The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 23, 1949, Image 13
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2S, 1S49
THE NEWBERRY SUN
...and
TO YOU!!
Quality Bakery
1400 Main St. Phone 958
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HERE IT IS
THE BIGGEST,
FINEST, MOST JOYFUL
CHRISTMAS EVER,
to YOU mnd YOURS
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Dennis Shoe Shop
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Maxwell Bros. & Lindsay
FURNITURE
^Jime Wot Constant
*9n th» (2eieLrationi
Of CkrUt’* Wativit t
While December 1« now the month
In which Christ's birthday Is cele
brated by Christians all over the
world, research and study show
that Christ’s nativity has been cele
brated In January, March, April,
May, September and October by
various peoples.
And although (ew people know it.
It was for the purpose of substitut
ing a Christian festival for pagan
ones of Romans and Druids that
celebrations of Christmas in Decem
ber were popularized.
Ne historian pretends to fix
the actual date of Christ’s birth
or tho date at which Christmas
became a general festival.
About all that la known is that
during the fourth century the feast
of the Nativity was observed in all
western world churches at differ
ent dates.
The confusion resulting from cele
brations in seven months of the
year caused the western church
authorities to meet In 340 to set
a definite date for the celebration.
The eastern churches did not co
operate until the sixth century when
December 25 was set as the day to
be observed.
The question has arisen in
numerable times as to why
December was selected as the
month for rejoicing. The answer '
is that this month was chosen
In order that a Christian fes
tival could compete with those
of the pagans, because Decem
ber was noted for its feasts
and holidays in nearly every
civilised land.
Greeks, Romans, Saxons and
Scandinavians all took part In the
celebration of these festivals which
had originated before the birth of
Christ.
From the Saxons came the cere
mony of burning the Yule log. Tho
Saxons burned great bonfires in
honor of their god Thor. From the
Romans came the giving of pres
ents, for this custom has been traced
to the Roman Saturnalia.
It may seem strange to claim that
the pagan riotousness might be
the forebear of the Christian holiday
of goodness and love, but inter
mingled with that which was objec
tionable, were things that have
gone straight to the hearts of peo
ple throughout the Christian world.
It’s difficult to understand, but
Ihe genial spirit of Christmas.
Santa Claus himself, hasn't always
bad it easy. There have been oc
casions when laws or traditions or
regulations have put certain curbs
en the old gentleman. Here are
some examples:
In Newark, N. J., Santa Is re
quired to pass a stiff physical ex
amination before he can serve in
a department store And even then
he is barred from kissi’ ; any ot
the children who perch upon hi:
knee.
In Charleston. S C.. charity San
tas have been forbidden to makt
a pitch on public streets on th.
grounds that children flocking in t
see them may create a traffn
L£ t
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And, moy wq odd, our sincere thanks for the
splendid patronage which you hove given us
during the year just closing. We invite your
continued consideration.
Newberry Recapping Co.
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hazard. And In Washington a few
years ago, when the postmaster
general was asked to print a Santa
Claus stamp at Christmas time he
rejected the proposal with s scorn
ful, “I should say not!”
Outside the U.S.A., Santa has
had trouble, too. In Montreal, Can
ada, an Influential organization
fought against holding of the city’s
annual Santa Claus parade on the
ground that It was “merely a dis
play of grotesque and vulgar buf
foonery.” A prominent journalist in
Rio de Janeiro fostered a move
ment to do away with Santa Claus
(Papa Noel) in Brazil and substi
tute a toy-bearing grandfather
Indian. In Mexico City the minister
of education recommended that the
Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. instead of
St. Nick, should bring gifts to chH-
dren.
In the field of opinion, Santa has
encountered some detractors. A
Prof. Ivan E. McDougle, sociologist
at Goucher college, Baltimore, de
clared: “The Santa Claus myth has
lived too long. Parents should sub
stitute philosophy’’—whatever that
is.
A Toronto psychiatrist got in his
blast. “It should be made clear te
children,” he said, “that Santa
Claus is not necessarily a real man
any mors than-any other character
out of a story book.”
Christmas of 1804
Was Chicago's Best
Surely there will never be an
other Christmas celebration like
the one in Chicago in 1804.
Captain John Whistler (grand
father of the painter who painted
the famous “Whistler's Mother’’)
was in command of the garrison at
Fort Dearborn and he decided that
there should be a great feast —com
plete with music, dancing and a
splendid Christmas tree.
Soldiers from the garrison went
a-hunting in the woods just north
of the river and came back with a
fat buck deer, some rabbits, a rac
coon or two, a few wild turkeys.
Added to the roasting pig (con
tributed by some festive-minded
citizen) and the magnificent
Christmas pudding, these morsels
provided abundance for all. Every
body —the civilians and the mili
tary— drank a toast to Thomas Jef
ferson, the President of th. United
States.
The punch was "dizzy" and there
were fifes and drums and a couple
of fiddles to play for the dancing.
It was getting late when a
watcher in one of the blockhouses
gave a warning shout that Indians
were approaching: but they turned
out to be friendly Indians who came
bearing gifts to the feast. They
watched the white folks dance, and
when the whites were exhausted,
the redskins took the floor and be
gan a wild, whooping dance of their
own which climaxed Chicago's
unique Christmas celebration is
ifc>4.
SHIRT-SLEEVED SANTA . . . It’s
not • common subject for disciu-
sion, but Santa CUus sometimes
does take off his coat and just
lonnge around In his beard and
shirtsleeves. However, this Is not
standard procedure, and it’s
mighty few Santas you see sitting
on a park bench in New York.
’'Jell the
fauth
about-
cuitoJ
Among the myriad problems
which beset parents at Christmas
time are the many questions from
the small-fry about Santa Claus.
And the business of telling Junior
or his little sister the truth about
the Jolly old gentleman in the red
suit is really a major task.
However, the situation is bound
to arise, and when it does, it does
something to your heart strings—
so you draw the little ones close
and cast about tor the best ex
planation.
Oddly enough, the true story
Is best—and the easiest to tell.
So why not Just tell the little
ones this?:
St. Nicholas (or Nicolas) is Santa
Claus' real name. He lived in Asia
Minor and was the beloved bishop
of the Greek church of Myra in
Lycia. He is the patron saint of the
young, and In some European coun
tries a i^rson dressed as a bishop
still assembles the children and
distributes gifts of nuts, sweetmeats
and other nice things to the good
boys and girls.
Children loved St. Nicholas and
trudged along beside him as he
trudged the dusty roads of the
Lycia countryside, bringing fruit
and candy to the sick and needy
One of many stories told of
his goodness concerns a poor
and honest man and his three
good and beautiful daughters.
The father was unhappy for
poverty prevented his giving
the customary dowries to his
daughters, and for this reason
they could never have suitable
husbands.
One night a bag of coins was
tossed in at the man's window. The
next night the act was repeated.
But on the third night the father
watched, and the anonymous giver
was detected. The jolly bishop stood
with the third bag of coins in his
hands. The father was very proud
and would not accept the money.
The good bishop begged the poor
men to accept the gifts and use
them for his daughters’ dowries,
requesting that his name never be
revealed.
At last, the father accepted the
money for his daughters, but he
could not keep the name of the
generous bishop secret — so the
legend of the goodness of St. Nicho
las was further spread and
strengthened.
ettmenieipeieqpe—
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VERY time we hear a
Christmas carol, we're going to think of
you. It's folks like you, our customers, who
have been so considerate in the years post
that make our Holiday complete. So when
that day rolls around ogoin, we'U think of
you, and wish you o very Merry Christmas!
W. E. TURNER
JEWELERS
C.D C0IEMAN COMPANY
1302
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