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Hie Herald and The Lantern

Wednesday, December It. 1979

American Christmas

(From Page 1) music, dancing, feasts and family gatherings. A French traveler, visiting At he home of a Virginian in the ifiROs,reported: •‘There was a great deal of carousing. He had sent for three fiddlers, a jester, a tightrope dancer, an .acrnba* who tumbled, they gave us all the entertainment one could wish for."' Today, if you’rp talking about getting back to a more religious holiday, you might remember that; Christmas used to be pretty wild," Cherkasky notes. So 1 wild that one early custom called mumming —* knocking on doors, ringing bells, rattling cans and shooting off firearms — got completely nut of hand in Baltimore late in the 1800s, falling into decline when quieter residents complained. After years of struggle, the Massachusetts I'uritans in tfiHl repealed their anti-holiday decreee, apparently won over by two reasons: the seasonal joy they could sec their neighbors experiencing, plus the protection the U.S. Constitution gave to the spcaration of phurch and slate The Puritans, according to social historian James H. Harnett, were less inclined to oppose the secular celebration when it was no longer a symbol of the political and religious dominance of the Church of. Kngland. But some in the colony still were not reconciled to the decision. Complained one Judge Sewell; “I believe that the body of the People Profane it: and blessed be God, no authority yet to compel them to keep it." In 1856, though. Massachusetts!

joined the growing list of states giving legal recognition to Christmas Day — the first being Alabama 20years earlier. By the mid-l800s, spirit was on the upswing throughout the country, Dickens' A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, helped bridge local and regional differences in holiday customs, Its themes of kindness and generosity, according to Cherkasky, crossed many cultural and regional boundaries, thereby helping to universalize the Christmas celebration. In 1868. Dickens gave readings of the tale in the United States and, after one appearance, he wrote: "They took it so tremendously last night that I was stopped every 5 minutes. One poor young girl bury into a passion of grief about Tiny Tim and had to be taken out." As it did in other areas of American life, the Industrial Revolution began to influence the way Christmas was observed. Christmas cards, for example. • could be produced and mailed inexpensively, gaining wide popularity by 1875. And for better or worse, the first holiday advertising appeared in the 1830's. But it was noCuntil late in the century. ' when the business and pleasure of. gift-giving began in earnest. lhai elaborate Christmas celebrations became an annual American experience. “GifU at first were given mainly (o children, servants and tradespeople," Cherkasky notes. "It was a lime for evening up accounts. But that was all to change."

“The folk-secular aspects of Christmas was taking precedence over its religious one,” Barnett says. "This was apparent in the increasing importance of Santa Claus." Thomas Mast’s drawings in "Harper’s Weekly" portrayed Santa for the first time as a jolly, whitebearded character dressed in fur. The popularity of the (hristmas tree grew right along with the change in social customs and technological progress. After Queen Victoria set up a Yulctide tree at Windsor Castle, the style was set, reaching the White House in 1865 during Franklin Pierce’s Presidency. Thomas Edison’s iab came up with a string of tree lights in 1882, 3 years after the incandescent light breakthrough, and immediately this novel idea became the rage among the wealthy. Christmas tree parties to show off the expensive, lighted trees were major social events. Today, of course, the Christmas season is the sum of many traditions. "We’re so encrusted with a whole set of thinpi to do, compared to the time when the season was really quite simple,"says Cherkasky. In A Book of Christmas, British author William Samson puts it this way: •Christmas from whatever angle you look at it is complex. When the English-speaking countries sit down at lunch-time to a •traditional Christmas dinner,’ they eat Aztec bird beside an Alsatian tree, followed by pudding spiced with subtropical preserves....>

CHEERY CAROLLERSt Ms. Rubin Zubko, music director, front row left, and Uii^Stone Harbor Elementary School Choir sang Christmas Carols at j|e Borough’s tree lighting ceremony last week. Co. Surrogate To Start Satellite Pgm.

COURT HOUSE - Cape May County Surrogate W. Robert Hentges said today that he is beginning a new "satellite" program to serve residents of Cape May County. The program will begin Monday, January 7 and continue every Monday thereafter. Surrogate Hentges said. Hentges said that the new program was the result of cooperation' between himself and Freeholder-elect Jack Bittner of Ocean City. Bittner, who will take office as Cape May Cbunty’s fifth Republican Freeholder January 1, said during the election campaign, that M would like to see "satellite’’ county offices around the county to better serve our residents and taxpayers. Surrogate Hentges said that his new program will

involve himself being present at three locations throughout Cape May County on every Monday to accept all documents relating to the probate of Wills, administration of estates and to answer any questions the public may have. This new program, Hentges said, will save many of our residents the high cost of gasoline because they will be able to travel shorter distances to take advantage of the services of my office. Hentges said that, every Monday, he will be at the following locations: Wildwood City Hall. 9 to 10 a.m., the new Lower Township Municipal Building, 11 a.m. to 12 noon, and the Ocean City City Hall Annex (across from the main Ocean City Hall) 2 to 3 p.m. Additionally, Hentges

said, "I have advised the Cape May County Bar Association of this new program. This will also enable our attorneys to bring their clients to any of these three locations, as well as the Court House, to probate Wills and file all papers relative to the operation of my office". The office, space being provided for this purpose, Hentges said, is being donated by each of the three municipalities. I am going to try, Hentges said, to operate this new program is economically as possible. I do not anticipate any expenses, since the municipalities will be providing the necessary office space. Anyone wishing additional information on this program may call 466-7111, ext. 223,

Hentges said.

■•ME SF UK HUB MEICVIBBISE

Dellas Stsres

Sal* End* Sun., Doc. 12

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VALDES

p* May A N. Capa M<

HOLIDAY NAME BRAND FASHIONS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

SHOP EARLY FOR FULL SELECTIONS

CNRISTMAS PACKAGE TASS TAGS & SEALS ft • ■Ilf 15 l 90

S GIFT BOXES PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS 0 4 0 0 GIFT GIVING 9 ■ W O REG.1.H

, ELECTRONIC CHIRPING BIRD DECORATIVE TREE ORNAMENT £ O O UL WIRE & PLUG M « W REG. 2.77

35 LIGHT MIHIATURE SET BLINKING OR STEADY LITE 0 AD 9 0 120 VOLTS 0 m M mm 0 CLEAR OR COLORS ' REG.2.SG 0j|

HAND-SEWN TOP GRAIN LEATHER a a ** O A AA CD Dll 1 SHEP HESSING ENDORSED $088 dUvUCH DALL JR. 8 ADULT MODELS 9 REG. 10.tS-12.ii

CHRISTMAS STICK-OH BOWS 25 TO PACKAGE ft STICK’EM ANYWHERE OA mM W y-' REG. 7Sc bD DD

100 SR. FEET OF GIFT WRAP 3 ROLLS 0 DD 0 0 EXTRA WIDE LARGE PACKAGES 0 "A Q Q 4(2411 84^2458 J REG. 3.80 Adi

w TNI WORLD’S URGEST CHRISTMAS STOCKIHS W 1 8 FEET TALL! i N nun »ir» nn • Minn h., ^ M

NORTH CAPE MAY BAYSHORE 8 FERRY RD. DAILY 9-9 SUNDAY 9-6

DELLAS STORES

HOME OF NAME MAND MERCHANDISE

IFEN 7 MTS A WEEK

CAPE MAY.

WASHINGTON 8 DECATUR

DAILY 9 TO 9 SUNDAY 9-6