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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 1952)
Customs of Many Lands Today’s Xmas The modem Christmas, now traditional in most of the lands in which it is obsarved, is the result of amalgamation of the customs of many people. No ether body of folk customs is so cosmopolitan as those surround ing Cnristmas. “Santa Claus” and the custom eff exchanging gifts comes from Asia Minor and the Netherlands, does the Christmas stocking, twi the physical concept of San ta today is of American origin. The lighted Christmas tree we ^et from Germany; the tinsel and ^ornaments on the tree from ^southern Europe; and Holly and ^nistletoe we owe to the Druids early England, and carols to ^Middle Age England and France. Ttie creche is from Italy. The colored hard candles de —ri \ _■ rive from Italy, nuts, gifts and raisins from Spain. Christmas fare also represents a melding of the traditions of various peoples. Oldest of the usual elements of the Christmas dinner is the mince pie. It goes back to the Middle Ages in Europe, where it was originally baked in an oblong shape to rep resent the manager of the Nativity. One was supposed to eat 12 of them between Christ mas Night and Twelfth Night, (January 6). The recipe had symbolism: it was supposed to represent the gold, frankincense and myrrh of tiie Magi. The crust was the gold; the spices the myrrh; the aroma, the frankin cense. The Christmas turkey is an American innovation now well established in England and other countries. A boar’s head was the traditional Christmas course in England until the time of James I. That monarch hated pork and ordered fowl served at the royal table instead. This introduced a custom of serving swan, peacock or goose. No one who has ever read Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” forgets the description of the Crachits’ Christmas dinner; ’There never was such a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavour, size and cheap ness, were the themes of uni versal admiration. Eked out by apple-sauce and mashed pota toes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family . . . “Yet everyone had had enough, and the youngest Crachits in par ticular were steeped in sage and onion to the eyebrows! But < now, the plates being changed by Miss Belinda, Mrs. Chachit left the room, alone — too ner vous to bear witness — to take the pudding up, and bring it in. “Suppose it should not be < done enough! Suppose it should ] break in. turning out! Suppose , somebody should have got over 1 he wall of the backyard, and 1 stolen it while they were merry vith the goose. t “Hallo! A great deal of steam! a rhe pudding was out of the cop- 1 >er. A smell like washing day! < [hat was the cloth. A smell like i in eating house and a pastry- c ;ook’s next door to each other, ] vith the laundress’s next to that! rhat was the pudding. In half ] i minute Mrs. Crachit entered; i 'lushed, but smiling proudly; ] vith the pudding, like a speck- 2 ed cannon-ball, so hard and 1 :irm, blazing in half of half-a juartem of ignited brandy and stuck into the top.” The Crachits could not have been expected to have a Christ mas tree. The tree was not popu lar in England till one was intro duced in the royal palace by the German Prince Albert in 1841, after he married future Queen Victoria. The tree had been an established custom in Germany for centuries. There is a tradi tion that it was a custom start ed by Martin Luther, but this is questioned. Evergreen twigs were used for decorating at the time of the festival of the Nativity by Christ —before Luther. Holly and ivy also were identified with the holiday at a very early date. Holly represented the master of the house, whereas ivy rep resented the mistress. Holly was considered to be sacred and sedate; ivy was assumed to be of a very riotous nature. Mistletoe among the early Druids represented love. In the early Christian church it was made customary to bestow the “kiss of peace” at Christmas time. These two symbols have become interwoven in the cus tom of kissing under the mistle tie. A Christmas tradition as old as any, the yule log, is dying out in this age of apartments with gas logs and houses with oil heating. In olden time, the Yule log had to be brought home by the menfolk on Christmas Eve and kindled by the women with the remains of the previous year’s log kept specially for the purpose. The girls had to first wash their hands before setting the log ablaze. It was believed that the devil was powerless to do mischief to households where the yule log had been properly burned. Cedars of Lebanon _ Are Well Protected — On a shelf-like plateau, 600 feet above the Mediterranean, the world’s oldest Christmas trees stand where they have stood for centuries. The cedars of Lebanon, 100 of them, are protected by re ligion and law from harm at the liands of either Moslems or the Maronite Christians. The magnificent trees “that sing >f the nativity’’ were venerated as nonarchs among trees long before Judah had her first king. Some of hem have a girth of 40 feet and a jranch circumference of 300. In the days of the conquerors housands of conscripted Hebrew workers were sent into the Le >anons to take the Jerusalem “ce lar trees without number;” the esult of one of the first building ontracts, between Hiram of Phoe lecia and King Solomon. Today, however, the trees are jrotected by law and the depart nent of agriculture of the govem nent sponsors the planting of ;eedlings, so that the giant cedars vill grow forever. AN ANSWER ANYWAY For awhile Tom Zeilinger of David City thought he might have the solution to accounts about flying saucers. Zeilinger saw a white billowing object land west of his farm. When ha and airport officials investigated, they found a weather balloon and parachute rigging which had drifted 200 miles from the North Platte weather bureau. • '? A Gift for the Home at Any Price mu m tiwih I i — S : i UNDER $10. She will love this mirror backed wall shelf to display her China Dr kmck knacks to the best advantage— pet safe from little prying fingers. Finish Is mahogany. (Butler Specialty Co.) mill' ' MiiMMIMM UNDER S20. This silent valet s a neat gift item for Santa Claus himself. Made of mahogany veneer, it is collapsible and may be hung in the closet when not in use. (Stickley Brothers, Inc.) HP! mmmmmmMmmm&mmmi UNDER $30. This Maple sewing table is an indispensible gift item for the busy home maker. It also doubles as an end table next to her favorite chair. (Lewisburg Chair and Furniture Co.) UNDER $40. A gift of great charm is this dainty boudoir chair. Select one te match or harmonize with her color icheme. (Newton Mfg. Co., Inc.) UNDER $70. For the television fan this TV rocker on a swivel base pro* vides the very ultimate in luxurious seating comfort. (Fort Smith Chair Co.) OVER $300. Here Is a big ticket item— a magnificent breakfront that you will want to mention in your will, finish is fruitwood. (Jasper Cabinet CeJ Christmas Seal Product of Clerk Credit for conceiving the idea for Christmas seals belongs to a Danish postal clerk, Einer Hol boell, who in the holiday season of 1903 was sorting mail in the postoffice of Copenhagen. As he went through the stacks of Christmas mail, it occurred to him that if each sender bought a sticker and attached it to each package, the proceeds would aid in fighting tuberculosis and add color to the gifts. He mentioned it to some of his fellow workers. The scheme ap pealed to them and it was passed along through the office. The clerks discussed it with custom ers. The idea spread about Cop enhagen, and eventually King Christian heard about it. The ruler approved and decided in favor of trying it with Queen. Louise’s likeness on each stamp. It was too late to put the idea into execution that year but in 1904. four million seals were sold in the Copenhagen postoffice. So popular did the stamps be come that Holboell heard of one old woman who returned some letters without Christmas seals, declaring emphatically that she didn’t want to know people who didn’t use the stamps. A woman, Miss Emily Bissel, who worked with the Red Cross, started the sale of seals in this country. She was seeking $300 for a little open air hospital for tuberculosis patients. She de signed a stamp and persuaded friends to help with the printing and sale of them. When the cam paign bogged down, "he went to Philadelphia where •tfie met Leigh Mitchell Hodges, a colum- | nist for the Philadelphia North American. He heard Miss Bis sell’s plans and discussed them with E. A. Van Valkenburg, city editor. Van Valkenburg gave full approval and told Hodges to give the project his entire time. He also asked for 50,000 seals to be sold in the newspaper’s office. The campaign brought start ling results. Miss Bissell found she had $3,000 instead of $300 she had started to raise. And the Christmas seal campaign became a nation-wide institution. CAN YOU TOP THIS? *, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Spell man of Doniphan seem to have set a record of some sort recent ly — they became grandparents of four boys within one week. In the Middle Ages, May day was observed as a great public holiday in England. Have a Safe Christmas Don’t take the merry out of your Christmas this year. You can do your share by helping to keep it safe. Christmas has always been thought of as the children’s holiday — but besides being time for fun, it may be a time of danger. Children’s curiosity and lack of fear often leads them into hazardous situations which adults know enough to avoid. Unsafe toys and flimsy costumes can spell disaster. Fireproof Clothing. Fireproof their fun, suggests the National Board of Fire Under writers. Their clothing, especially such things as flimsy party cos tumes and cowboy suits, can be flameproofed cheaply and easily at home with a solution made by dissolving nine ounces of borax and four ounces of boric acid in the solution, wring by hiand and hang up to dry. This solution can be used on any material, which can be soaked in water and must be reapplied after every washing. Use too on curtains, drapes and other fabrics. Other reasons for fires particularly at Christmas are open fires, heaters, and furnaces in operation—which, besides Ijeing dangerous in themselves, lower the humidity in the house and tend to dry things out (this is especially true this year). Never try to “speed-up” a fire by using gasoline or kerosene. Always keep a metal screen in front of a burning fireplace. Take care in handling hot ashes. It’s best to deposit them in a metal container equipped wdth a cover (never a wooden or cardboard container.) Be sure to keep wood, coal and flammable liquid away from your furnace and the furnace room free from trash. Besides these things, there are the seasonal hazards of com bustible objects like Christmas greens and trees, paper wrappings and decorations, besides extra electrical wiring. In the winter when roads are icy and drifted with snow, fires are especially dangerous. When fire strikes every minute counts so don’t delay. Here are two important suggestions: first, write down the correct telephone number of your nearest fire depart ment, and place it near the phone. Or make note if operator is to be called for a line ring. Second, give your address clearly and distinctly when you call. Christmas Tree Hazard Biggest holiday problem—and it‘s in a class by itsel* when we’re discussing hazards—is the Christmas tree. Because it is full of pitch and resin, a fir tree is one of the most combustible objects known—and once ignited it bums so rapidly that it is just about impossible to extinguish. Choose a small tree. It’s less dangerous than a large one. Place your tree in the coolest part of the hou$e, away from fireplaces or radiators. Don’t let it block an exit. Good Suggestions Be sure you have adequate circuit wiring to connect your ap pliances, safe electric cords to conduct the current, proper size fuses in the circuits, all wires separated from furniture, wires run direct, not under rugs or draped over windows and curtains. All connections run direct to appliances never through a door or window. Never use octopus connections. All light bulbs safely separated from combustible materials like curtains, tinsel, paper, Christmas Tree limbs and decorations of all kinds. Here are some good safety suggestions to follow: 1. Look for the UL label on- all electrical toys. This means they have passed underwriters’ laboratories tests for fire and shock hazards. z. tie cautious in buying a chemical set for the children, and supervise their play with it. Also, it is unwise to let younger child ren have toys involving flame or pressure. They are dangerous in young hands. 3. Don’t set up electric trains under the Christmas tree. Super vise the play of youngsters using electrical toys. 4. NEVER leave children at home alone! 5. Never use cotton or paper for decoration on or around the tree. 6. Use only electric lights, never candles, and see that the wires are not frayed. Be sure the wiring sets for the lights you choose are marked as having been inspected by Underwirters’ Lab oratories, Inc. 7. Provide a switch some distance from the tree for turning tree lights on and off. Don’t plug or unplug them beneath the tree. 8. Throw away gift wrappings as soon as the presents are opened; don’t let them pile up near the tree. 9. Don’t leave tree lights burning when no one is home. 10. If needles near the lights turn brown, move the lights. Make this Christmas a harmless holiday for the youngsters, as well as a happy one. MILLER THEATRE '— Atkinson, Nebr. — . S>iday-Saturday Dec. 12-13 - t Sun.-Mon. Tues. Dec. 14-15-16 • • ^ f ] r * ( 'Wud.Thurs. Dec. 17-18 r « 1 I .• * ttct- J3R,jnf2«<§ ‘ r ■ - ro* * .. —..—. j Dr, Rex W. Wilson, M.D. PHYSICIAN & SURGEON Offices, 128 W. Douglas St. | O’Neill Phones: Office 138, Res. 158 more than "automatic” Tri-Matic defrosting I Iff I in the new INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER Refrigerators SIMPLE AS A-B-C A. Automatic. Fully automatic defrosting. No foods to remove, no water to empty. Frozen foods stay1 brick-hard. B. By Manual Control. Fast, electric defrosting any time you wish. A welcome convenience. C. Conventional. Defrost slowly if you wish. Handy when you clean interior of refrigerator. 111 «i««^ j ° ° ' j| | '■yjl HARLEY HARDWARE . CHAMBERS, NEBRASKA_ - I GIFT TIES | For the man in your life! Fine quality . ^ silks and satins in an exciting collec | tion of gay patterns and bright col | ors! They look higher priced, but * jus* ... I 1 1 gift sox AIiY7-Yf 2 the *°P ol the man's 3 prs. gift list. Fine quality mercerized 4 in argyles and rayon banner- | ull wraps. Good looking socks, . ■ ■ ■ W beautiful patterns. Regular or in gift box g ankle length. Pair . ’ I Meet Your Friends at 1 LEES C' . - • _ v.v.v.v.v.Vv'v'v’v*'**'*^•*'•'•'•'•V.V-VAV.V/.V**V.%V#V.V.Y.Y.*.Y W stationery "Enchantment" boxed stationery. .§ 36 matched sheets 4 and envelopes with * *•*«• *«* *» 9e" tleman. Keeps his ties al together, neat arid straight, jj 1 # Gold colored, plastic tie selector. Revolves for easy p selection. | POSTSCRIPT | | NYLONS |r |H Sheer beauty in these lovely H |H nylons ... a perfect gift for j ! H her “Christmas stocking!** 15 == = denier. 51 gauge in all the H H ■ BRACH’S 5 LB. POINSETTIA BOX CHOCOLATES l big, delightful 5 pound box of ^ hose famous Brach's chocolates. JS / CJ K 'reams, caramels, and nougats. ^ Xi ' w .ight and dark chocolates. [LEE STORE .. i;i! '" , " ' " S | !f" •!-•"•' 1 ■ > \ i' ! >V V ' "t ' •' : ■ ':' ' ' ' '' •■ ■ ' ii' '!' .. . i; ' If. -r !?’ e
