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TWO MED FORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Tuesday, December 24, 19S7
Christmas Sing
On KYJC Tonight
The third annual "Christmas
Sing With Big," starring Bing
Crosby and choral groups from
all over the world, is scheduled
for tonight at 9 o'clock over
KYJC and the full CBS Radio
network.
The program, which is rapid
ly becoming a Christmas Eve tra
dition, will feature Les Brown's
Voice of Christmas: the chorus
of the Insurance Company of
North America; Choraliers from
The Hague, Holland: YWCA
Choir, Eallarat, Australia; Y1ICA
Choir of Christian Arabs; Salt
Lake City Tabernacle Choir;
Vatican Choir, Rome; Bells of
St. Peter's Cathedral, Rome; sing
ing groups from American Armed
Forces.
Backing up Crosby on the
show will be Paul Weston's or
chestra and the Norman Luboff
choir.
A special feature of the broad
cast will be "Silent Night" as
sung in the little German town
where it was written.
Producers are Sam Pierce and
Bill Morrow. Director is Murdo
MacKenzie.
Family Members
Here for Holidays
Guests of the H. C. Ingle fam
ily, 338 Bessie street, for Christ
mas week is their son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. M. D.
Richards, Los Angeles, and their
three children.
Scheduled to arrive later this
week for the New Year's week
are Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Ingle Jr.,
Middletown, Calif., and their
four children.
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DAR Chapter Holds
Christmas Party 1
The annual Christmas party
of Crater Lake chapter, Daugh
ters of the American Revolu
tion, was held at the home of
Mrs. T. J. Gifford. Mrs. J. L.
Houck and Mrs. V. J. Bolton
were in charge of the program.
The story of a displaced fam
ily spending their first Christ
mas in a New England home was
read, and appropriate music was
sung.
Mrs. E. G. Randolph and Miss
Florence Gifford were guests.
Assisting Mrs. Gifford were
Mrs. E. M. Wilson, Mrs. Gay
Garrett and Mrs. Glen F. Schnei
der. 1
In California
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stacey
and family and Mr. Stacey's
mother, Mrs. Florence Stacey,
Route 3, Box 157, Medford, are
visiting relatives in the Los An
geles area over the Christmas
holiday.
Medford Couple '
In California
Mr. and Mrs. Scott V. Davis
left this morning for Orinda,
Calif., to spend Christmas with
Mr. Davis' daughter and son-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Wurts,
former Medford residents. Other
guests of the Wurts will be their
two daughters and families', Mr.
and Mrs. David Dorr, Ft. Lewis,
Wash., Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lind
sey and infant daughter, Susan,
of Gilroy, Calif.
Mrs. Cyril Gay
Is Club Hostess
Mrs. Cyril Gay entertained
members of the Federated
Grandmithers' club December 16
at her home, 1717 Stratford
way, for a luncheon and Christ
mas party. The home was deco
rated in traditional holiday fash
ion. Thirty-one members attended,
and guests were Mrs. Ina Huston,
Mrs. Charlotte Francis and Mrs.
George Delimont, formerly of
Kansas.
Four women celebrated their
birthday, and Mrs. Fred L. Ryde
gave a reading in their honor.
Prizes went to Mrs. Grace Kurz
and Mrs. Frank S. Chapman.
Mrs. Kurz, Mrs. Arthur Web
ster and Mrs. Eastwood assisted
the hostess.
Next meeting of the club will
be January 27 at the Webster
home, 401 East Twelfth street,
Medford.
f-
Study Club Holds
Christmas Party
Wednesday Study club held
the annual Christmas party in
the Girl's Community club De
cember 18.
Mrs. R. T. Nichol, chairman
of the g9od times committee,
assisted by Mrs. O. H. Brenna-
man, Mrs. Jack Swem and Mrs.
Minnie G. Ball, had charge of
the party, and the club room
was very attractive in the Christ
mas theme decorations.
Mrs. Ball read the Christmas
story.
Mrs. R. J. Miller is a new
member of the club.
Miss Elizabeth Burr and Mrs
Melvin Dixon were guests.
Couple to Give
Christmas Dinner
Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Root
will entertain Christmas day
with a family dinner at their
home, Three Pines, Jacksonville
highway. Guests will be Dr. and
Mrs. John P. Dickson and two
sons, Johnny and Billy, Dr. Dick
son's mother, Mrs. Hazel M.
Dickson, A. M. Putney, Maurice
Putney,, Mr. and Mrs. Maynard
Putney and their son, Arthur,
who is home from Oregon State
college for the holidays, and Mrs.
Edna Pursel.
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Potpourri has been observing Christmas for a long time now,
and almost every year we learn something new about this reli
gious and family festival. Last week end we read the little book
"4,000 Years of Christmas" which came to us from Frances Bulkin
m
by way of Evelyn Ousterhout and which has been considerably
quoted recently. Written by Dr. Earl W. Count, who is the son of
a missionary and an anthropologist of repute, the book explains
why Christ's birthday has come to be observed on December 25,
although actually the exact date of his birth is not known, and
tells the origin of many of our familiar Christmas traditions and
customs.
The fact that almost all of these customs had their origin in
pagan celebrations which pre-dated Christ's birth still disturb
many people. Dr. Count's book explains this away in part. "Christ
mas is a spontaneous drama of the common people, a prayer, a
hymn," he declares in the epilogue. In essence, Dr. Count believes
that Christmas is what it is today because it fills a need of the
common people. "The life-blood of a people is its traditions, and
Christmas has become great because men and women have given
to It their deepest and most enduring selves," Dr. Count wrote.
Earlier in the book Dr. Count explained that December 25
came to be celebrated as the birthday of Christ apparently because
this was the time the ancient Romans celebrated the festival of
Saturnalia. This was the day, as the Romans calculated, when the
sun was at its lowest ebb, ready to increase again and impart its
strength to the growing things of the earth. The Roman festival,
in turn, was patterned on even more ancient observances.
He explains how the customs and ideas from the Mediterra
nean coastlands gradually were combined with those from the
northern countries of Europe into the winter festival of Christmas
now widely observed throughout various parts of the world. The
early Christian church fathers attempted at first to stamp out the
pagan Saturnalia and similar observances, Dr. Count relates, but
were unable to do so. And the writer' feels that "taking the merri
ment, the greenery, the lights and the gifts from Saturn and giv
ing them to the Babe of Bethlehem" was not merely a clever trick.
Since in the early Christian days the most important thing that
ever happened in the world was the coming of Christ, "to them,
it was all one big event, the beginning of a new era. They cele
brated this event during that long interval between the dying of j
the old year and the birth of the new and on into the spring; an
old, old habit of centuries, but now richer ' and different in
meaning."
.
Dr. Count also traces the history of St. Nicholas or Santa
Claus, and explains the Christmas calendar "Christ's Mass"
which covers 12 days. Although there is some disagreement, this
is roughly the Christmas calendar in all countries:
November 11 is St. Martin's day, and calls for special bonfires.
About this time occurs the first of four Advent Sundays looking
to the "advent" of the Babe at midnight of Christmas eve. Decem
ber 6 is St. Nicholas' day, the time when the old saint makes ready
for the Master's coming. In Europe St. Nicholas visits the houses,
leaving presents for the good children and switches for the bad.
December 24 is Christmas eve, December 25 is Christmas day, De
cember 28 is Holy Innocents, a day "commemorating the infant
boys whom Herod slaughtered in his vain attempt to include the
new-born King of the Jews."
January 1 is New Year's day, January 6 is Epiphany, the day
when the Magi visited the manger. By this day the "twelve days
of Christmas" are over and the tree should be down. The mean
ing of the tree is also an interesting story, and Dr. Count believes
that mainly it springs from the "the devil-defying greenery with
which long-standing tradition of the Northland .had decorated
house and barn at New Year's."
In some countries the tree originally was hung upside down,
undecorated; in other nations the greens take the form of a tree
tip hung from the rafters.
There is always a Christmas tree in Potpourri's home, and yet
we always feel guilty about cutting down so beautiful an object,
as a growing tree and wonder, uneasily, how much lumber it
would produce if left to grow, and feel somewhat sad that the
trees cannot be left In their original beauty in the green forests.
Some observe the pleasant custom of buying a rooted tree, and
planting it after the holidays are over. Mr. and Mrs. Angus Bow
mer of Ashland have observed this custom for several years past.
The Bowmers' home stands on a hillside, and since it needs addi
tional trees, the couple adds a new one each year at Christmas
time. x
The custom of sending evergreens as gifts is more and more
observed, since .in some sections of the country the evergreens are
not to be found. The Tom Geretys of Medford shipped Oregon
evergreen boughs to the island of Guam in order that Mrs. Gere
ty's sister and her husband, First Lt. Richard Friese, might have
proper greenery for their Christmas decorations.
And Pal Peg almost sneaked one over on Potpourri in a story
for Sunday. She wrote that a visitor had come for the "holly
days," a phrase which the two of us rather like.
Food, of course, is one of the most important parts of the holi
day traditions. Medford housewives will be assembling a long list
of holiday fare including .turkey, ham or chicken, all sorts of
fruits and vegetables and a variety of sweets. But however lavish
it is, it won't begin to compare with the food which the Duke of
Buckingham ordered way back in 1508. The Duke, a legend says,
invited 459 guests to share his festal board for Christmas that
year. There wasn't a single turkey or goose on the Duke's menu.
He ordered three swans, one salt sturgeon, two herons, four dog
fish, one-half of a fresh conger eel, a barrel of oysters and three
cranes. Even so, that doesn't sound like enough food for 459
guests, unless eels are larger than we think they are.
With this, Potpourri bids you all a Merry Christmas! O.S.
BROWNIE
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MEDFORD
HEAR
BOYS' SUITS
Boys and preps all wool flannel suits (2-button models)
of our famous Lee-Wald suits now at this special after
Christmas price. Buy now for the coming year and save.
Sizes 7 through 20.
Lower Floor
3L3W
22
Reg. 19.98
Reg. 29.95
GIRLS1 COATS
Broken lots in girls wool coats. Choose from checks and
plain colors. A wonderful time to buy that new coat for
school. Be sure that you see the entire stock of these coats
early and get the one that you want, before it is gone.
2nd Floor
799
Reg. to 11.98-NOW
Reg. to 15.00-NOW
Reg. to 18.98-NOW
SPORT COATS
Boys and Preps Sport Coats (2-button models). Wool and
tweeds and some corduroys to choose from. Be sure and
see these wonderful Sport Coats now and get the choice
of the one that fits your needs. Sizes 6 through 20.
Lower Floor
Reg. to 12.95-NOW
. Reg. to 17.95-NOW
DRESSES
Reg. to 4.98 NOW
80
12M
298
Every girl needs an extra
dress for school, or play.
. Be sure to see the WOnder-
55 tui seiecnon nuw uri vui
second floor.
2nd Floor : - I
Reg. to 7.98-
99
Reg. to 11.50 NOW
NOW A
y99
Raincoats for Girls
Girls White Rain Coats with black cord trim. Just like the
orie that is on TV. With matching hat. Sizes 3 to 6x and
7 to 14. Sub-teen 8 to 14.
mm
2nd Floor JA All
5.98 Value
Little Boys' Jackets
Little boys wonderful'smart blazer type jackets that look
so smart on. In stripes of charcoal and gray and brown
and beige. Sizes 3 to 6x.
2"
2nd Floor
9.98 Value
Boys' Jackets
Boys polished cotton Ivy League type
jackets that are so popular now. Flannel
lined. In two wonderful colors; tan and
charcoal. Broken sizes 6 through 20.
Washable
Lower Floor
7.50 Value
2M
GIRLS7 PLAID
JACKETS
All wool plaid jackets that are rayon
lined". In d very smart style that looks
like a name brand jacket but at this
wonderful low price. Sizes: children
7 to 14 and sub-teen 8 to 14.
2nd Floor
16s Value
BOYS' SLACKS
Boys gabardine slacks that are
washable. Sizes 7 through 20.
Lower Floor
Children's Slippers
Big variety of styles and sizes to
choose from but not all sizes in
'styles. 5Aft
Reg. 4.00 200
BOYS' BOOTS
Odds and ends of slip-on and
lace boots for boys.
Reg. 12
00
700
Reo.7.98 488
8"
7
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U MEDFORD
613 East Main
Phone SP 3-5345