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FRIDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1948 America’s first Christmas was celebrated by Christopher Colum bus. It happened on Christmas eve of the memorable year 1492. Columbus was planning to observe the Feast of the Nativity with the Indian chieftain, Guacanagari, who ruled over the island of Haiti. Al- ' ready he had received fine presents from the chief who he believed to be great Khan of Cipagno, that fabulous realm of the Orient Colum bus mistakenly thought he had found. But Columbus’ plans, went wrong. He was so tired from long watches while the Santa Maria cruised the island channels that he retired to his cabin for a nap. While he was sleeping, the next in command also decided to take a rest and went be low. The helmsman, as tired as the others, decided that he deserved a rest as much as they and turned the tiller over to a cabin boy. Abandon Ship. The worst happened. Within a few minutes the Santa Maria was fast on a reef. The rolling surf drove the ship higher and higher upon the reef and opened her seams. Soon she fell over on her side and the water poured into her hull. Co lumbus and the crew were forced to seek refuge on his other ship, the Nina. Early next morning Columbus sent word of the wreck to Chief Guacanagari. Promptly the chief sent a message to Columbus assur ing him that he would give him all the assistance possible. The noble chieftain was better than his word. He assembled a great flotilla of canoes and des patched them to the Santa Maria to bring all its valuables ashore. Amid the cargo the natives saw many things that made their eyes open wide with envy. Yet so strong was their friendship for the white men and so careful Guacanagari's su pervision that not a single article was stolen. Christmas Banquet. After the last article had been brought ashore, Guacanagari had another plan. His guests had missed Christmas, but there was no reason why Columbus and the men should not enjoy the finest banquet he and his followers could provide. There was game from the woods, lobster and fish from the sea; and all sorts of tropical fruits and vege tables. A thousand natives danced in Columbus' honor after the feast ing and the climax of the cere monies came when the chief brought out a coronet of gold and placed it upon Columbus’ head. There were also presents of gold for the crew. In the Journal which he was keep ing for Ferdinand and Isabella, Co lumbus wrote: “These people love their neighbors as themselves; their discourse is ever sweet and gentle, and accompanied by a smile. I swear to your majesties, there is not in the world a better nation or land.’’ THE NEWBERRY SUN Christmas Music By Bach, Handel For a great many people the mu sic of Bach and Handel make diffi cult listening — until Christmas comes around. Then, suddenly, ev erybody starts singing and humming tunes by the two old masters. The reason for this is that both Bach and Handel were church mu sicians. One of their tasks was to compose songs for church congrega tions to sing. They proved them selves masters of beautiful, easily followed melodies in their Christmas music. Our most famous Christmas oratories and carols came from Bach and Handel. “How Brightly Beams the Morn ing Star” was composed by Bach and his “Christmas Oratorio” con tains the themes of several other popular chorales. In almost every town and village in America this Christmas a church choir will render at least a portion of George Frederick Handel's the “Messiah.” When carolers sing “Joy to the World” they’ll be sing ing part of the "Messiah” too, for that carol comes from themes found in the great oratorio. Handel also composed the musical theme of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks.” It is a strange fact, but both Bach and Handel were bom in 1685. lived for many years within thirty miles of each other, and never met. Yet today, the Christmas music they wrote is sung by men, women and children in countless churches of many faiths all over the world. Secret Gifts Left By St. Nicholas The story of how St. Nicholas be came associated with secret gift giving, and even today comes co vertly at night to leave his pres ents, is one of the most important in the history of his life. Once upon a time there was a man with three daughters, all of them wishing to marry, but with no dowry forthcoming. Sorry, indeed, was their plight. Their father had about decided to sell them as slaves, but the good St. Nicholas heard of it, and filling a purse with gold, went quietly by night to their home. Seeing a window open, he threw in the bag of gold and then stole away in the night. This money enabled the eldest daughter to marry. A second and a third time St. Nich olas made the trip and finally all three daughters were married. After the saint’s third trip, the girls’ father, who had been watch ing to see who brought the gifts, ran after St. Nicholas and thanked him for his kindness. St. Nicholas made him promise not to divulge his gift-giving and after that he al ways deposited his presents so se cretly that no one ever saw him. Yet people knew, somehow, that it was he who brought gifts during the night, and so whenever they found j a package mysteriously delivered I they instantly exclaimed, “St. Nich- | olas has brought UI” Pagan Rites Basis Of Many Customs Strange as it may seem, most American Christmas customs stem largely from Pagan rites practiced long before the birth of Christ. The custom of exchanging gifts is one of the few that springs from the Christian era. Christmas can dles, bonfires and Yule logs arise from the heathen festivals observ ing the winter solstice, Decemi it 21, when the days begin to lengthen. That was a time of great rejoicing for ancient sun worshippers who built bonfires to give strength to the ‘winter sun-god.” Pre-Christian Romans ornamented their homes with green boughs •'nd flowers for the Feast of Saturnalia which began December 19. Druids gathered mistletoe for that season, while ancient Saxons used holly, ivy and bay. Modem mistletoe and holly wreaths come from those peo ples. Christmas trees, too, spring from the ancient German days when Ger manic tribes made sacrifices to the sacred oak tree of Odin. When the missionary St. Boniface traveled to Germany in the Eighth Century and saw these celebrations he persuaded the natives to substitute a fir tree for the oak and to adorn it in a tribute to the Christ Child. During the Middle Ages the entire Christmas season was celebrated in equal fervor with that now shown on Christmas day. In some lands the celebration lasted from December 24 to January 6—Twelfth Night— and in others from December 21 to February 2. By the year 1644, Christmas in England had become such a wild orgy that the Puritans forbade its celebration by law. I Much Family Fun In Group Games “Make it a real family Christmas this year by having Santa pack a few hobby supplies or games into his pack that the whole family can enjoy together.” This suggestion comes from E. H. Regnier, a recre ation specialist at the University of Illinois. There are many hobbies that can help build companionship between parents and children. Mothers and daughters like jewelry construction and tapestry weaving. Dad and Junior go in for model-making—air planes, boats, trains and other items of special interest to the male population. Everyone enjoys operating a printing press. Small presses turn out newspapers that have a real professional look. Shellcraft and woodburning are hobbies that pro duce genuinely useful articles. For family fun, rubber-tipped darts, in door plastic horseshoes and marble games are excellent. “Christmas is a time of "togeth erness,” says Regnier. “Let’s cap italize on the situation by starting a game or hobby that will encour age the same type companion ship the year around.” Santa Pictured By Thomas Nast Thomas Nast, the famous car toonist who created our conception of Uncle Sam, the Republican ele phant and the Democratic donkey, is also credited with giving Amer ica its first modern pictorialization of Santa Claus. Nast first sketched his notion of Santa Claus in 1873. This Santa was a rollicking, chubby old man smok ing a pipe and dressed in what looked like a night shirt with fur collar a.:d cults. Since that day he has grown taller and rounder, has developed a full white beard and mustache and has acquired the tra ditional red suit bordered in ermine.