Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-12-31
CHRISTMAS. 1918
With the Returning Home of the Sol
dier Boys, a New Significance
Attached to the Day.

Peace on earth, good will to men,
was the spirit in which Christmas was
celebrated throughout our country on
! Wednesday. The wars end made this
possible for the first time in foul
years. In Wausau the day dawneC
clear and bright with the air as balmy
as a spring day. The snow had most
ly disappeared during the warm. mis-
| ty, rainy weather which followed
| Thanksgiving, so it was not what
would be called white Christmas, ,
winch was quite a contrast with the
CHRISTMAS had in southern Wisconsin
there, on Christmas Eve, heavy snow
storm was the order and there was sc
much of the beautiful that traffic
was seriously affected.
Many homes were made happy by
soldiers and sailors reaching here fol
the holiday season, some came from
france and other foreign countries
and very large percentage had been
honorably discharged from the U. S
service, from the various camps in
this country. There were those homes
too, which had a vacant chair.-sad.
dened by the loss of a soldier boy on
the field of battle. There were also va
cant chairs caused by the greatest ep-
ldemIc the world has even known
These sorrows were drawbacks to the
full enjoyment of the holiday season
of. 1918.
Church bells rang out their chimes
and special Yuletide services were
held in most of the churches, in some
cases, on Christmas Eve. All of the
Catholic churches held mass at mid
night, and services in churches were
held on Christmas at the usual hours
There were no Christmas trees or
Sunday school services at the church
es as in former years on Christmas
Eve, because of the decree of the
Board OF Health, which prohibited
such, on account of the influenza cpl
demic. Restrictions were also placed
on social activities, so that celebra-
tions were in the homes rather than
in the churches, halls, Y. M. C. A.
clubs and other public places.
The theaters were all open, holding
matineeS in the afternoon and enter
tainments in the evening. At the op-
era house, the Frank Winninger com
pany gave excellent entertainments in
the afternoon and evening, and was
greeted by large crowds.
The Federated Charities distributed
over 100 baskets, filled with every
thing the market afforded in the way
OF substantial foods, candies, nuts
fruits, all arranged so as to bring
cheer into every home into which they
were taken. This is a custom which
has been in vogue for many years in
Wausau, the contributions being made
by our citizens to what is known as
the Record-Herald Christmas Fund
and the Federated Charities and its
assistants, arranging and sending out
the baskets.
AS usual, Supt. Myron H. Duncan
saw to it that Christmas was observed
at the asylum and county home. There
were handsome Christmas trees al
each, electrically lighted and loaded
with presents for the inmates. There
was some discussion as to why Santa
Claus should be of the male persua-
sion, so in order to- please all, Mr.. and
Mrs. Santa Claus appeared at these
| institutions to distribute the presents
and the innovation was a pleasing
| feature.
At the Rib View sanitarium, Miss
Mary Hughes, superintendent, prep,
arations had also been made to make
the occasion an extremely happy one
in every way. A feature being q
Christmas tree loaded down with
presents and good things generally.
At all institutions there were spec
ial1V Drpnarod dinnnrc