OCR Text |
Show 6 Customs Date Back Centuries Ever wonder, as you deck the branches of that prize pine or spruce, who help his children Christmas tree? Or when folks first discovered" the existence of Santa Claus? Or who sang the first Christmas carol? Hung up the first Christmas stocking? Chose a strategic spot for the first holiday mistletoe? Some Christmas customs are surprisingly recent, while others date back even beyond the earliest primitive Britons called it all heal and ascribed to it the magic power to heal disease, neutralize poisons, protect against witchcraft, and bestow fertility on humans and animals. If a young couple sealed their betrothal with a kiss under the mistletoe, they would have good luck for the rest of their lives. and tamily reunions - has existed only for the past 200 years. To our ancestors who Christes white horse ascribed to by old Turkish tradition. But his fame spread to Scandinavia, whose citizens felt Masse (The Mass of Christ) several centuries ago, Christmas was a time of solemn rejoicing and deep religious dedication, with little of the modern gaiety. The New England Puritans actually forbade demonjoyous Yuletide strations. New Englanders and other Americans eventually followed the lead of New Yorks Dutch settlers and succumbed to the charm of - better San Nicolaas known as Saint Nick or Santa Claus. But the jolly gent had a flourishing career long before he reached our shores. More than 1,600 years ago there was a St. Nicholas - a Turkish bishop whose countless works of charity made him a legend in his own lifetime. Martyred in 342 A.D., he became the patron saint of children and of three nations: Greece, Holland and more at home with a Saint Nick who rode a reindeer-draw- n sleigh. They also gave him his red suit, a from the ancient Norse god, Thor, As for the rosy cheeks, white beard and jolly-jellbelly, they come from the famous The Night Before poem Christmas, whose author, Dr. Clement Moore, modeled Santa after an old Dutch gentleman he had once met. About those Christmas stockings: one legend says that the original St. Nicholas, taking pity on a man too poor to provide a dowry for his daughters, dropped gold pieces into a stocking hung up by the fire to dry. Actually, the custom of hanging up Christmas stocking probably originated in Germany. What do the worlds children find in the stock- hand-me-dow- n y Belgium. People pictured him on a ings or shoes left out for In Italy, good children find gifts in their shoes, but the naughty ones discover only ashes. The German Santa enters with candy and cookies for the good youngsters, an empty potato sack for the bad ones. Americas bad uns may discover coal in their stockings, but others find gifts ranging from toy guns to harmonicas. No matter how many gifts under the tree, the tree itself is still the center of attraction in most homes - a place of honor which is solidly rooted in history. Thousands of years before Christs birth, evergreen was revered as a symbol of long life and immortality. German tribesmen brought fir trees into their homes to please the god-lik- e spirits they thought to inhabit the trees. When these pagans were converted to Christianity, they transferred their feelings for the evergreen to the new religion. The first person to decorate a Christmas tree may have been Martin Luther. Walking home one night shortly Drawn by Melanie Larsen 4th Grade Academy Park Elementary. Parents: Mr. & Mrs. David Larsen. Once ajaiki, &LESSN3 roe all the worlp to see , a warm j all of love anp Hope . May the spirit of , OF ALL HoliPAYS &RIN6 NEW PEACE Harness to all the anp woplo. Bethlehem before A-glitt- er Bethlehem glitters for Christmas. The busses stream to Manger Square, unloading devout visitors from all parts of the world. They stoop through the low doors and cling to the narrow stairways leading to the Grotto. A star marks the place where Jesus was born. The jet age permits more pilgrims than ever to visit the Holy Land, but most miss the many opportunities the Holy Land offers to lend extra meaning to Christs incarnation. The itinerary hardly permits the visitors to experience the Holy Land in all of its absorbing fascination. The usual pilgrim hardly ever enters the ordinary home in Bethlehem. Pilgrims live in hotels and visit countless churches and museums, but seldom a real lived-ihouse. Christmas Pilgrims will again throng to Bethlehem, but most will miss the many opportunities the Holy Land affords to lend extra meaning to Christs incarnation. M G.P r y Oirbmas Drawn by Anna Moana Dansie, age 8, 3rd Grade, Truman Elementary School. Parents, Mr. & Mrs. Warren Dansie. d Echoed by all of us at SWAINS 6068 So. Redwood Rd. 966-423- 1 n Drawn by Mary Ann Davis, age 11, 6th Grade, Arcadia Elementary. Parents: Mr. & Mrs. Robert Davis. FROM ALL OF US AT A WISH Seoson's Greetings From All of Us At ' The Family Health and Home Center 4067 W. 5416 So. t V - ,r i St 968-354- (pit u' 4 t 1 COMES ID THE HEARTS OF ALL MEN OF 3000. WILL . IT 13 7HET CHRISTMAS AMP ON THIS DAV WE RECALL IN MANV SPECIAL WAYS THAT CFRlST IS BORN( 7HLEHEM. 3RIN&NO To AN ETERNAL MESSAGE Santa? Christmas, he felt a strong tie between the starry night R. 24, 1981 ex- ancient equally background: But the celebrated Thursday, Dec. perience the same wonder of God. The custom grew and spread through Northern Europe, then to America. The mistletoe has an Yuletide we know - complete with gifts under the tree, friends calling to ad- mire decorations, . and the love of God. At home, he placed candles on a little evergreen tree to trimmed the first Christians. WESf VALLEY VIEW GRANGER BIG 3523 So. 1950 W. "0" 973-700- 0 a |