Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-01-02

It, without tie spirits. q
the rus siaa season, wss Hosicahll
present ii he town, ana CfHistn .
day A1d q aabba ai4an flagor wissel
fneeaed bal the fine.ng Of ghe Cl.4rei
bells g asaSe real SUNDAY
Tie hilafty, ahieh 'a hard.
naidea II heoeh. nas cor pieaus bg
rs absence aud tse Yolstead veto Of
the flowing bowl made possible a
season Of sobriety without paralelled in
the history OF the town There vas
little or no ''nogr for the egepog.
Tom and Jerry, were etherized BY
criminal statutes and punchIess punch,
when served. lacked the inspiration to
bacchanalian loquacity. In truth It
was such a Christmas as the oldest no.
mad on the Sahara wastes would have
called extremely dry, and this aridity
made possible happier Christmas for
every man, woman and child who ap-I
preciated the true significance of the
day and what it meant TO mankind.
COMMUNITY TREE
On Tuesday evening preceding
Christmas Court Square was the
gathering place Of the town. people and
many from the surrounding county, to
take part IN tbs. exercises incident to
the lighting OF The big Christmas tree
on Court Square. The thirty foot
cedar was blaze Of vari colored lights
and its symmetry was such that it was
by far the most beautiful of the Com
munity trees which the town has had.
Led by the Knights of Pythias Band,
under the direction of Capt Fred B |
spiker, there were songs OF the season
which thrilled and inspired the crowd,
and brief address by Rev. Robert L. |
Bair, pastor of the Woodstock Reform
ed Church, was an enjoyable feature of
the program The invocation was by
Rev. w. D. Keene of the Methodist
Church, and Mr. Charles c. Skyles was
master of ceremonies. Added to the
service was commendable display of
fire works, which was thoroughly en-
joyed by the tribe OF lots who were
there to see what Santa Claus was
doing
MANY ARE REMEMBERED.
The Committee which unselfishlyl
labored for the success Of the Com
munity Tree was heartened by the |
many donations of money and supphes
which were handed to it for distri-
button among the less fortunate
families in the town. Wednesday,
evening this Committee visited fifteen
families and left as the Community S
Christmas gifts basket we'll filled
with such Injuries and staples as
guaranteed Christmas dinner fit for
the most favored. IN addition to thel
baskets money was distributed by theI
Committee to many individuals who
through sickness, or other circum-
stances, would best appreciate cash re
Parenthetically, it can
be said that if the donors of sup
plies and funds could have gone
with the Committee when presents
were delivered at the homes of those
to whom the gifts meant SO much,
these donors would have been amply !
repaid by the expressions of gratitude
which the presents evoked.
In addition TO the gifts delivered byI
the Committee in Woodstock and
yicinity the inmates OF the County
Aims House were remembered with
generous donation Of fruit, candy |
nuts and tobacco.
CHURCHES CELEBRATED
Three Of the Woodstock Churches
the Christmas festival with
depicting The biblical event
in ways which were thoroughly en-
joyed by large congregations, These
pageants We're at the Presbyterian and
Methodist Churches on Sunday evening
and at the Christian Church on
Christmas night. The Lutheran and
Reformed Churches also held services
of the season and a
matin service was held on Christmas
day at the Lutheran Church. The
colored church, during the week,
celebrated the Yuletide festival with a
splendid program.
One OF The features of the days cele-
bration was the singing of carols on the
streets, early Christmas morning and
on Christmas eve the colored folks |
gave the citizens of the town a song
serenade.
The casualties, which usually mar
the pleasure OF the holiday season,
were of minor character and during
the time there was not a serious
mishap reported. This, in spite OF the
large number of automobiles, the many
Christmas trees, the use of fire
arms for noisemaking, and even the
bombardments with fire crackers,
makes if a remarkable record.
1t was a glorious Christmas season,
and gloriously spent by the majority Of
people.