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Nyssa Gate City Journal
VOLUME LXI1
THE SUGAR CITY
THE NYSSA GATE CITY JOURNAL, NYSSA, OREGON
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1968
Yesteryear’s
Customs Live
At Yuletide
Santa’s Moving
To Take Lead
As Gift-Giver
Mysterious things happen
on Christmas Eve, say coun­
try legends of Switzerland.
Young people may foretell
the future, if they drink
from nine different fountains
while the midnight church
bells chime. Then, if they
hasten to the church steps,
their future mates will await
them there.
Somewhat less romantical­
ly, older folk seek to predict
the weather for the coming
year, using onion peels filled
with salt.
* ♦ •
How Many Holidays?
Wrapping Gifts
When German tradition
is followed, unwrapping a
Christmae gift can be an
amusing but complicated
process.
One gift may have many
consecutive wrappings, each
with a different name on it,
and the final wrapping may
reveal not a gift, but a card
telling where the gift is hid­
den.
Other cards in other hiding
places lead to a treasure
hunt, ending In the discov­
ery of the gift.
• • •
Picturing Nativity
The Christmas crib or pre-
sepio is an especially treas­
ured part of the Portuguese
holiday celebration. Every
home and church seems to
have one, and some of those
in the churches are master­
pieces of art.
Especially famous is the
presepio in Estrella Church,
Lisbon. This Nativity scene
depicts the people of Beth­
lehem, in terra cotta figures.
Unique among the crowd are
the figures of an elephant
and a bagpiper.
• • •
TO ALLI
THUNDEREGG CAPITAL
NUMBER LQ
Throughout this community, the Christmas spirit finds expression, as once again, people
are proving that this happiest of holidays is a time of tradition. A modern Christmas, Just
like a good old-fashioned Christmas, calls for gatherings of family and friends, with much
merriment, fun and feasting. Gifts and Santa Claus express the mood of the season, es­
pecially for the youngsters. Trees and other decorations, music and song, light and laughter
set the scene. As a Christian holy day, celebrated in church services and private devotions,
Christmas glows with the spirit of good will, and "peace and good will” is the wish and
prayer, for all mankind.
All of these traditions of Christmas are wrapped up in one. The true spirit of Christ­
mas is most happily expressed in the exchange of greetings. "Have a Merry Christmas.’* That
says it all — the heartfelt hope for good things for others, the good feeling that prevails, the
happiness of the season rising above problems and crises, the wish to give and to share all
the holiday joys and blessings.
As a special custom that symbolizes the spirit of Christmas, the exchange of greetings
takes many forms. “Merry Christmas” is said person-to-person, with smiles of gladness,
wherever friends and family meet. “Merry Christmas” is the message of millions of greet­
ing cards which travel across the miles. And “Merry Christmas” is the theme of today’s
edition of this newspaper, in which businessmen of the community offer their special greet­
ings and good wishes, their words of appreciation to patrons and friends.
. ............................................ —
• • •
•
It’s a Mystery
• * *
Christmas
Community Greets
Joyful Christu las
Candles and carols, trees
and treats, gifts and greens
— and Santa Claus, of course.
Wherever Christmas is cele­
brated, these symbols seem
to appear.
In the modern era of rapid
communication, there is a
growing uniformity in the
ways that people everywhere
choose to mark the holiday.
Yesteryear’s customs, how­
ever, still have their place in
modem celebrations. It’s a
case of “the more things
change, the more they stay
the same,” as countries, com­
munities and Individuals
seek to cherish and preserve
their own special holiday tra­
ditions.
Some of these traditions,
as treasured in memory or
kept alive in holiday ritual,
are compiled in the follow­
ing paragraphs, according to
information from the editors
of Encyclopedia Internation­
al.
Traditionally, Belgians cel­
ebrate three holidays at the
Christmas season — begin­
ning with St. Nicholas Day,
December 6th, when the good
saint brings gifts for chil­
dren.
Then comes St. Thomas
Day, December 21st. It’s a
sort of “trick or treat” day
for school children, who try
to play tricks on their teach-
ers.
The third holiday, of
course, is Christmas.
A Joyous
SANTA CLAUS VISITS RESIDENTS OF THE NURSING HOME
at Malheur Memorial Hospital. The photos were snapped
Monday afternoon, Dec. 23, 1968 in the recreation room of
the new nursing home wing. In the top photo, Santa leads
the group in singing Christmas songs, as the nursing home
residents join hands.
The elderly patients are those
in the first row and are (1 to r) John Shultz, Florence
Story, Clarence Goodman, Anna West and Alice Peterson.
Seated behind them are members of the hospital auxiliary
and Job’s Daughters of Bethel 33. They are Mrs. Eva
Aspinwall, Kathy Nelson, Susan Kouns, Joyce Jennings,
Mrs. Wilbur (Freda) Holcomb, Mrs. Joe (Jeanne) Maughan,
misty, a Dutch legend can
explain it. St. Nicholas is
baking his cakes.
Traditional cakes — Zelten
or Klosse — are adorned with
different figures. These, chil­
dren are told, are the marks
made by St. Nicholas’ donkey
as he steps over the cakes on
his way through the mist.
try.
In spite of this and many
later efforts to advance the
cause of the Christmas tree,
Parisians still prefer the ear­
lier tradition, which says that
gift exchange time for French
adults is New Year’s day.
Driving Yule Out
An old custom of the Aus­
trian Tyrol is the Christmas
yodel. Traditionally, the
Yuletide yodel—a song with­
out words — may be impro­
vised, or it may be based on
the tune of a familiar carol.
St. Knut’s Day, January
13th, is the traditional time
for taking down Christmas
greens in Sweden According
to custom, as the tree is dis?
mantled, young folk dance
while their elders sing,
"Twentieth day Knut driveth
Yule out.”
This custom is believed to
be derived from the laws of
King Canute, written in the
early 11th century.
Bringing the Tree
Christmas trees were first
introduced to France in 1837,
when Princess Helen of
Mecklenburg married the
Baking Cakes
Duke of Orleans and brought
If the weather on St. Nich­ with her to Paris the Yule
olas Day, December 6th, is customs of her native coun-
A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE RECREATION
room of the new nursing home wing at Mal­
heur Memorial hospital. A colorful lamp is
being presented to Margaret Bennett, director
of nurses (on right) by Job’s Daughters of
Bethel 33. In the photo with Mrs. Bennett
ar«- (| to r) Bethel Guardian Mrs. C. A.
Yodeling Yule
Mrs. Louise Heldt and Mrs. RM. (Erma) Forbess. In the
lower phot), are more residents of the nursing home, with
Santa Claus, pictured in front of a beautifully decorated
Christmas tree, surrounded by packages. These elderly
folks are Miss Mertrude King, Clyde Gilbert, Jesus Es­
quibel, Ann Mae Sisson, Nina Cagle and Denzaburo Kita-
mura. And then in this photo, is Santa, too. Who is Santa
in this case. Well once again, as last year, her initials
are E. L. and in addition to being president of the hospital
auxiliary and playing the role of Santa, in real life she is
Mrs. Ralph G. (Ethel) Lawrence. - Journal photos.
More and more, Santa be­
comes the favored gift-giv­
er in countries around the
world, replacing a host of
legendary figures who were
said to bring gifts at this
same season of the year.
Gift-giving lime, too, is
now more likely to be Christ­
mas Eve, although the tra­
ditional date In European
countries once ranged from
St. Nicholas Eve, December
5th, to Epiphany Eve, Janu­
ary 5 th.
Among the many who set
the trend for Santa Claus is
the German gift-giver, Kris
Kringle. The name Is a vari­
ation of Christklnd—not the
Infant Jesus himself, but his
messenger who came to earth
at Christmastime.
Christklnd was represent­
ed by a child dressed in white
robes, with a crown and wings
of gold.
In Japan, the traditional
gift-giver is a native god,
Hoteiosho. Represented as a
kindly old man with a pack
on his back, he is much like
visions of the traditional
Santa.
He is said to have eyes in
the back of his head, the
better to see whether boys
and girls have been naughty
or nice
In Yugoslavia, Grandfath­
er Frost — "Dede Mraz" —
replaces Santa Claus.
The Yugoslavian trend Is
to combine Christmas and
New Year holidays, and cele­
brate them together with
Grandfather Frost Day.
Sending Greetings
The custom of exchanging
greetings at holiday time is
older than Christmas. The
custom of the Christmas
greeting card, however, is a
relatively new one.
Christmas cards originat­
ed about 125 years ago, In
England. Despite this re­
cent start, printed greetings
quickly caught the public
fancy and are today one of
the most popular forms of
Christmas holiday traditions.
• • •
Decorating Trees
The gaily decorated tree so
much a part of Christmas
has its counterpart in trees
adorned with colorful trin­
kets during the ancient feasts
of the winter equinox.
This pagan custom of dec­
orating evergreens became
associated with Christmas
observances, and legends link
It to the birth of Jesus. One
such story says that on the
night of the Nativity, all the
woodland trees burst into
bloom and bore fruit.
• • •
.Singing Carols
A gray horse and a white
donkey have each been cred­
ited with the honor of trans­
porting him on his gift-giv­
ing Journeys.
• • •
Giving Gifts
Like greetings, gifts are
synonymous with Christmas,
as part of a custom that
probably has Its beginning in
the Wise Men’s presentation
of gold, frankincense and
myrrh to the Christ Child.
Some researchers trace the
gift-giving tradition to even
earlier, pre-Christian times.
During pagan holidays ob­
served at about the same time
as the modern Christmas,
ancient Romans and Britons
exchanged gifts in token of
the season.
• • •
Lighting the Way
Light and Christmas go
together, for the deepest
meaning of the holiday rep­
resents Christ, the Light of
the world. From the bonfires
and candles of yesteryear to
the twinkling electric orna­
ments of today, light symbol­
izes Christmas.
According to Irish legend,
a candle should always be
placed In the window on
Christmas Eve. Each Christ­
mas, it was said, Christ wan­
ders the earth in search of a
welcome, and a candle should
light the way.
With voices lifted in har­
mony for “Silent Night,” “The
First Noel” and other beloved
songs, today’s carolers carry
on a Christmas custom that
originated centuries ago.
In the fourth century AD.,
St. Basil was praised with a
musical poem in honor of the
fight for Christianity over To Spread Learning
the Byzantine emperor Jul­
coming of Christian­
ian. Later in Greece, legends ity The
brought a continuing
of St. Basil were set to music concern with religious sub­
and sung at Christmas and
jects as the text for illumin­
the New Year.
ated manuscripts. Monaster­
Comes Christmas, and cities everywhere renew the
St. Francis of Assisi led the ies of Egypt and Syria were
tradition of setting up a community Christmas tree —
villagers of Orecchio in sing­ early dedicated to the crea­
a custom which began early in this century.
ing hymns of praise to the tion of art, the development
IT’S TOO COMMON
In 1909, citizens of Pasadena, Calif., decorated an
Christ Child when in the 13th of crafts, the spread of learn­
In
most
of
the
United
evergreen on Mount Wilson as the tree of the city.
States, the poinsettia is a century he created a manger ing.
The year 1912 saw community Christmas trees erected
prized Christmas flower. In scene in this Italian town.
In the Western world, these
in Madison Square, New York, N Y., and on the Com­
Hawaii, however, it grows so Tracing Santa
alms gained Impetus with
mon in Boston. Mass. Independence Square in Phila­
profusely that it is consid­
Santa’s source, legend says, the founding of the Benedic­
delphia, Pa., showed off its first community tree in 1914
ered too common for such an
goes
back to the fourth cen­ tine monasteries in the sixth
President Calvin Coolidge inaugurated the custom
important holiday. Potted or­
tury,
when St. Nicholas, a century A.D. Artists and
of a national community Christmas tree in Washington,
chids, anthurium or the or-
bishop
of Asia Minor, was craftsmen worked devotedly
D C., when he was presented with a large evergreen
ange-and-blue flower called
noted
for
his generosity and to preserve sacred texts
by the University of Vermont, in 1923.
"bird of paradise” are Ha­
through their hand-copied,
gift-giving.
waiian holiday favorites.
In same countries, St. Nich­ hand-illustrated, elaborate­
olas still retains his role as ly-bound vellum manu­
gift-bearer. His day is, tra­ scripts.
From time to time, secular
ditionally, December 6th, and
European children await him texts — scientific treatises,
on St. Nicholas Eve, Decem­ for example — were also cop­
Young engaged couples,
ied and Illustrated.
ber 5th.
strictly chaperoned, found a
Voices rise in songs of Joy them.
way to communicate words and praise. As the Joyous
After the Restoration, in
of affection via flowers. Each season arrives, the vibrant
1660, caroling was once again
flower had a special meaning. sound of carolers is heard in permitted and the custom
Flowers in sequence could churches, at family gather­
slowly revived.
be used to spell out a fervent ings, in groups going from
Some of the most popular
pledge of love. To help in house to house to celebrate carols date from the 18th and
composing — and translat­ with song.
19th centuries. These include
ing — these messages, there
Carols are as much a part
“Adeste Fideles,” possibly by
were numerous tiny diction­ of the Yuletide as the tree,
Francis Wade; "Hark! The
aries listing flowers and their gifts and Santa himself.
Herald Angels Sing,” with
meanings.
It all began with the first words by Charles Wesley and
The flowering honeysuckle, carols in the 13th century, music by Felix Mendelssohn:
for Instance, spoke of “bonds says the Encyclopedia Amer­ "Joy to the World,” with
words by Isaac Watts, music
icana.
of love.” A red rosebud told
The earliest English carols by George Frederic Handel.
a lady that she was “pure and were composed anonymous­
Probably the most popular
lovely." Red double pink ly, perhaps by clergymen or of all carols is the 19th cen­
meant "woman's love.” And court musicians. Simple tury "Silent Night,” with
heliotrope carried a bold tunes and strong rhythms words by Joseph Mohr, the
message, "I love you.”
were characteristic, and the village priest of Hallein, Aus­
This Victorian language of musical form featured a re­
tria.
flowers greatly influenced frain, to repeat before and
Many stories are told about
I he design of Christmas cards after each stanza.
the way this carol came to be
of the time — witness the
written One legend says that
Words were written, gen­
card illustrated here, from erally. in the English ver­ on a snowy Christmas Eve
the Norcross Historical Col­ nacular or in "macaronic” in 1818, Father Mohr went to
lection of antique cards.
bless the newborn baby of a
form — a combination of
poor parishioner.
The lush summer blooms English and Latin.
On that night he was so
are typical of the Victorian
The first printed collection
admiration of flowers, re- of carols appeared in 1521 It inspired by the beauty of
gardless of the season.
included the “Boar's Head the mother and child that-
Though sentiments may be Carol,” still sung during he wrote the poem “Silent
expressed differently, flowers Christmas dinner at Queen's Night ”
still bloom on modern Christ­ College, Oxford, England
Even then, however, the EMTAHI.ISHING CKIH
inas cards. A current card
Though legend says that
practice
of passing on car ­
offers one example Poinset­
8t. Francis of Assisi first in­
tia* flower on a background ols orally, from generation
of mistletoe, and the message to generation, continued. troduced the Christmas crib
in the 13th century, history
MEMBERS OF THE JOSE MOSQUEDA FAMILY AS THEY
reads. Just for you, honey, Among these were carols in
records that the first manger
ballad
form,
such
as
"I
Saw
all my love at Christmas.”
told
Santa of their Christinas desires when he made his
Three Ships” and "The Cher­ scene was created by Pope
third and final 1968 appearance Saturday at the Nyssa
Liberius
in
354
A.D
For Feasting
ry Tree Carol ”
public library. The youngsters are (seated 1 to r) Rolondo,
Caroling fell into disrepute
Traditional Christmas
Steven and Richard. The girls standing next to Santa are
Mill-. K U.IKIMVKl”
in
the
17th
century,
and
car
­
treat in Spain is a sweet pas­
Alice and Ida Mosqueda. And behind the Jolly Old Gentle­
Wishing ‘Mele Kalikima-
try called ' dulces de almen­ ol singing was forbidden by
man are his helpers Carol Nelson and Doug Patterson -
ka is the traditional way to
dra.” The Ingredients are • he English Puritans Those
say. Merry Christmas' in
wearing gay, red and white clown suits and colorful wigs. .
sugar, flour, egg white and v ho colonized America car­
Journal Photo.
Hawaiian
ried this disapproval with
almonds
Cities Put Up Evergreens
Flowers Speak Language of Love Carols Express Yule Joy,
In Modern or Victorian Era
Echoing Across the Ages
Like holly, ivy and mistle­
toe, flowers share in the leg­
end and lore of Christmas. In
terms of the Victorian era,
the floral legend is an espe­
cially meaningful one.
A Victorian lady who re­
ceived a bouquet from her
admirer could either smell it
or read it as if it were a let­
ter Often, it was a letter.
(Louise) Wernick, Junior Princess Susan
Kouns, Senior Princess Joyce Jennings,
and Honored Queen Kathy Nelson. The pre­
sentation was made Monday afternoon during
a Yuletide party sponsored by members of
the hospital auxiliary. - Staff Photo.
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