Hello all. It is Christmas time. A time for decorating the house with holiday cheer. To gather with friends and family in merriment. It is a time for parties where we wear our favorite ugly Christmas sweater and partake in a glass of eggnog. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Exactly 251 years ago, they were partying in Boston too. In that party, like-minded people gathered together as well. There was also decorating and dressing up. This party made a beverage the center of attention.

The Party

The Boston Tea Party, which took place on December 16, 1773, occurred as a protest to British taxation policies in the American colonies. Frustrated by the British Parliament’s Tea Act, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales and maintained a tax that many colonists saw as unfair, American patriots took action in Boston.

Dressed as Mohawk Indians, members of the secretive Sons of Liberty boarded three British ships—Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver—and decorated Boston Harbor with 342 chests of tea. This act of defiance, orchestrated by leaders such as Samuel Adams, symbolized the colonists’ growing resistance to “taxation without representation.”

I’m not sure why, but the mash up of Christmas and the Boston Tea Party makes me think of that scene in Home Alone when Kevin fools the Wet Bandits into believing there’s a Christmas party in his house. Classic. I always thought it would be a fun scene to recreate. My house isn’t quite set up for that unfortunately. You can recreate the Boston Tea Party though.

The Experience

The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, situated on the Congress Street Bridge, features full-scale replicas of the original ships, the Eleanor and Beaver. It also showcases interactive exhibits that engage visitors in the story of the Boston Tea Party. Through historical reenactments, multimedia presentations, and artifacts like an original tea chest from 1773, the museum provides a vivid portrayal of the protest against British taxation that catalyzed the American Revolution.

Starting at the meeting house, visitors become a part of the story along with costumed guides in recreating that fateful night of December 16, 1773. Here, participants become the crowd and listen to inspiring speeches from actors playing the likes of Samuel Adams. They are assisted by the guides in responding with phrases such as “hear, hear.” Guests then proceed to board one of the replica ships where the story continues. Here’s an opportunity to dump a chest overboard (they are tethered and reused by the next in line) as well. Patrons continue to a 3D theater to experience a debate between a Patriot and Loyalist the morning after the Tea Party. Before exiting, there’s a chance to see the only known surviving chest from this momentous event.

Does this sound a bit corny? I thought so too. In fact, I didn’t even include a trip to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum in my initial plans when visiting Boston. It was a late add to the itinerary when I realized we had some free time. It turned out to be a great addition.

Though on the surface it may seem a little too gimmicky, it turns out the experience is an engaging way to learn about a significant moment in our country’s creation. My 14-year old son and I really enjoyed our time as did the 20-something couple next to us. And of course the younger kids ate it up. The settings used serve to get patrons in the mood. The staff make the experience though. It is obvious they really buy into the whole idea.

I give the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum top marks for its vision and customer service. Even with adding this late, I still had to make adjustments to our reservations which they helped with superbly. Definitely include a visit to this place when planning a trip to Boston. Makes you wonder why they don’t do history like this more often.

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That just about does it for this post. Check out Boston page for more history experiences in Bean Town. If I don’t post again between now and then, have a Merry Christmas all! Until the next post,