Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1982)
Portland Observer, December 15. 1982 Section II Page 5 The Gift-Givers o h (Continued from page 4 column 6) f t ls r a e l. O n the way a great n o r m \c a m e but Nicholas prayed and the 'tea becam e calm . A n o th e r ito r y says a soldier fell and was killed, but Nicholas brought him back to life. A r riv in g in the H o ly L a n d , the doors o f the church a t G o lg o th a opened when Nicholas approached. He was so impressed w ith the H oly Land that he decided to give up the church and live in the wilderness. But God commanded him to return to Patras. O n the way he heard he was to be sold in to slavery so he caused a great storm w hich drove the ship to Patras. N icholas travelled to M y ra and before he arrived the A rchbishop d ied. A fte r fa ilin g to elect a new Archbishop the people decided to let God make the choice. A dream told the eld er th at the firs t m an to go into the cathedral should be the new archbishop. That morning Nicholas arrived in the city and went to the cathedral. As the archbishop he was well-known for his kindness to all. There are many stories about how Nicholas used miracles to help his people and how he opposed the op pression o f the Rom ans. Nicholas died on Decem ber 6 , ab o u t 343 A .D . M o re than 600 years a fte r N ic h olas' d e a th , V la d im ir o f Russia jo u rn e y e d to C o n s ta n tin o p le fo r baptism and heard about Nicholas. Nicholas became (he patron saint o f Russian and from Russia his fam e spread to the Lapps and Samoyeds, the people o f (he N o rth w ho use rein d eer sleds. U n d o u b te d ly , the story that Santa uses reindeer came from here. Saint Nicholas visits Holland each year at Christmas tim e. Since H o l land is a seafaring land. Saint Nich olas arrives in a ship fro m Spain— an echo o f the Spanish occupation. He is accompanied by Black Peter— a M o o r— costumed in the manner o f the days o f the Spanish A rm a d a . S ain t N ic h o la s , w ea rin g red b ish o p 's robes and in long w h ite b eard , d isem barks and rides his w hite hourse to the city center ac companied by dignitaries and brass bands. In some areas the bubog • way is cleared by ghosts b earing whips, follow ed by a horned crea ture w ho carries a b irc h — a clear thowback to ancient days. In B avaria Saint N ich o las visits homes during the first week o f A d vent, accompanied by a boy dressed as a girl and 12 young men dressed as an im a ls w ith co w bells a ro u n d their necks. Elsewhere in central and northern Europe Saint Nicholas is accom panied by S ain t P ete r, G a briel or Knich Rupprecht. I R u p p rech t som etim es travels alone, bringing gifts. He wears skins or straw . Some places he is called ru -K la s . o r rough N ic h o la s . By some he is called O d in , the Norse god who rode through the world on his e ig h t-fo o te d horse, S leip n er, bringing reward or punishment. In Germany the gift-giver became the Christ C hild, a messenger o f the newly born Jesus, and is thought o f as a g irl. In Switzerland the Christ C h ild som etim es rode in a sleigh d raw n by tin y d eer. T h is m ay be the representation o f the wood spirit o f the Germ an forests, a spirit now represented by the fairy or angel at the top o f the C h ristm as tree. In Sweden the g ift-g iver is a gnomish Father Christm as figu re— Jultom - ten. ìf Santa Claus It was in the U n ited States that the jolly Santa Claus evolved. When the D utch settled in New A m ster d a m — now New Y o r k — they brought along their Saint Nicholas. In the new environment he changed from the Saint in bishop’ s robes to a tubby character in short pants. The D u tch paraded his statue through the city on his feast day, but under the in flu e n c e o f the English they merged th eir holiday w ith C h ris t mas. A p o p u la r poem , A V isit F ro m Si. Nicholas ( ’ ’ ’Twas the night be fore Christmas, and all through the h ou se.. . ” ) , was written by D r. Cle ment C . M o o r. It gave the present description. It is said that M oore de scribed a D utch frie n d — a chubby man w ith a long w hite beard. The modern Santa Claus was further de veloped by T ho m as Nast in H arp er's Illustrated Weekly in 1863 with a red, fur-trim m ed suit. Santa C lau s was p ic tu red by this a rtis t, riding in a sleigh with reindeer, visit ing the C ivil W ar soldiers and bring ing them presents. Special While they la s t. . . Hanging thair stockings w ith cara----- Christmas stocking Balia The custom o f hanging up stock ings is said to come fro m a legend th at when Bishop N icholas threw bags o f gold dow n the chimney to fo rm a dow ery fo r poor m aidens, the gold landed in stockings hung by the fireplace. Chriatmaa carda In e a rly E n g lan d ch ild re n p re pared specimens o f th eir h a n d w ritin g , w ith ela b o ra te borders. Some were scripture verses. The first modern Christmas card was reported to have been sent by W .C . Dobson, a painter, who sent lith o grap h copies to his friends in 1845. The following year John Cal- cott Horsley designed a card for Sir H e n ry C o le , w ho was too busy to write his usual Christmas letters. The L . Pranz Co. began printing cards in 1874, sometimes using up to 20 colors. Prizes were given for the best design submitted. Children’s split cowhide vest A rou n d the w orld the bells peal on Christmas Day. Bells have long been used for reli gious services. They were rung in Egypt fo r the Feast o f O siris, the Jewish high priests w ore bells on th eir robes; the R o m an E m p ero r Augustus had a bell hung before the Sherpa lined Young Child •11“ Older Child ‘ 1 4 ’' Temple o f Jupiter. The first bells used by Christians on churches are believed to be in the Campanin, Italy in about 400 A .D ., to call the people to worship. By the middle ages the pealing of bells had been closely associated with Christmas. Oregon Leather Co. 110 N.W Second Ave — 228 4105 In Old Town Portland ’TIS THE SEASON FOR SCHWEPPERVESCENCE. • n»». It . t ^ i n g out, ye bells! A ll Nature swells W ith gladness o f the wondrous story,— The world was lorn, But Christ is born T o change our sadness into glory. Sing, earthlings, singl To-night a King H ath come from heaven’s high throne to bless us. The outstretched hand O ’er all the land Is raised in pity to caress us. Jcftrepp« Come at his call; Be joyful all; Aw ay with mourning and with sadness! The heavenly choir W ith holy fire Their voices raise in songs o f gladness. The darkness breaks And Dawn awakes, Her cheeks suffused with youthful blushes. The rocks and stones In holy tones Are singing sweeter than the thrushes. •i ♦f V - * Then why should we In silence be. When Nature lends her voice to praises; When heaven and earth Proclaim the truth O f H im for whom that lone star blazes? Lemon N o , be not still. But with a will Strike all your harps and set them ringing; On hill and heath Let every breath Throw all its power into singing! —Paul Laurence Dunbar 1 »
