HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1970-12-25, Page 12PAGE TWELVE.
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
CHRISTMAS EDITION, 1970
Churches Grace Greeting Cards
As jubilant bells ring out
the good news of Christmas,
churches of this community
stand as symbols of the true
spirit of the season.
Landmarks in the history of
Christendom, these churches
are the living center of cur-
rent activities, especially at
Christmas, when choral pro-
grams, pageants and other
t.pecial services express holi-
day joy.
Across the country, and in
other lands, soaring steeples
and ringing bells beckon wor-
shipers to "Come to Church
on Christmas."
Small wonder, then, that
churches are a favorite sub-
ject for Christmas greeting
cards. This year, the 95th an-
niversary of Christmas cards
in the 'United States, is no
exception.
A look into the past shows
three well-known churches
which were favorite Christ-
mas card features. The Little
Church around the Corner
and Trinity Church, both in
New York City, and West-
minster Abbey in London are
pictured on cards dated
around 1925 and now in the
Norcross historical collection,
®70 -MAT PAGE 27
CHURCHES, LONG a symbol
of the Christmas season, have
appeared in innumerable ways
on Christmas cards. Pictured
here is Westminster Abbey, sub-
ject of a card from the Norcross
Historical Collection.
The oldest of these church
buildings is Westminster Ab-
bey, a national shrine and
the Mother Church of the
Commonwealth of Great
Yesteryear's CustomsLive
Candles and carols, trees
and treats, gifts and greens
— and Santa Claus, of course.
Wherever Christmas is cele-
brated, these symbols seem
to appear.
In the modern era of rapid
communication, there is a
growing uniformity in the
ways that people everywhere
choose to mark the holiday.
Yesteryear's customs, how-
ever, still have their place in
modern celebrations. It's a
case of "the more things
change, the more they stay
the same," as countries, com-
munities and individuals
seek to cherish and preserve
their own special holiday tra-
ditions.
Some of these traditions,
as treasured in memory or
kept alive in holiday ritual,
are compiled in the follow-
ing paragraphs, according to
information from the editors
of Encyclopedia Internation-
al:
we join those
who sing out the
praises of
this joyful season
to thank you
for your continued
'`. patronage.
Merry
Christmas.
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C. A. McDOWELL READY -MIX
EXETER
Britain.
In 1966 the Abbey cele-
brated its 900th anniversary,
and thousands of people from
all over the world visited the
church where both common-
ers and royalty have wor-
shipped for centuries.
In commemoration of the
event, Westminster under-
went a 10 -year program of
cleaning and repairs that
cost $1,120,000.
It was on Christmas clay
that William the Conqueror
was crowned at Westminster,
and buried there are Newton,
Darwin, Keats, Tennyson,
Browning, and royal person-
ages such as Queen Elizabeth
I and her rival for the throne,
Mary Queen of Scots, Rich-
ard II, Henry VII and St.
Edward, whose shrine is the
most sacred spot in the
Abbey.
In September 1965, a tablet
was added in memory of
Winston Churchill.
0
Churches
Celebrate
Holy Day
With special services,
churches of this community
celebrate Christmas — a hol-
iday that is, first of all, a holy
day. Festivals of light, music
and prayer are dedicated to
the birth of a Holy Child in
Bethlehem, nearly two thou-
sand years ago.
For • Christian believers,
each of these — light, music,
prayer—has a special mean-
ing associated with Christ-
mas.
"And lo, the star, which
they saw in the east, went be-
fore them, 'till it came and
stood over where the young
child was. When they saw the
star, they rejoiced with ex-
ceeding great joy." Matthew
2:9-10.
The Star that guided the
Wise Men shines as symbol
of Christ, the Light of the
world, and it in turn is sym-
bolized by all the bright lights
that twinkle at Christmas
today.
Candlelight services reflect
the radiance of the holiday,
in Christian observances ev-
erywhere.
. "And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying, Glory to
God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward
men." Luke 2:13-14.
Since the angelic chorus
brought "glad tidings of great
joy" to shepherds watching
in the fields, hymns and car-
ols of rejoicing have told of
the wonder and glory of
Christmas.
That the words of the an-
gels composed the first of all
Christmas carols is a thought
repeated again and again in
favorite songs of the season.
"Hark! the Herald Angels
Sing" makes this thought its
theme, and another familiar
carol, "It Came upon the
Midnight Clear," is devoted to
"that glorious song of old,"
on the night when "the world
in solemn stillness lay to hear
the angels sing."
Christmas music in the
churches celebrates the joy
of the Nativity.
"And when they were
come into the house, they
saw the young child with
Mary his mother, and fell
down, and worshipped him."
Matthew 2:11.
"And the shepherds re-
turned, glorifying and prais-
ing God for all the things
that they had heard and
seen, as it was told unto
them." Luke 2:20.
Why Pick Chimney?
St. Nick has Reasons
Why does Santa come down ly concealing his generosity,
the chimney? he tossed the gold down a
Of all the traditions con- chimney, in secret.
netted with Santa, his un- Another theory claims that
conventional mode of entry Santa copied a goddess, who
might seem the most puz- was the first to deliver gifts
zling, Surely the magical gift via a chimney. According to
giver, who has the power to this legend, when the Vikings
drive reindeer through the of Norway celebrated the
skies and who can cover the Yuletide or winter solstice in
earth in a single night, could their great halls, a festive
find an easier way to enter feature of the occasion was
a house. . the appearance of the god-
dess Hertha in the fireplace.
As her name indicates,
Hertha was goddess of hearth
and home, and most appro-
priately arrived by way of
the chimney, to deliver her
Yuletide gifts of good luck
and good cheer.
Like most of the lore of
Christmas, Santa's choice of
the chimney has several ex-
planations. For instance, leg-
end has it that the original
Santa, St, Nicholas, present-
ed three maidens with gifts
of gold for a dowry. Modest-
ew
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Tuckey Beverages