The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-24
Less BuStle but No Less Joy
at Christmas in the FiftieS

TN the days OF my youth, We
Il made all our own Christmas de-
corations," Miss Elizabeth Bauer,
30, Of 1924 Carrollton avenue, proud
ly recalled today.
Miss Bauer still works two days
a week in the Robert Collier in
surance Office, to which she has de-
voted fifty-two years of service.
I'VE spent hours stringing great
loops of snowy white popcorn and
bright red cranberries which we
draped literally on the trees. Moth
er gilded English walnuts which We
suspended from the limbs.
"Of course, when I was very
young, I had no part in these pre-
parations. 1 was upstairs asleep
dreaming about Kris Kingle, known
to you as Santa Claus"
While the children we're in bed
the parents maze chains of gold
and silver paper. In those days all
the modern decorative contrivances
were not available.
when our trees were lighted
with candles, we thought nothing
could be more beautiful 1 still
think there's something lovely about
candles, but these bright colored
electric lights with ref1ectors do
achieve a beautiful effect" Miss
Bauer said.
CT REMEMBER the first lovely
i wax angels which we placed at
the top of the tree. We thought
nothing could be more wonderful.
We always had a bright star rep
resenting the star of Bethlehem"
About seventy years ago one of
the now leading stores began to i'm
port the manufactured decorations.
eve always hung up our stock
ings and when we got an apple and
orange in it, we thought that was
great"
Miss Bauer still has one of the
china heads of a doll that her
father gave her the Christmas when
she was 6.
A sled for Christmas was coveted
ny every Cll1O.
such fancy Ones" she recalled.
One particularly was shaped like
a gondola and richly upholstered.
The sport of the season was sleigh
ing.
THE children of Miss Bauer's day
l. knew only one Santa and that
was the one in the home.
1--WE didn't see one in every store
like you do now" she said.
Miss Bauer's home at that time
was on the site where the Lyric
theater now stands. Up the street
a little where the Traction termin-
al now is located was the Cover
nor's home.
illinois street then was a cobble
stone street and there were no
street cars. Hitching posts were
here and there along it,"
When Miss Bauer became a young
woman she took part in many fes-
tive holiday parties. "The biggest
treat of the season were the dances
at Washington hall located where
the Indiana theater now stands. At
midnight supper was served. The
popular dance was the waltz, and
the orchestra was made up of flutes,
clarinetS and violinS and other
stringed instruments,
# -
"XKTE had to wear warm things
w to our parties because we
went in open sleds. We didn't have
so many dresses either as the girls
have today"
Miss Bauer remembered that
Christmas cards were not sent in
her early days either. The only way
to convey a message was by letter.
Many of the gifts were homemade.
Months we're spent in their prepara-
ton.
"All the rush and hustle of Christ
mas shopping today was unknown
to us" she said.
1.-THE children all were taught to
sing Christmas carols.
1--WE were happy when we could
stay up Christmas eve singing the
songs Mother had taught us. We
thought, perhaps, we might catch a
glimpse of old KrisS Kringle."