16 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 25 December '85

SHOP AT HOME IN CAPE MAY COUNTY

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Cedar Was the County's Earliest Popular Tree

By JOHN MERRILL Trying to write an article on Christmas in the Cape, I ran into a couple of difficult historical problems that would necessitate further study. One such problem was on early Christmas celebrations in Cape May. The other problem was one of locality — we are at the cultural influence junction with both our northern neighbors and our southern neighbors. We would, therefore, pick up holiday influences from both areas. So, rather than attempt to cover what I initially thought was a simple project, I decided to approach the topic of Christmas celebration by discussing the historical backgrounds of our present, typical, and more common traditions. THE USE OF the poinsettia as a traditional Christmas flower was initially a Mexican holiday tradition relating to a poor boy, having nothing to give the Christ child, knelt in the snow. From where he knelt grew a beautiful flower with scarlet leaves which he presented to the Christ child as his gift. In 1822, Dr. Joel Poinsett discovered the "Christmas flower" and brought it into the U.S. We can be thankful to Dr. Poinsett, for his contribution is considered one of the most popular of all Christmas plants. Caroling is an English tradition where groups of organized (and unorganized) singers would travel from home to home singing popular carols. Some of the homes were more generous than others to the carolers, opening their doors and showing them the hospitality of the Christmas season. More importantly, the carolers were allowed to refresh their voices before continuing their nightly singing. The idea of sending Christmas cards actually began in England, when a commercial card was created, by special request by Sir Henry Cole. The card was inscribed with "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You." After 1840, as the postal service system improved, large quantities of cards were sold and mailed as a form of seasonal greeting. FIRST DEVELOPED after the year 1100 when the Crusaders returned to Europe bringing spices with them, mince pies were < being served as a popular desert-meal. I have located a 14th century recipe for j mince pie contents and I will share it with you: ^ Use "...a pheasant, a ^ hare, a capon, two par- 'I tridges, two pigeons, and two rabbits; their meat separated from the bones, to be chopped into a fine hash; add the livers and hearts of all these animals, -5 also two kidneys of sheep , add little meat balls of ■

beef, with eggs, add pickled mushrooms, salt, pepper, vinegar, and various spices. Put it into the broth in which the bones were cooked..." and then bake into a pie. Later, as the shape of the pies changed to represent Christ's manger, arguments grew between religious groups over these mince pies. The 'pie lovers' won and the mince pie has remained a favorite traditional desert. PERHAPS the most universal Christmas tradition is the decorated Christmas tree. In Cape May County, probably the earliest, most popular evergreen tree, was also one of the most common — the cedar. Nevertheless, the idea of a decorated tree in the United States was first mentioned in a diary of 1821. Prior to this time, Martin Luther is often credited with the evergreen tree decorated with lit candles, to explain his impression to his family of the night sky and stars in the Christmas Season. In the United States, however, the custom of the Christmas tree is of Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) origin. In 1830, in York Pa., tickets were sold to admit sightseerers to view a Christmas tree "in decoration." Early decorations included such items as fruit, raisin strings, cranberry strings, almond strings, candles, and plants such as rosemary, mistletoe, ivy, holly, bay. and laurel. Often dried flowers, saved from the previous summers bountiful harvest, also hung from the tree. Christmas in Cape May County today is varied and quite beautiful with each family having its own traditions and with our inheritance of the traditions of our predecessors. May all enjoy their traditions this holiday season. From our family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and sober New Year. John Merrill of North Cape May regularly writes "Jersey Cape Historically" for this newspaper.