The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-12-15
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SANTAECLAUS.

them. To them he embodies generos
ity, kindness and merriment. He il
the gift bringer. He so dominates th'
day that thoughtful mothers have won
dered whether it is we'll to dwell to-
strongly upon his charms. They hav'
been alarmed that his coming d0wr
the chimney or stove pipe may crowC
from the minds of the younger genera
tion of this big world the higher mean
ing of the day; that the child Chris
whose coming 1t commentaries might
be excluded.
1t may seem odd enough that the
original Santa Claus--the saint from
whom the children derive their won
derful yet Christmas gift-maker--
was not at first associated with the
Christmas day Even now st. Nicho.
las day is observed in some foreign
countries on the saints own day, De-
cember IS. 1t is on that day according
TO their merits that he brings them a
gift or a stick.
St. Nicholas day, like that of other
saints, is not his birthday, save in the
sense that it was the day when he was
born into heavenly life. The real st.
Nicholas, from whom our Santa Claus,
the patron saint of Russia, who has a
great many churches named after him,
lived and performed acts of kindness in
the fourth century died and was trans
ported to Paradise, December 6, 343.
He was buried at Bari, Italy, and
the day is kept as holy day. 1t
grew to be the custom of little child
ren, whose special patron he was, to
place their shoes and stockings near a
chimney on the eve of st. Nicholas
day, always confident that he would
not overlook them. The next morn
ing these receptaeles never were found
empty of the things dear to children's
hearts and they firmly belived that the
good st. Nicholas had brought them
during the night. In the converts
where young maidens were educated
silk stockings were kept for this spe-
cial occasion and were hung on the
door Of the abbess with little notes in
forming the saint of the special things
each girl wanted. And 10, miracle OF
miracles, in the morning their requests
had been answered.
1t is to be hoped that Hood River
boys and girls will find their shoes and
stockings well filled Christmas morn
Ing through the generosity of Santa
Claus, whom they call St. Nicholas in
songs and stories, though
the more familiar name of Santa Claus
10 oftener on their ruby lips.
In Austria for many generations a
st, Nicholas procession was an import
ant festival. The line of march was
composed Of men and boys, some
dressed as angels, others the opposite.
On the eve of December 6. this pro-
,ession passed from house to house.
The children in each home were cate
,hised as to their goodness and bad
,ess. II they had been good the
angels rewarded them, if otherwise
hey were left crying without gifts.
The legend on which the good saints
disposition is based, is
his: A poor man at the time of st.
Nicholas had three daughters to whom
10 could give no one in marriage. st.
Nicholas wished to relieve them of
heir poverty. So he hit the trail for
he poor citizens place of abode Sc
reilly one night and threw three large
acks of gold into the window. one
or each maiden. The legend does not
tate whether the maidens caught a
husband or not, but evidently they did.
I there were any counts or dukes in
he neighborhood at the time. Be-
ause of this generosity st. Nicholas
'eeame the gift-bringer of his time,
lao the patron saint of the maidens of
he universe.
st. Nicholas, in his early days, con
med himself to shoes and stockings
Relatively for receptacles for his
lifts. But Santa Claus is more mod
rn and up-to-date and doesn't seem to
are whether he deposits his gifts in an
Id sock with hole in the toe, or the
amily wash tub, or suspended from an
tree.
The tree as sift-bearer is not a
modern idea. 1t is older than St.
Nicholas or even Christmas day itself.
II the day of creation il was known,
vas coeval with old man Adam and
wife, Eve, for did il not bear the fruit
# all knowledge, Of which they ate?
The Egyptians used palm as
tree. In Rome fir tree
vas used-all same Hood River. An
'ther legend: The thunder oak, sacred
% the cruel god Thor, crowned by a
onely snow clad mountain. Beneath
t fire was kindled near an altar
by white-robed warriors
bold, who waited to see little child
lie under the hammer blow given by
The high priest.
Then came Boniface, bearing his
sross, symbol of a better religion
which was to overcome that of the
ieadiy hammer. Telling the old oaken
tree under which the cruel religion
we're held in cold and quiet, he bade
The people to take from the mountain
a fir tree and bear it to the chieftain's
tabernacle where they could celebrate
IN peace and love the birth-night of
he White Christ who came to save,
and not to sacrifice little children, so
you see the Oregon fir is still the lead