Taking advantage of last weekend’s unseasonably warm weather to visit some sites at the National Mall last weekend, we were curious to discover a rather long line at the U.S. Botanic Gardens.

It turns out the attraction of note was their annual holiday exhibit, “Home for the Holidays: A Sentimental Journey,” which “recalls the post-World War II holidays when families were reunited, a peaceful future beckoned, and celebrations had developed a distinctly American style.” The exhibit includes a large model train display, exhibits of photos and toys from the late 1940s, and even retro big-bulb Christmas lights. For more information, see their press release (PDF) The illustration is a greeting card from the decade from Hallmark’s webpage.

With most people back to work and thinking about putting the holidays behind them, this week might be a good time to drop by for some “sentimental” fun. The U.S. Botanic Garden is free and open every day from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. If you’ve had enough of the holidays, or 1940s kitsch isn’t your thing, don’t despair: everything will be back to normal after the exhibit ends Jan. 9th. Also nearby, despite the warm weather the ice skating rink at the National Gallery has been open as usual.