THURSDAY. DECEMBER 19. 1963
T’JE NYSSA GATE CITY JOURNAL. NYSSA. OREGON
Holy Day Helped
Comfort Sorrow
Of Wreaths
HF’ Using wreaths as decorations at
|p Christmas may be traced to the customs fl
' of Advent season, the four Sundays before <
Christmas — a time of preparation for the
coming of the Christ Child. Traditionally, the
Advent wreath is made of evergreen branches
interlaced with red ribbons. It holds four
candles. One candle is lit at dusk on the first
Sunday of Advent, two the next Sunday, three
» the next and four on the last Sunday before j
Christmas. The wreath may be placed
SL a on a door, set on a table or hung g&jj
from the ceiling.
js ME"
^tappy Holidays! Thank
you for your loyalty
““1
and good will throughout the year.
GATE CITY CLEANERS
Even when Christmas wasn’t
merry, history shows that the
holy holiday has brought comfort
and hope into the midst of sor­
row and hardship.
Such was an early Christmas
in the New World, observed in
1535 at a small fortress on the
banks of the St. Charles river
near what is now the city of Que­
bec, Canada.
Jacques Cartier, French explor­
er, and his band of 110 settlers
were beset by cold and hunger,
as well as fear of the nearby In­
dians, whose friendly attitude
seemed to have changed. More
than half the members of the
colony suffered from scurvy.
Bravely, the men celebrated
Christmas. Mass was said in a
log cabin, at an altar made from
a wooden table; evergreen bran­
ches decorated the walls; carols
were sung and the best of the
meager food supplies were used
for a “feast.”
Exchanging of Christmas Cards Came
Relatively Late in Yule Traditions TIP FOR FATHER . . .
Be sure father has a Merry
Many of today’s Christmas traditions began somewhere Christmas. Don’t let him smoke
in the dim past, but the practice of exchanging greeting cards in bed, says the National Board
is just a little over a century old.
of Fire Underwriters.
In 1848 William Maw Egley, a “starving” young English
artist, came up with the idea of designing a Christmas card
and reproducing it on pieces of pasteboard for the public to
buy.
This Christmas give
Egley’s card showed a fam­
VIEW-MASTER*
ily Christmas dinner, formal
dance, skating, carolers, alms­
giving, a Punch and Judy
Blooming in the heart of winter
Rensirom Insurance Agency
Christmas Rose
Famed in Legend
POUNDS' GROCERY
John and Marvel Hoare
show and other aspects of a cele­
bration resembling the one in
Charles Dickens’ “The Christmas
Carol,” published a few years
previously. Unfortunately, Egley’s
friends were not enthusiastic
about his idea.
New Year's Apology
The “daddy” of all holiday
cards was designed and etched in
1812 by J. A. Boerner, a young
Londoner who wanted to apolo­
gize to friends for his failure to
pay a New Year’s day visit. His
card made it clear he was tied to
his home by depicting him with
his coat caught in the locked
doorway of his house.
In 1843 Sir Henry Cole, a busy
English “missionary” of culture,
hit upon the idea of sending out
little missives at Christmas. John
Calcott Horsley of the Royal Aca­
demy, famous for his campaign
against nude art, designed the
cards and Sir Henry sent out 1000
to friends.
It wasn’t until the early 1860’s
that cards were issued for general
distribution by a large English
publishing company.
Christmas greetings were intro­
duced into the United States by
the Marcus Card company of Lon­
don. They became popular im­
mediately and in 1874 Louis
Prang, a German immigrant, be­
gan a Christmas card business at
Roxbury, Mass.
Custom Lost Fashion
At the turn of the century, he
ceased publishing rather than
compete with imports flooding
the market. For the next decade
and sometimes even in the snow,
the Christmas rose is a plant
famed in legend.
According to an old story, a
poor little shepherdess had no
gift to offer the Christ Child, and
so she wept. When her tears
touched the ground, flowers be­
gan to sprout.
Delighted, she plucked an arm­
ful and hastened to the 'Infant,
The caress of His fingers turned
the petals pink.
Botanists class the Christmas
rose as a member of the butter­
cup family. Native to Southern
Europe and Western Asia, it has
leathery, dark green leaves and
large, saucer-shaped flowers with
white or rose-tinged sepals, ac­
cording to the Encyclopedia Am­
ericana.
In Norway . . .
Norwegians hide an almond in
the Christmas pudding. Tradition
says the finder will be married
in the next year.
Full color stereo
pictures with
“come-to-life”
realism
May we extend to you
our very best wishes
for a Holiday Season rich in
happiness and joy.
NYSSA
PHARMACY
"Corner Rexall Drug Store'
ORIN SUMNER, Owner
Nyssa, Oregon
SWAGER FORD
Jack and Stella Swager and Employees
or so the custom of exchanging
cards fell out of fashion.
Only after World War I did
American manufacturers begin to
achieve success in the card busi­
ness. Then inexpensive printing
and lithography processes brought
Christmas cards within every­
one’s reach.
Despite its relatively recent
start in this country, the custom
has caught the fancy of the Am­
erican public to the extent that it
sends billions of Christmas cards
every year, according to Mrs.
Peggy Gilbert of Norcross, Inc.
POLAR BEAR DRIVE-IN
...
>¿£1 ■
We wish you the greatest U, ¿r
joys of the season... Hr
Peaceful as a
<*i***-
snowy landscape, lively as a playful fawn
is the Christmas we wish for you. We are
ever grateful to you for your thoughtful
consideration and gracious patronage^
a festive holiday in a happy home
Where family and friends gather to exchange
gifts and greetings, to light the fire, trim the
tree, bask in the warmth of real affection.
Nyssa Auto Parts