HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1970-12-24, Page 7FACTS AND FANCIES
THAT HAVE GROWN
WITH THE FESTIVE TREE
'One of the most joyous elements of the Christmas
season is the Evergreen tree. Yet• it is a fact that they
were first brought into homes at a time of fear. And
priniitive man thought that they harbored beneficent
spirits.
In the North, primitive man watched with mbunt-
ing terror the decline of the life-giving sun. Lengthen-
ing winter nights carried the threat of unending cold,
darkness and hunger. Frozen fields held no promiSe of
another harvest. Fruit trees stood bare, apparently
lifeless, deserted by the spirits.
Alone in the bitter cold and gloom, the evergreens
stood as a document of faith in the revival of the sun
god and the return of light and life to the frozen
world. Living conifers in tubs were. brought indoors
to prop the householders' courage' and to shelter the
sylvan spirits. These earliest trees of the Winter sol-
stice ritual were not ornamented. They were a testa-
ment of life, not mere decoration.
The frOstalous elements in the social, observance of
the Christmas holidays came not from the North but
from the Mediterranean countries. In Rome, the cele-
bration of the winter solstice Was an imagined return
to the simplicity .and brotherly goodwill of the Golden
Age. During the week of the Saturnalia which 'began,
on Dec. 17, all class distinctions and rules of decorum
were suspended. No official business was transacted,
children were released from school- and truces were
imposed on battlefields. Houses and public buildings
were garlanded with flowers and evergreens. Gifts
were exchanged, feasts were rampant and masks and
mummery roamed the cobbled streets.
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Old -Fashioned
Greetings
Hearty greetings are
sent your way, ,and so
are heartiest thankSI
Hutchinson
Radio — TV — Appliances
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There was a time when
Dutch children shivered
a
WITH WARMEST WISHES F'Oli4
A
Oltad
The season that generates great warmth and
joy on Earth is herel May it bring gladness
to you and yours. Thanks for your patronage/
TEXACO FUELS
Vic Walden
at the threat of a visit
from Black Pete. But mod-
ern times have converted
him into n, merry fellow
who does all the work con-
sidered below the dignity
of a saint, and generally
contributes a lot of fun.
This character, dressed
as a Moorish slave and
painted black is tradition -
the one who carries
the presents and deals out
the punishments for
naughty children.
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stories that
shod light
on Christmas
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The good St. Nicholas
would often make his ap-
pearance . . riding jolly
among the treetops, or
over the roofs of houses,
now and then drawing
forth magnificent presents
from his breeches pockets,
and dropRing them down
the chimneys of his favo-
rites.
Diedrich Knickerbocker's
History of New York.
by Washington Irving
* * *
From a telegram by
General Sherman to Presi-
dent Lincoln, Christmas
Day, 1864; "-I beg to pre-
sent to you as a Christmas
gift the city of 8avannah."
-4—* .5
Aind the angel said unto
them:. fear not for behold
I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which , shall be
to all people. For unto you
is, born this day in the city
of David, a Savior which is
Christ the Lord.
— Luke II, 10 and 11
* * *
A miner's Christmas
dinner in the Rockies,
1858: pork, elk, antelope,
buffalo, grizzly bear, squir-
-rel, prairie dog and moun-
tain rat; then Swan, crane
and quail.
* *
England's Henry V lift-
ed the siege of Rouen just
long enough to permit
food to get through for a
Christmas celebration.
There is no record of
Jesus' birthdate. Some
early church scholars
urged that it be celebrated
in January. Others press-
ed for March, April, or
September. If, as Lqke re-
ports, shepherds \pre in
the fields at night watch-
ing over their flocks, the
Nativity must have oc-
curred during a warm sea-
son. In winter, the sheep
slept in folds.
*
'
The industrial_ revolu-
tionsharply cut Back the
ra (WM/1 a I twelve day s
Christmas;Massachusetts,
in deference to the Puri-
tan tradition, didn't de-
clare Christmas Day a le-
gal holiday until 1856. But
in the agricultural south,
where December was a
slack season, the slaves
were on holiday as long as
the Chrigna-as log could be
keptburning —.sometimes
more than a week.
Hessian soldiers had in-
troduced the Christmas
tree to Americans during
the Revolutionary War,
but it was 1856 before the
first tree was put in the
White House, by President
Franklin Pierce. Several
thousand Tears earlier, the
Egyptians brought date
palms indoors during their
winter solstice rites, to
demongtrate life triumph-
ant over death. The Ro-
mans trimmed trees with
-trinkets and masks of
Bacchus during the Satur-
nalia.
Modern • man is apt to
take holly for granted, al-
though it is much ad-
mired, and °used, during
the 'Christmas Season. Yet
even before the coming of
the Christchild, holly held
a niche unique in the his-
tory of men's relationship
with plants.
Writings of the Greeks
and Romans record tile
giving of holly branches
and wreaths on happy oc-
casions. Wedding guests
brought holly to the newly
married couple as an ex-
pression of their good'
wishes, and boughs were
frequently given as gifts
to friends to signify good-
will. Its lustrous leaves-
- and glossy berries enliv-
ened pagan revels through-
,
out Europe, most notably
Come, bring with a noise,
merry,–merry boys,
The Christmas log to
the firing.
While my good dame, she
bids ye all be free,
And drink to your
heart's .desiring.
— Robert Herrick
legend of the
three trees &
the Christ -Child
Trees have been friends
of Man for as long as re-
corded history. But not al- .
ways are they ass9ciated
with the coming of the
Christ Child,' and the da.y -
which , Christians (and
other sects too) celebrate.
Legends abound about
the origin of the Christ-
mas tree. One is based on
the three trees near the
manger — the olive, the
date and the pine tree.
AA
To honor the newborn
king, the olive gave its
fruit and the palm its
dates as an offering, but
the pine tree, forlorn, had
nothing to give. Some
stars seeing this from
above, gently descended
from the heavens and
rested upon its boughs as
an offering. This charming
tale is said to be the origin
of the decorated tree. °
in this, the 'most 'festive season of the year, we express
the sincere wish that your Christmas may be the picture of great
joy and glad tidings. Many thanks for your loyal patronage!
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GODERICH '
ist ehristinas
toast results
in marriage!
One wonders at the
forcefulness of the weaker
sex, on occasion, especially
when a member of the so-
called stronger sex is un-
der the spell of spirits,
The wassail bowl land
the Christmas toast were
'.,both started in the same
gesture, sO" the tale goes,
by the daughter of an
early Germanic chieftain,
then on a campaign in
Britain. Offering a gar-
fanded bowl of wine to her
father's princely' host;
she said "Wassheil," or
'Here's to you." The prince
responded gallantly and,
one thing leading to an-
other, they were soon
married.
-
.For the commonpeople
of the Middle Ages, was -
Sail was a mixture of hot
ale, sugar, "nutmeg, and
ginger. The nobility, how-
ever, used the finest wihes
int the cellar. In later
times, a popular base for
the wassail bowl was Span-
ish ,s,hernri gown tromi the
grapes of Andalusia and
fortified with brandy.
The word "toast" how-
ever, emerged from the.
fact that early wassail
the notorioils Roman fes,; .
tival of Saturnalia.,
Householders 'from the
frozen North to the Medi-
terranean isles brought..
holly into their dwellings
to protect the.mselves
from evil *zits. They
considered it a haven for
friendly fairies of the for-
est during the winter's
cold, dark days.-I3ranches
were put in the barns,'WO,
because its cheery bright-
ness was believed to make
the cattle thrive despite
the bleak weather.
Persia's followers of .
Zoroaster believed the bol-
ly tree‘ castsno fihadovv.p
They made 4 tea, of h6,11y.
leaves for use in religious
ceremonies., In ,O.ermapY,
h911Y was called Christ',
darn, for it WAS thought
that the-crucift4onVreath.
was made 011011y,
land, he who trod on holly
berries was cursed with
bad luck,,feor the robin who
loves these berries VMS
said to have plucked the
thorns from °Christ's
brpw. This was how he got'
his red breast, according
to ancient legend.
As carolers sing
Yule songs, we join
in with wishes for a
most hal* holiday.
SAGER UPHOLSTERY
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bowls sometimes had
pieces. of toast (as well as
fruit) floating around in
the top.
In medieval days the
wassail was often accom-
panied by roasted pea-
cock, re -stuffed in its fea-
thered finery, and with a
small fire (lighted brandy)
playing about its nostrils.
Her .ladyship always serv-
ed this dish herself.
Our European ancestors
must have had strong
stomachs and a gift for
showmanship.
_
Once again, the Christmas mystery pervades the air of
home and mart' and sanctuary. To the child, the
interim has been so long; to those of more advanced
years, it has passed so quickly. Regardlets of how
slowly or how -quickly it has passed, that interim
between Christmas 1969 and Christmas 1970 has
brought it's gains and it's losses; it's achievements and
it's reverses; it's joys and it's, sorrows; it's iv -unions
and it's separations. Whatever the interim has brought
to you, we take this opportunity to express ow wish
that the peace and joy and .hope God gave at
Bethlehem at the Messiah's birth may be yours at this
Christmas Season and throughout the New Year.
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McCallum Funeral Home
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To Our Customers
1969 was quite a year but 1970 has been overwhelming.
We are .gratified with the,interest you' have shown in our
product and offer a simpleiheartfelt...
THANK YOU
Wishing You A
Merry Christmas And
Best Wishes For The New Year
1.
entuck9 fried
- TAKE HOIVIE SH6P
87 KINGSTON STREET °
Located Beside The Gulf Station At The Five Points
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