Bluegrass Music Jam Friday, Jan. 6 from 7-9 p.m.

It’s all about passing down the music. 

GOLD HILL — For many families across Southern Appalachia, the 12 days of Christmas end on Old Christmas (Jan. 6). The tradition of “Breaking Up Christmas” is a two-week-long celebration with gatherings of friends and families who meet in each other’s homes for all-night picking and jamming. Folks of all ages come together to enjoy the fellowship and share the music while winding down the holiday season.

The tradition began with celebrations rooted in Ireland, Scotland and all over the old world. In these original celebrations, a group of men would make surprise visits to the various homes, performing plays and festive music for small donations of money and gifts.

The tradition continues today, but just for the fun of sharing the music. Musicians from professionals right on down to novice players enjoy sharing the tradition and passing on the old time and bluegrass music tunes ensuring us that both will be carried on for generations to come… There is even a popular old Fiddle Tune ‘Breaking Up Christmas’ composed by Old Time Fiddler Tommy Jarrell, made popular more recently by Appalachian Mountain Folk Musician and Story Teller David Holt:

Hooray Jake, hooray John,

Breakin’ up Christmas all night long,

Santa Claus come, done and gone, Breaking Up Christmas right straight along.

Don’t you remember a long time ago, the old folks danced the doesey-doe.

The E.H. Montgomery General Store is host to Bluegrass music every Friday evening throughout the year and has become a focal point in the North Carolina Bluegrass Music scene and is home of the North Carolina Bluegrass Music Association, drawing musicians from across North Carolina and the southeast with more recent visits from musicians from the east coast including Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia.

Montgomery General Store will host the Breaking Up Christmas event on Friday evening Jan. 6 from 7-9 p.m. Folks are invited to bring light finger foods to share.

E.H. Montgomery General Store is located in the heart of the Historic Village of Gold Hill, NC. Address for GPS is 770 St. Stephens Church Road, Gold Hill, NC

For more info phone 704-267-9439 or see the events page at www.historicgoldhill.com