Show 1 i lu n Pioneers Pioneer's Christmas held I i. i I M- M deep religious meaning g Christmas on the frontier as new brands of pioneers pushed ever westward to carve an empire out of virgin plains and wildernesses was in marked contrast t to the present holiday Til CUE was more meaning then in the words of The Book Dook con concerning shepherds In a certain country watching their flocks by night The solitudes the closeness of the stars the virginity of the new world and its humble people made one feel Ceel that time had stood still Christmas in those days somehow seemed much closer to that first Christmas Those bleak plains could be bethe bethe bethe the ones the Wise Men crossed this Is th the Night and you sleeping village Bethlehem The faith of the trail breakers was that of oC the Wise Men On Christmas Eve the pioneer folks folks' would g gather ther In a crude little chur church h or schoolhouse where children recited their pieces and sang songs about the birth of the Christ Child Santa would hand handout handout handout out mosquito mosquito bar bar sacks of candy a golden orange or an apple to each one childhood rapture would make that meager offering truly a gift of gold and frankincense HOMEMADE lEl sleds and sleighs skimmed over the snowy countryside with sleigh bells jingling accompaniment to the caroling of Jingle Bells Bells- Jingle Bells BeUs Except in the forest regions few Cew children enjoyed the sight of a Christmas tree but they always hung up their st stockings an old custom of oC their forefathers It was a lucky boy who woke Christmas morning to find it a anew anew new knife jack in his stocking a lucky girl who received a string of beads or a calico doll from Crom Santa Claus But that doll made from Crom spare strips of bright cloth probably was more treasured than any modern doll than can say mama go to sleep and perhaps require a diaper CHILDREN who received a slate pencil or a shell-box shell a little affair covered with shells and containing a small mirror were the special favorites of Santa For goodies no Christmas was was complete without its pans of popcorn and ropes of molasses taffy In rare cases cases there might be a bag of candy In the isolated cabins It wasn't so easy to gather with ones one's neighbors to celebrate There were wolves in the timber and being caught in a sudden udd n storm on the pioneer trails spelled death Christmas in some places places' meant a bobsled ride or perhaps ps a square dance often followed by a turkey dinner costing 25 5 cents i Gifts if any generally were in the form of utilitarian mittens mittens mittens mit mit- tens mufflers or homemade boots For the women there might be a piece of intricate handiwork to which some enterprising enterprising enterprising en en- friend had devoted her spare time for months Throughout The fi holiday season a candle burned in the attic window guiding late-faring late travelers to the shelter-the Star of Bethlehem on the frontier But with all this these hardy folks had as much fun as their great grandsons and daughters who again this year will celebrate by exchanging ing elaborate gifts dancing to name bands feasting with no worries that tomorrow there may be noU nothing ng in the electric refrigerator I |