The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-26
CHRISTMAS DAY
AMONG ACTORS
Theatrical Man Talks About
Family Gathering in New
York City.
HOW THE DAY IS
OBSERVED in OLD HOME
Memories of Happy Days Re-
called by One Who Longed
for Home on Christmas.

The loreliest moment in the life Of
any man in the theatrical business is
Christmas eve, when thoughts Of
home and loved ones come crowdinR
into his mind and obliterate the lights
and tinsel, the grandeur and glamor
which makes the theatrical business so
attractive on all but occasions like this.
To such men as Alphonse Goettler,
business manager Of GA Stubborn Gin
derella.' the delightful musical come
dy which comes to the Colonial theater
with q matinee this (Monday) after
noon, the Christmas holidays are par.
tlcu!arly lonesome and dreary.
10 some men, said Goettler Sun
day, as a tear trickled down his cheek
the spirit of Yuletide means little, but
to one who has been brought up to the
observance of all the old Kris Kringh
ceremonies Of German custom, the
thought that you are thousands of
miles from the joyous family gather.
ing and the brilliantly lighted Christ
mas tree, heavily hung with its loads
OF presents, and every one, from the
old grandfather to the tiniest toddline
grandchild. beaming happily with the
spirit of Peace on earth and good will
TO men, drives a pain through 'the
heart that wounds like dagger.
Family Gathering.
''In our family five generations are
invariably represented, and our rela-
tlons TO the third or fourth degree OF
cousins never fail to gather round the
Christmas tree il they are within a
1000 miles of New York on Christmas
eve. Every one brings present for
every one else. tt may have cost only
few cents or it may have cost many
dollars, but the thought and spirit
which envclop it is the thing which
brings happiness to the donor and re
ciDient.
"The Christmas tree is always set up
at the home Of our mother, the oldest
of our family now alive. She will cele
brste her eightieth birthday within q
few months, but nevertheless she is as
exuberaut and interested in the Christ
mas presents and party as the most
riotous Of her young grandchildren.
The presents are all held for dis
tribution until everyone has joined in
singing the Christmas carols and il
tie image of the Christ Child in the
mapger.
"Then the fun making begins, and
it lasts until late at night, and the
children are so happy that they do not
know Santa Claus from the Sandman
Recalls the Old Days.
"After observing such customs a:
these for forty years, it is hard, in
deed, to be cheerful and happy when
the memories of these gatherings
crowd through ones brain. They are
sacred, however, to nay brother Charles
the owner of 'The Stubborn Cinder
ella company, and myself, and he en-
deavored Saturday night on the Pull
man sleepers of the special train bring
ing "A Stubborn Cinderella to Salt
Lake, to reproduce as nearly as is pos
sible with such q cosmopolitan gather
ing as big musical comedy company
as that, the scenes of our childhood &
Christmas eve. Would that | had been
with them or the loved ones at home
"I have little five-year- r-old cir
who was the center of Saturday night e
party, and I'd give a year OF my life
il L could have seen her blue eyes
sparkle and heard her clap her hands
and shout with JOY as each new, won
derful present was unwrapped before
her,