Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1920-12-23
SANTA BANNED BY
PURITAN FATHERS
No Christmas Festivities or
Gifts for Children in Massa.
chusetts in Early Days
DAY JUST LIKE any OTHER
Condition Somewhat Better for Young
sters In New Amsterdam-Holiday
Observance Toyless In the Colo
mics In Seventeenth Century

In the early days of this country's
history Christmas festivities were not
generally observed and poor old "San-
ia Claus,' and all he represents, had
a hard time of 1t.
In Massachusetts the observation OF
Christmas was utterly denounced as
an evil, ungodly and pernicious Gus
tom. and any child daring to think OF
as much rs a plum pudding on thar
day would make herself liable to re-
proof by the authorities. All along
the stern and ~rock-bOund coast. Ger
aldine Aines writes In the Churchman.
the only Christmas trees in the days
of the Puritan domination were those
that nature had planted there and had
adorned with fleecy snow. The fires
burned brightly on the open hearths,
but as far as the children knew
Christmas was just like any other day
in the calendar. Even after the Pur-
itan reaction against the forms and
customs of the old church had spent
itself to some extent the children OF
the seventeenth century still expected
no gifts in honor of the birth of Christ.
In New Amsterdam the outlook was
a little better for the children. The
HOllanders had brought with them
their st. Nicholas. and his birthday
was celebrated joyously by young and
.-old Just before Christmas, but Christ
mas WAS also observed. OF course,
they had not many real toys as we
know them today, but in the shoes
that the little Hollanders set by the
fireplace in the shining kitchen, which
was also the living roOm. were home
made gifts. Many of these were of
a useful character, such as hand-knit
caps and mittens. hut now and then
a skillful Hollander would carve a
model of n boat such as that which
had brought them to New Amsterdam.
or a miniature chest of drawers. and
one can fancy the recipients showing
these with pride to the wondering
little Indian boys and girls when they
came to he on terms of sufficient am
ity with them for such conferences.
In Virginia. where the church of
England was strong and its adherents
steadfastly observed the holidays as
in the home country. there was always
more of the Christmas spirit and abun.
dant cheer and merrymaklng than
elsewhere at this season. Here the
Yule log held its place and here were
the games and the feasting that made
It indeed the merry season of the year.
Later when New Amsterdam became
New York and the English came In
to power the character of the Christ
mas holiday was changed somewhat,
although the Dutch influence cOntin-
ued dominant for many years.
Throughout the colonies in the sew
enteenth and eighteenth centuries
toys were an almost unknown factor,
but wherever Christmas observations
were not frowned upon by religion,
feasting and good cheer We're abun-
dnnt, and bond and free. rich and poor,
old and young. shared in the games,
abundant food and genial atmosphere.
In the eighteenth century toys began
to make their appearance in the col
onies. Some Of them We're brought
from over seas and had the enchant-
ing quality of novelty. Little girls
who had helped to mother their young
err brothers and sisters were delighted
with dolls that were all their own.
to fondle and coddle. A toy was a
thing to he cherished In those days.
Some of the gifts were of real In
trinsic value, for the shipping and
trading were growing TO be important
factors In the colonies, and men
brought treasures of all kinds from
the far East to the seaports, whence
they were distributed to other parts
| of the colonies. The war for indepen-
dence interrupted this and the chill.
dren shared in the self-sacrifices and
%deprivations that were undergone by
all the families living In the colonies
at that time. When soldiers were
starving at Valley Forge there was
little thought in their homes If Christ.
mas merrymakings and little out OF
which to provide 1t.
% After the wal there We're still lean
years. but by the opening of the nine
tcenth century peace and plenty
smiled upon the land and Santa Claus
found 1t safe to resume his visits and
make his distributions.