BRADENTON, Fla. — Take a journey back to holiday time at the turn of the 20th century on the west coast of Central Florida.

It’s an Old Florida Christmas at the Manatee Village Historical Park in Bradenton, and organizers say the event is all about community.

“You have people from all walks of life, but we have one thing in common, which is the history of Manatee County,” said Reba Bohlender, the park’s event and volunteer coordinator.

The event is free and will include carol singers and choirs, food trucks and children’s crafts. Of course, small businesses and crafters will also be on hand for holiday shopping needs.

On the grounds, you’ll find a historic courthouse, schoolhouse, church, a general store and a settlers home from the early 1900s.

“It was built by the Stephens family. They had a 40-acre farm and they raised 10 children in this small house,” said park Curator Matthew Woodside.

The home — built near Myakka City — now sits in the Manatee Village Historical Park in Bradenton.

While preparing for the Florida Christmas event, Woodside’s commitment to historical accuracy shows how different things were at Christmastime in the early 1900s, down to the paper ornaments on a small, red cedar Christmas tree.

To help bring context to visitors, pomanders, oranges with cloves filled the rooms with perfume, and Christmas cards lined the upright piano.

For Christmas supper, they filled their plates with whatever the land provided, prepared on a wood-burning stove.

Ham and sweet potato pie were on the menu, as well as homemade biscuits and ham gravy.

“Because this serves as evidence to prove how we have so changed as a society,” said Woodside.

If you want to try a 1912 Christmas dish, you can — the recipes will be available in the Stephens' home.