"Tomorrow is Christmas and we are not goin to drill. We are goin to keep Christmas and we are goin to have a little fun…." So wrote a soldier in a letter home to his mother in December of 1861.

What was it like for soldiers, in both blue and gray, far from home and in the midst of war during the holiday season? Find out when you join Confederate troops for a Civil War Christmas on Sunday, December 9th from 4-7 p.m. at Mt. Zion Historic Park, 40309 John Mosby Highway, Aldie VA.

Members of the 28th Virginia Regiment will celebrate the holiday with visitors as it was done in wartime during the 1860s. Experience the customs they brought to camp with them from home, help to decorate their Christmas tree, and enjoy refreshments from the time period.

Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, contact Site Supervisor Tracy J. Gillespie at 703-327-9777 or tgillespie@nvrpa.org. Mt. Zion Historic Park is a property of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

For more information, visit www.nvrpa.org.