Flushing institutions band together to take Christmas traditions online

Jeran Halfpap, the education and outreach coordinator for the Queens Historical Society, taught participants how to make  Christmas wreaths at the Voelker Orth Museum. Image via Holly Tour Zoom

By Cheyenne Ligon

With the coronavirus continuing to impact beloved holiday traditions in the country’s cultural capital, some Queens organizations are joining forces to revive the events online — just in time for Christmas.

Earlier this month, the Queens Historical Society and Flushing Town Hall joined several other Flushing-based cultural institutions for the 33rd Annual Holly Tour, a walking trip that allows visitors to explore some of the neighborhood’s oldest historical sites. Along the way, they participate in holiday-themed activities  like cooking, caroling and crafting. 

Queens Historical Society officials said they were determined to keep the tradition alive, despite the pandemic. 

“We absolutely didn’t want to take a break,” said Jeran Halfpap, the education and outreach coordinator for the Queens Historical Society. “Especially when this could provide people with a lot of comfort.”

This year’s Holly Tour featured virtual stops at six Queens landmarks. Participants learned how to prepare a traditional Bakewell Tart at the historical Bowne House, constructed a homemade holiday wreath at the Kingsland Homestead, and sang favorite carols at the Voelker Orth Museum.

Though this year’s Holly Tour and other holiday programming have been forced online by the pandemic, the transition has presented an opportunity to make it and other programs even more inclusive of Flushing’s diverse community. “We have also been pushing this year’s greater accessibility to the Queens community, providing multilingual options,” Halfpap said. 

The Holly Tour was offered in four languages commonly spoken in the neighborhood: English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Korean. 

The Queens Historical Society and Flushing Town Hall also offer programming that is culturally inclusive. 

Upcoming holiday events hosted by the Queens Historical Society include a traditional piñata-making workshop on December 20th and a cooking class featuring the art of Guyanese pine tart baking on January 16th. 

For Sami Abu Shumays, the deputy director of Flushing Town Hall, diverse programming is important to the organization’s mission.

Shumays says that Flushing Town Hall has a relationship with approximately 30 teaching artists from a range of backgrounds and cultures who he calls “master tradition bearers.” 

The teaching artists are employed by Flushing Town Hall to create a range of programming for audiences ranging from young children to seniors. 

Attendees say they were grateful to once again enjoy a favorite Flushing tradition. “I never tire of this annual tour,” said participant Arline Abdalian. “Always something new to learn.”