I am always at Hanna’s Town events to volunteer, to help out, to be part of the staff or background. Well, today I went as a paid guest! Hanna’s Town was presenting their Three Centuries of Christmas and it’s one of my very favorite events that they put on. I made reservations, paid the fee, and showed up today with my note pad and pen to absorb everything I could about Christmas celebrations from the 1700’s (and before) through 2023.
Currently, the most popular holiday in the US is Thanksgiving; the second most popular is tied between Christmas and Memorial Day! There is also a self-guided walk-through with signs describing the most popular celebrations and traditions.
We started the tour with Kelton and his daughter leading us over to Hanna’s Tavern. There was a fire in the grate and the room was decorated somewhat like it would have been — although Christmas was not officially celebrated as we know it in those early centuries. I could not even begin to post everything that I learned, but I loved learning it! Dan was guarding the tavern and escorted us in.
Let’s see – a few facts from early centuries. Belsnickel was a prototype of Santa, but he (unlike Santa) did not stay hidden. He knocked on doors, asking the children if they were good. If not, they were ‘whipped’; if they were, they were given a treat. Belsnickel also went house to house and took donations from the rich and gave to the poor. Houses were decorated with items from nature: Fruit and candles and holly. There was a Paradise tree and the children acted out Bible stories, especially the creation and fall of man. Christmas was banned several times during those early centuries, perceived to be too pagan and not focusing on the birth of Christ. I liked these decorations best.
The Nineteenth Century: Trees were decorated with dough ornaments, walnuts, candles, and cranberry or popcorn garlands with a wooden angel on top. Gifts for the children were left in stockings hung on the mantle, or even on the tree. Clement C Moore’s NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS was a very important part of Christmas celebrations, as well as A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens. Silent Night was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818.
In 1870 President Grant declared Christmas a national holiday. During the 1900’s Queen Victoria had a lot of influence on US celebrations; German glass manufacturing did, as well.
Cathy shared experiences and celebrations held during the Civil War. One item she shared was that after Sherman took Atlanta, he dressed his horses up as reindeer and delivered food to the families that needed help. This was probably my favorite part, information wise.
While during the 1800’s trees were small and placed on table tops, they moved to bigger sizes and were sat on the floor in the 1900’s. Decorations were manufactured. Santa was based on Clement Moore’s poem and eventually the image presented by Coca Cola – jolly man in a red suit! I liked the memories in this segment.
In 1939 Montgomery Ward introduced Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as a storybook and stuffed toy; we still embrace Rudolph in our celebrations, along with Gene Autry’s recording of Rudolph’s story in 1949. Electric lights were offered in 1903, and in 1923 President Coolidge erected the first National Christmas Tree on the White House lawn. In 1915 John C Hall (Hallmark) mass-produced the first affordable Christmas cards — see what they started? It was said that it took one month to get ready for Christmas and two weeks to get over it!
Radio, TV and movies became prevalent and increased in popularity, even having a broadcast from space from Apollo 8 in 1968. It appears that people were searching for a way to renew their connections with their past. I know that’s a strong motivation to me during the holidays!
So that will be my post for the day. If anything exciting happens during the rest of the day I will post it tomorrow!
Scripture:
Quote:
TOMORROW December 10th is:
National Lager Day; Nobel Prize Day; Human Rights Day; Dewey Decimal System Day.
Tomorrow is HCC’s Christmas dinner and program. I’ll stick with that. God bless…
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