Christmas exhibit at Merced museum

The free open house for Merced County Courthouse Museum’s annual Christmas tree display is set for Sunday, when a number of performances are planned.

Many of the trees are already up and groups continue to put more up as roughly 70 holiday trees are planned for the 30th annual Christmas celebration at the Merced County Courthouse Museum.

The open house is planned 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday inside the museum at 21st and N streets.

Most of the trees have their own themes. Carolyn Vara, 68, of Merced decorated her tree with ornaments, jewelry and bookmarks that were all hand-stitched by Hmong refugees in the 1980s.

The retired Weaver Union School District teacher said refugees experienced some intolerance, and she hoped the ornaments would give people a look into the Southeast Asian culture. “This was a way for me to introduce Hmong people to others,” she said.

At the same time, those who were not educated and having a hard time finding work could sell the decorations to support their loved ones.

Vara said the stitching they used, also called reverse applique, is intricate and time consuming. Much of the colorful garb worn during Hmong New Year has the decorative stitching.

This year is the first to feature the Hmong work. “I’m glad that other people will be able to enjoy it,” she said.

Museum Director Sarah Lim said the Christmas exhibit started in 1984 in a single room and has expanded to just about every corner of the building. She said last year’s open house drew more than 400 visitors.

Several performances are planned during the open house, including jazz, choral and string ensembles. Another performance called “Storytime with Miss Danaelle” will be unlike the others.

Danaelle Rodriguez, the titular performer, said she will play several characters – a musician, a ventriloquist, a dancer – during her segment of the day’s entertainment. Originally from Manteca, the 29-year-old yoga teacher said she’s excited to be able to be part of Merced.

“I’m Merced’s biggest fan,” she said.

Regular admission to the museum is also free, and the doors are open Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

This story was originally published December 4, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Christmas exhibit at Merced museum."