“Children, eat slowly,” spoke Margret Reed as she stirred a pot of bubbling soup for her starving sons and daughters on Christmas Day in 1846, “for this one day you may have all that you wish.”

Reed and other members of the Donner Party – a group of pioneers who infamously resorted to cannibalism while trapped for the winter in the Sierra Nevada – prayed for God to end their gnawing hunger. Together we’ll explore the fascinating story of the Donner Party, with a special focus on how they spent Christmas… and what they ate for dinner.

Please note that this talk will be recorded and made available to participants upon request.

This event takes place Tuesday, December 19th, 7:30-8:45 pm EST via Zoom. Sliding Scale $10-20 via Venmo @maya-rook or card when you pay online in advance.

This class will be streamed from Firefly Studio in Maine. Sign up here through the studio’s website to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom link.

Meet Your Teacher:

Maya Rook is a cultural historian, college educator, and yoga instructor offering conversations around cultural history through Illusory Time that include explorations into a range of popular and obscure historical topics. Participants have described Maya’s approach as welcoming, vibrant, creative, playful, humorous, delightful, informative, and fun. After attending a session with Maya, you will walk away with new knowledge, a deeper connection to yourself and others, and some fresh perspective in how you view the world around you. She is also the creator of Firefly Studio in Maine.