jesus’s sacrifice, crown of thorns and blood of Christ. Then mistletoe was added as a sign of God’s peace between all people.
The program ended with a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells”, sung by the crowd gathered on lawn of the Little Library, built in 1820.
