Christmas is a gentle celebration at Norlands Living History Center in Livermore Falls. There’s no Santa Claus or bright lights. No recorded music playing over and over again, and no commercialism.

But there’s the aroma of hot apple cider, the jingle of bells on a horse-drawn sleigh and caroling in the 1829 church, old-fashioned decorations and crackling wood in fireplaces throughout the old farmhouse.

It’s Christmas as it was celebrated by the Washburn family at Norlands during the 1870s — and it’s fun.

“We don’t go all out with decorations,” explained Curt Bonney, Norlands’ new director. “Christmas wasn’t celebrated as much in the 1870s as it is today.”

In fact, according to Bonney, some families in Maine didn’t even celebrate Christmas back then.

“The Washburns had been around a bit,” Bonney said, “so they celebrated Christmas. But a lot of families only celebrated Christmas as a way of showing off to their neighbors.”

The Washburn family had plenty to show off. Their 11-room home was opulent even by today’s standards. It featured everything from a music room to a caretaker’s section. And it sat perched on a hill amid 200 acres of rolling farmland.

While much has changed since then, some things remain the same. Norlands is a living-history center in every way. Visitors don’t just look at exhibits, they experience the past.

“We live the rural New England lifestyle of the 19th century,” Bonney said. “We farm and manage the wood lot and we use horses and oxen to do both.”

Norlands also uses its visitors, according to Bonney.

“School groups are expected to pitch right in and help,” he said. While the girls work in the house, the boys are out in the fields doing whatever the season dictates, which might mean planting, picking or even cutting wood.

“During overnights, we have each group switch roles,” Bonney said. “That means the women do the men’s chores and the men do the women’s work. It gives each group an appreciation for the other.”

It’s been that way since Norlands became a living-history museum under the directorship of Billie Gammon, who was hired by the Washburn family to organize the family’s books, papers and artifacts during the 1950s.

Mrs. Gammon has devoted her life to Norlands since that time.

“Without Billie, this place would have gone beyond recall,” Bonney said. “She made it her life’s work.”

There’s no argument from Mrs. Gammon.

“I think everyone devotes their life to something,” she said. “Some people devote it to golf or TV, others to work or their family. For me, it was Norlands.”

Over the years, Mrs. Gammons built a base of support for Norlands and eventually — during the 1970s — she successfully turned it into a living museum.

“I love it, my children love it and my grand- children love Norlands,” she said. “Curt came to work as the farmer at Norlands 10 years ago and he loves it too.

“Norlands is infectious. It’s a disease that we all happily share in.”

Bonney was Mrs. Gammon’s choice to succeed her when she stepped down as director in August.

“Curt fully understands Norlands and knows it’s something precious that must be kept for everyone to enjoy,” she said.

Don’t get the idea Mrs. Gammon isn’t still involved, however. She is assistant director and is project director for the restoration project on the house.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” Bonney said, “but we’re going to be starting on three of the downstairs rooms in the spring.”

At a cost of $20,000 a room, both Bonney and Mrs. Gammon know it’s going to take awhile to finish the project.

“We keep finding new things as we strip the paint and wallpaper,” Bonney said. “It’s wonderful to find intricate stencil work on the ceilings and discover doorways and the original paints.

“It’s like Christmas all the time because we seem to discover a new gift every day.”

Work on the house has gone slowly because a lot of it has been on things people don’t see — such as the foundation and drainage, according to Bonney.

“We’re finally ready to restore the interior,” he said, “and everyone is excited about that.”

The unrestored house didn’t seem to deter visitors from having a good time during the recent Christmas weekend at Norlands. Wreaths, garlands and a beautiful Christmas tree got everyone into the spirit of the season.

That and the caroling, sleigh rides and old-fashioned country dinner seemed to be all anyone needed.

That doesn’t surprise Mrs. Gammon, who pointed out Norlands is open every day.

“Many people tell us Christmas doesn’t really start until they come to Norlands and do some caroling,” she said. “I know just what they mean.”

John A. Johnson is a free-lance writer who lives in North Edgecomb.