Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-09
EARLY PIONEER HOLIDAYS HAD
DASH AND SPIRIT OF THEIR OWN
nv MRS. Nj. L.. PLASSNrANN

-~HILE the winter solstice has
M been celebrated for untold cen
w turtles in many lands under a
variety of names and with different
o~bservances. in Christian countries
this time of the year, has long been
known as the h~olidays-or holy days
not by any means to be spent in fast
ing and prayer, but as a brief period
of rejoicing, associated with the story
Of the birth Of Christ.
Primitive man. having never heard of
the coming Of the Babe OF Bethlehem,
also reioiced in his fashion over the end
of the short, dark days and the return
of the sun. II the northlands this happy
season was ushered in by the hanging
Of the mistletoe, and we are told the one
who stood beneath It, although tempo
rarily granted his every wish, was later
sacrificed to the deity who governed the
harvest.
Human sacrifices are no longer a part
of the holidays ritual to win the favor
of the god of the harvest. 1t is a time
when every one is supposed to be over
flowing with love for all humanity. Like
the men of the east. all are expected to
be gift-bearers, and this fact often mars
the pleasure Of the occasion. Thoughts Of
III DAA4 VI 0AlD1lAAy WILL INV
Puritans Were Prejudiced
Christmas was not universally observed
in his country. The Puritans ignored
it's celebration, regarding ii as savoring
of Catholicism. Instead of Christmas,
they kept New Years, but not in the
least as we do now. If we may credit
early historians. Thanksgiving was their
great day. although it did not approach
In conviviality the old-time English
Christmas. Before the Puritans feasted.
they offered public thanks, in unheated
meeting-houses, where they listened to
sermons of interminable length, and
sans lined-out hymns. How they OBJ
served New Years day I do not know,
except thai it was then presents were
given, and not at Christmas. An aunt-in-
law Of mine, who was born in Boston,
first called my attention to the Puritan
prejudice against the keeping of Christ
mas.
The Puritans of the Western Reserve
had, fortunately for their children, out
grown his prejudice. together with many
others held by their stern forefathers.
There were ne Christmas trees, however,
set up in the homes from which pres
ents were dispensed. If there was a
Christmas tree, it was a public affair of
church or Sunday school,. All the chill
dren believed in Santa Claus, and tried
their best to stay awake to witness his
coming. Sturdy home-knit stockings,
large and small, were hung from the
m~antlepiece at night inviting gifts, and
little folks went to bed in a high state
of excitement, wondering what Santa
would bring them. In the morning, long
before light, the children, too hurried to
dress, were up and investigating the
stockings so empty and limp the night
before, and now well filled and strangely
knobby. Often the stockings could not
hold everything, and mysterious parcels
were found below them.
A Pioneer Christmas
When the first Christmas Eve arrived
after our coming to this part of Idaho,
we children hung our stockings in joy
GUS anticipation that Santa Claus would
not forget us, / no longer had faith in
Santa Claus; but I did in my father and
mother. l do not remember how the day
was spent, and can recall but one gift
received, although l am sure there were
others. THAI one. for which 1 should
have been thankful, and was not, con-
sisted OF a pair of stout shoes / greatly
needed. They were not received CRATE
fully, but with keen disappointment.
Clothes, and the like, were provided as
a matter of course-they could not be
classed as gifts. I refused to be pleased.
Worst Of all, no Christmas within my
memory had failed to bring me O book.
There was no Christmas book for me in
1868, and I resented it.
1t was bitterly cold that year during
the holidays, and there was q general
feeling that something tragic was about