ROLLING PLAINS RAMBLINGS

By Morton Scott

© December 15, 2005

An American Christmas

When we envision Christmas we see joyous families gathered around a glittering Christmas tree encircled by gaily-wrapped packages. Or maybe a jolly bewhiskered Santa Claus maneuvering from chimney to chimney his prancing team of eight (or nine if it is foggy) flying reindeer through the snow. Or the aroma of chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Or perhaps cheerful carolers echoing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing!” across manager scenes with the Babe sleeping on the hay.

These have not always been the images which reflected the Christmas season.

For instance, in the early days of New England, you couldn’t have said Merry Christmas OR Happy Holidays.

From Roman times to the Middle Ages, Christmas had been not so much a religious celebration as a time for partying, heavy drinking and eating. This early winter time was the only time of the year when no crops needed planting, tending or reaping. Cattle were mature and could be slaughtered, crops had been harvested and stored, and, importantly, wine and beer made during the year had fermented and ready to be enjoyed.
When the VERY religious Puritans executed King Charles I of England and Oliver Cromwell became Protector, they set out to eliminate decadence from the British Isles. So one of first actions was to cancel Christmas.

Our Pilgrims in New England were even stricter than their Puritan brethren in England. Not only was Christmas cancelled, but in Boston from 1659 to 1681. Christmas was actually outlawed. Saying “Merry Christmas” or in any other way showing the Christmas spirit would cost you a five shilling fine!

After the Revolution, Americans deemphasized English customs, including celebrating Christmas. Our first Congress in 1789 met on December 25 aS did most other activities. Christmas did not become an official holiday until after the Civil War, on June 26, 1870. December 25 was just the day between December 24 and December 26.

Then Americans began reinventing Christmas celebrations. Noted writer Washington Irving led the way with his “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent,” a series of stories about an English manor squire who invited the peasants in his area into his manor. Irving painted a picture of the warm, cheerful and kind atmosphere as the squire’s family and staff mixed with the peasants.

This introduced into the American Spirit of Christmas, the concept of Christmas as a warm-hearted celebration with family and friends and people of all classes. This was in contrast to the raucous, often drunken revelry of the traditional Middle Age partying. In 1828, the New York city council established the City’s first police force in reaction to just such a riot.

The American Christmas celebration continued to evolve when, he 1822, an Episcopal preacher, Clement Clarke Moore, wrote a long poem for his three daughters. Your may have read it: “Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house …” As a minister he was a bit hesitant to publish a frivolous poem about “a right jolly elf” with the power to rise through the chiminey with just a nod of his head. However, the poem was very popular among particularly the children who read it. Thus Santa Claus was born as America re-invented Christmas.

In 1881, the New York cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on Rev. Moore’s poem to draw the Santa Claus we know today, with his pot belly, a red-fur suit, with white trim. This is our Santa Claus!

--