Carbon County news., 1936-12-25
EARLY AMERICAN CHRISTMAS

The American cOlOnlStS celebrated III New
England in the Sounh and in the Middle Atlantic States
It was Joyous occasion at Mount Vernon in the days OF
George Washington, although the father of his country
spent Christmases that were not so peasant-at
Valley Forge and along the Delaware at the time OF the
Battle Of Trenton In interesting article in the current
number of the National Republic Mr. Peter Roman Serl
ing writing under the caption Christmas in Early Amer
ica," says in part
'EGeorge Washington s first reference to Christmas
dinner in his diary recorded December 25 1751 dur
ing his trip Barbados account of the i'll health OF his
brother Lawrence The entry reads: christmas Day fine
and clear and pleasant with moderate sea- tho continuance
of the trade (wnd which by observation had set in the
latitude of Is degrees 30 minutes We dined an Irish
goose, beef, etc.
But it was at Mount Vernon that Christmas prepara-
tons were made on a grand scale. few days before
Christmas in 1885, find this exciting note in Washing
toms Journal brought carts and cutters from my
plantations to assist in laying in stock Of fire wood for
Christmas
"Preparaton of this character evidently was an
nual event. because 1887 find this observation writ
ten in Washngton's quill "A hand from each plantation
sent the mansion house to cut wood for Christmas the
carts from the Ferry, Frenchs and Doque Run accom-
panying them in order to draw it.
They did have cook gas ranges in those
days. with not much larger than birds nest The
cooking done in great frepaces wenigh large as
city apartments of today And what wonderful things
they cooked! Turkeys-tame and Wild-Were plentiful
in those days village sparrows in this year of 1886
No everyday dinner in the days of Washington
sdered worth botherng with unless there at least
ham the table, but when it to the Christmas
dinner there whole flock of hams-home cured home
smoked and home cooked Hther and yon the immedi
ate vicinity Of the baked hams such other danes
roast beef turkey vea ducks, chicken, quail puddngs
jelies jams, apples, nuts, rasins home enade biscuits
pone and quantities of other things that made eyes
pop and mouths water!
And the tables not little two by four things
either They real tables for real people, cook
those days would turn up her in disgust she didn't
have the pleasure Of making ample preparations for any
number from dozen upward The tables long, sub
stanta affairs built with the idea of seating the mmed
ate family, all the knfoks and indefinite number Of
neghbors say nothing of stray visitors who might acc
denta drop about meal time The onslaught from such
Christmas assemblage made quite wreck Of the gorge
array Of assembled food but there always plenty
left for the help that Cooked and waited and to
take home to their children and the folks =
''But it must not be assumed for moment that the
Washngtons and the other prominent families of their day
did nothing Christmas Day but eat The religious phase
of that holy day always observed by them in attend
at their church, where they listened to appropriate
When Washington President, and living in a
New York. he entered this Christmas note in his journal
Friday Dec 25-Chrstmas Day. Went to ST. Pauls Cha
pei in the forenoon The visitors to Mrs Washington this
afternoon were not numerous, but respectable.' Z