Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-12-28
CHRISTMAS IN OLD SOUTH
Good Cheer and Simplest Holiday
Spirit Prevailed

South:
Christmas in the old South What
tender memories cluster around
that time! Memories, which, like
immortelles, will last forever
Who of us that lived in those
blessed days can forget2 Truly it
was a halowed season and one
which we will never see again.
The passing away of the old life
in the South after the Civil War was
to be deplored, for with it died so
many beautiful customs and none
more so than those which surround
ed the Christmas season.
Every where the true holiday
spirit prevailed. which made giving
a pleasure from the heart, and not,
Il, 10 favor.
The familie~ in those days were
large, for Gods laws Here observed
n all lhirg>. and 70 be childltss, O.
- ha,r hui &c go '~o chill ren. Wa
,-it. rcd id ,-y., ;olsiortuue.
not d di>tra,e.
Entertaining VAS seer nd nature.
,Dd through an tbs year there was
a generous hoSpits'ity every here;
l. was at tie Chri~tm season thai
i reached tie zeuith OF it, perfeC-
tiun in its laviShne>s
For weeks beforehand huge boxes
arrived by beat and train, and were
emptied OF their contents behind
closed doors, ole Marse and ole
Mss" with perhaps tr1sted few
; attended to this. after which the
; great store room was locked and the
key placed safely away. Oh, those
blessed old days, when, to us chit
dren, everything was wrapped ia
delicious mystery, for, thank GOD
we had old fashioned mo,hers, whose
example and teachings kept Us pure
and innocent. and our belief in deal
Cd Santa C'aus was uushaken.
r., Christmas morning. Oh. the eX
citement was deliciousl Before day
light we we're awakened by the SCUM,
ie of many feet and laughing voices ont
- side on the lawn. After a hast.
ii toilet with our well filed stocking
x Rugged close, we ran down to til
d. great hall to see dear white haire
d. grandpa handing out the apple tod
q" dy and eggnog, both of his ow
1t brewing. Each member OF the fam
Il lily must take tiny glass, just fc
II luck, you know.
d Then the hall doors we're throw
Vi open and myriad voices cried on
on "Chrismus gif ole Mars and o
u" Miss, merry Chrismus to ever.
i"' body" Oh, those joyous shinir
ne black faces were so full of love, ha
Us piness and thanks as each one W
one bountifully supplied with all sol
%" of comforts and good things. Not
u" child, down to the latest pickaui
VI ny arrival, was forgotten. As
look back now over the years tn
'"l- have flown, l think grandpa mu
'eS have looked like grand patrar
lec as he stood there surI ounded
VIII his people, relatives and bordsmt
iil all loving aud respecting him.
vi After this came breakfast, a
'"' such a breakfast. can almC
= " taste it yet. l can see grandp;
iou bowed white head as he gave than
for all blessings and that no va CT
tho chair was there.
After breakfast all went to t
4 - little village church, whose inter
NOT had not been forgotten. for its va
iple we're hidden almost by wreaths a
rect garlands, while over the chancel
has beautiful evergreen letters was
ot - angels proclamation of ceatur
mo ago:
the Glory be to God on high g
Alec peace on earth, good will towi
nan men,
oual After the simple, but impressi
Sc services We're over, there W
pa meetings and greetings, then HI
that again, followed by a score or n
tice. of relatives and friends. Din
Re over, festivities commenced VT
ping were to last until the new J
and dawned.
ex- Grandpa and grandma have