Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1949-12-13

Bernice Jonson, the girl of Swed-
ish and Norwegian descent, stood
like a curious stranger somewhere
around 22nd N. w. between Bal
lard and Market streets in Ballard,
Seattle. No one recognized her,
everyone was brushing her aside
and she couldn't make any head
way through the throng.
She had left her office in the
Ballard Building on Market street
and it took her a half an hour to
walk one block. She was des-
perate.
Say mister she said to a
stranger, I'm the program chair
man for this affair and 1 have to
get up there in front in a hurry
Will you please let me through"
you're what? Well. why in the
dickens are you standing here for
then ?"
She shook her head.
Biggest Crowd
Finally she shouted toward the
outdoor platform erected for the
occasion and through the loud
speaker the crowd was asked to
make way for her. About that
time an accordionist was pressed
against a brick wall, trying to
play. but he couldn't even reach
the keyboard with his fingertips.
And when finally he and others
appeared on the program, the lis
teners could hardly clap their
hands. They had to shout and roar
in order to express their enthusi-
aSm.
No one, apparently, had seen
such a solidly packed crowd of
people in Ballard before.
The Scandinavian Christmas
Festival in Ballard of 194S, the
first of its kind in all of North
America, had become a living real
ity and out of the travail, the
heart of Ballard. an oceanic flood
of visitors surged forth, wave af-
ter wave. and the swells, the rush
of feeling, would not subside for
a long time. This was only the
beginning. There must be a con-
tinuation. Sure enough, this year
the festival, and the big initial
program. was repeated. as was the
initial success. A tradition was
born, tradition which is unique
in any Scandinavian community in
this part of the globe.
A woman, who had never for
gotten her Scandinavian origin,
who always felt proud of it. who
always cherished her heritage and
the Scandinavian customs, as she
had come to know them through
her parents. had given America
new kind of baby" 1t was sort
Of second-generation tribute to
the first, the immigrants, for what
they mean and what they will al
ways mean to those who have.
felt the blood-ties.
When Bernice made her plans
and dreamed about the festival she
never believed it would have the
proportions it now has.
Where Was the Yule Spirit?
In the beginning she was think
ing that the Yule spirit was not
as strongly felt as it used to be.
The simple and sacred attachment
to Christmas and all what it
means was only reflected in the
twinkling eyes of children. she
thought There was only Christ
mas rush, propelled by the mania
of commercialism.
Maybe she was little on the
sentimental side, but she couldn't
help thinking about the old Christ
mas holidays at home with her
parents and all the little prepare
tons that put so much more effect
into the climax. celebrated in the
good old fashion way.
Dreamy Christmas Thoughts
She had those dreamy Christ |
mas thoughts in mind for about
two years. She thought that Bal
lard was a distinct Scandinavian
community and that the Scandina-
VANS should get together and cele-
brate Christmas in a way that
would be reminiscent Of traditions /
a. A. "a -,.,k,-o, Ard hu t1,ic