Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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^^>aKofesP^?^E|^S:it' ■ FRIDAY. DKCF^TRFn $>?. 1W Ht«VS VJ^VUMG ^OO ^ 'k ZJSSI&S —and many of 'em! We’d like to tell each of you personally that we wish you a Season of Good Cheer—but we can’t see all of you. So here goes for a Merr) Christmas to Everybody. NICHOLS STUDIO 1309% E. Main St. Newberry, S. C, / GREETING® TO EACH OF OUR LOYAL FRIENDS toll We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rom. 5:2 ~\ + '/a fir NEWBERRY LUMBER CO. We wiLl close at noon Saturday in order to give our employees Christmas holiday^. Regular hours will be resumed on Thursday morning, Decem ber 27. TTtp ?rN CANDLES Candles have lighted Christmas •ve around the world lor genera tions. It has long been a custom In Ireland to place a lighted candle in the window to guide the Christ- child on his way, and the use of candles appears in other lands in many ways. In Czechoslovakia, for example, tiny candies are set upright in nut shells and floated in pans of water.', Armenians use myriads of candles in preparing their Christmas dec orations. | At unique church services in Labrador each child receives a little lighted candle standing in a turnip, and keeps it until after the services, at which time the turnip is eaten. In Norway, families arrive at' church on Christmas eve, each carrying a flaming torch. These are stuck in the snow while the good- folk attend the services. r .ace tent Redeemer's (Sirllipfa +9n -Ancient <l3ellxtelu Sliil Scene of %Vor skip The scene of the Redeemer’s birth at Bethlehem is the site of a full day's worship and prayer each Christmas Eve. The faithful come from all parts of the world to join their voices in adoration and to see the solemn reenactment of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Discontinued for six years during World War II, the pontifical mass and ceremony was renewed in 1945 As the stars on the hillside and the pale moon wrapped the town of Bethlehem in an aura of holiness, the voices of the humble echoed in prayer from the little Church of St. Catherine, built on the hallowed rock of the most sacred spot of the Christian world. The mass was celebrated at 10 p.m., the voices of the choir-boys ringing out over the surrounding hills. At the stroke of 12 the great bells of the tower of the nativity rang out, loud and clear. The vicar, holding an image of the Christ Child, joined a proces sion of priests, acolytes and choir boys. By flickering candlelight the procession filed over the stone steps leading to the grotto of the nativity. The vicar placed the tiny repre sentation of Christ on the sacred spot where, many years before, the Redeemer came. JSaU am J^ecommen Jed c4d JSedt y[uU ZJree In dhoosing a Christmas tree, many look for trees that will not shed needles quickly indoors. High ly recommended are balsam and Douglas firs, which usually will hold their needles as long as two or three weeks in a warm house. Balsam is fragrant beyond all other Christmas trees, has long lower branches and thick spire-like top. Its needles do not stab the hand. Like the needles of all firs, they are usually flattened, not squarish. For longer life, place the tree outdoors in a bucket of water for 24 hours before putting it up, or place in a waterproof container of wet sand and keep the sand moist. I HO I HOPE . . . There to an ex> sion commonly used during »ne days Just before Christmas—and this is it, on the face of the lad with the footbaO. If things work out the way they do, he’ll get his wish. *9 i i CluUsU'KOtl Obi&UAZHQe Did you know that the observ ance of Christmas was once for bidden In England—the home of the Tula Log, the Carol-singer and fbe wassailers? During the Reformation many believed the undue jollity of Christ mas day was sacrilegious. Parlia ment, on December 24, 1652, or dered that “no observance shall be held of the five and twentieth day of December, commonly called Christmas day; nor any solemnity used or exercised in churches upon that dr.y in respect thereof." This v diet proved to be very un popular with the masses of the people. It was not until many years later, however, that Christmas was enoe again regarded as a holiday. CHRISTMAS BACKDROP Christmas Seal Idea Conceived } In Denmark A DANISH postal clerk thought of the idea of attaching stamps to Christmas packages and letters in 1903, and a few years later the scheme was tried in America. This year millions of Americans will receive a letter from their local chapter of the National Tuber- c u 1 os i s association containing Christmas seals, the seasonal re minder of the never-ending fight to stamp out the disease. Einar Holboell, at work In n, Danish postoffice conceived file idea of attaching decorative stamps; to Christmas packages, the sale, of which could be conducted by some worthwhile organization. He mentioned it to his fellow workers and they decided it would be a great help in defraying the cost of fighting tuberculosis. The idea reached King Christian, who approved, and the image of Queen Louise was placed on the first seals In 1904. Jacob Riis, Danish-born Ameri can, heard about the idea and sold it to the American public in 1907 through a magazine article written for Outlook magazine. A Red Cross worker, Miss Emily Bissell, started the first American sales that year. X ate The practice of holding “open house" has been a Christmas tradi tion through the years. The Saxon lords threw open the doors of their great halls to peasant and noble alike during the festive season and all enjoyed great feast ing, songs and the exchange of gifts. A tremendous Yule log was dragged upon an open fire pit and festi ities lasted until the embers alone re mained. The same custom was followed in the pre-Civil War South. The slaves often soaked a log in the cypress swamps long before Christmas so that It would burn slowly, and ex tend their Christmas freedom. "Open House" during the Yule- tide season is a true mark of demo cracy and a realization that he who was born on Christmas day came to save all men. Cowboy's Party Is Real American Fete One of the most typical of our American holiday celebrations is the Cowboy’s Christmas Ball, which has been held almost every year since 1884 in the small town of An son, Texas. The celebration started as a wed ding party in the old Star Hotel when ranchers poured in from the widely scattered ranges to honor one Cross P. Charley and his bride. It was such a success that it was repeated year after year. Christmas Eve brought the spirit of the old West to Anson. Cowboys donned their colorful dress, their gay shirts and decorated boots. Cowgirls outfitted themselves in gingham dresses ’Tike mother wore", A cowboy band swung out and the dancers perform the heel and toe polka, the Varsouvienne, and other old folk dances. Q\UfUt of Stpnlolic *J*ee SliAauded in Old Jle<jendd The origin oi the Christmas tree symbol is shrouded in legends that reach back to the period of Druid tree worship long before the advent of Christianity. Credit for tree deco ration and gift-giving, however, is generally given to Germany, where the customs were started in the 16th or 17th centuries. Over a period of years the practice spread into north ern Europe and from there to Amer ica. Outdoor tree decorating is essen tially an -American trademark and a spec*.! feature of community spirit. The best known outside dis plays in America are on the White House lawn and at the Rockefeller Plaza In New York City. *v\ A'V -"-r tl-iSaiSE’S ~ ■-■V^ — :G: T. M. ROGERS & SON 1414 Main Street Newberry, S. C. AY you enjoy a Christmas rich with Joy, Peace and Good Friends. ^3? ic'k'k ,4m 5 ? „ - m® COLEMAN’S East Main at Cut-off—Phone 548 Charlie Ruff Cedric Gilliam - LOUIS C. FLOYD, Insurance “A Complete Insurance Service” 1117 Boyce Street Phone 4 1 so weTI just odd our good wishes, too. SEARS, ROEBUCK and CO. CATALOG SALES STORE 1210 Caldwell Street . ‘y. ■ Newberry, S. C.