19661222_Cariboo Observer-5.pdf - the Quesnel & District Museum ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

1 4 - THURSDAY. DECEMBER 22, 1966 - THE QUESNEL CARmoO OBSERVER Trees Live and Bloom In Legends of Yuletide Almost every kind of tree has a legend relating it to the Nativity or the life of Christ. The cherry tree, says "The Cherry Tree Carol," bent down its boughs for Mary to pluck the fruit. The Glastonbury Thorn blooms at Christmas because, legend says, St. Joseph of Arimathea, on his arrival in England, drove his staff into the ground, while he was carrying the Holy Grail, the chalice used at the last supper. The staff took root and grew into a thom tree. As the Christmas bells gladden your heart, we wish you a Happy Holiday. Don Randall CARIBOO Power Saw Service Community Greets Cliristmas With W>rsliip an d R llltislnilion jrom Ihe Bellm.inii Archht 66. Mat Page 27 TOYS FOK THE CHILDitEN, A CAILY-DEC.OKATED TREK • • iti-î., — and uiiii fun iiin fur lor all. aii. This i ms family family Holiday srene, recorded ahoni 1850, represents many of the Christmas traditions most beloved today. holi It is more than "an old-fashioned Christmas," for such customs as exchanging gifts and bringing greenery indoors during the winter holidays originated in ancient times. "Modern" Christmas «elebrations combine traditions of many nations and eras, says the Encyclopedia Americana. In Iceland Since trees are scarce in Iceland, families must use their ingenuity in creating a Christmas tree. A pole with branches of greenery tied to it is the solution in many Icelandic homes. And the valuable real trees are saved for industrial use. ^ ^ ^ CHRISTMAS CHE] wHere's hoping Santa's reindeer delivery comes through with your special wishes, including all of the joy and cheer that goes with Christmas. 233 Vaughan PALM DAIRIES Len Gray - Agent 992-6312 Omens Dim Yule Spirit "Merry" Christmas? Not always, according to some ancient beliefs once associated with the day. Take, for instance, the old belief that cattle and other stable animals were giyen the power of speech on Christmas Eve. Any person who heard the animals speak would die within a year, so superstition said. Somber omens of death were read into still other Yuletide legends. When the Yule log burned, bystanders were told to watch the shadows on the walls. If the shadows of any persons appeared to be headless, this supposedly meant death for those persons, again within a year. Salt was also said to have the power of forecasting life or death, when used in connection with Christmas. The test could be made by leaving a small mound of salt on the table on Christmas Eve. If the salt melted during the night, that, too, meant death within 12 months. If the salt remained unmelted, the forecast was for a long and healthy life. ejoicm By ANNA MANG "Deck the halls with boughs of holly; 'tis the season to be jolly." Christmas is for joy and laughter; Christmas glows with merriment. Throughout this community, families are putting the finishing touches on plans for holiday get-togethers. Hideaways bulge with mysterious packages; kitchens are fragrant with the scents of special treats; homes are bright with gala decorations. Schools and clubs prepare their annual Christmas programs. Holiday party plans go forward. It is, indeed, the season to be jolly. "Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright." Christmas is for prayer and peace; Christmas gleams with the light of the Star that shone so brightly, nearly two thousand years ago. And throughout this community, the deep spiritual significance of the holy season spreads comfort and cheer. In churches, the hours of worship reflect the coming joy as, during the weeks before Christmas, the story of Christ's coming is the subject of study, sermon, song and prayer, all building toward the special services of Christmas weekend. Uniting in Joy and Prayer Christmas is a joyful season; Christmas is a prayerful season. Since the earliest celebrations of this Christian holiday, it has ever been so. The twin spirits of Christmas — festive celebration and reverent worship — are woven together in all the lore of the season. History says that when the time now celebrated as Christmas was designated, in the fifth century A.D., early Christian leaders felt that the traditional winter merrymaking of pagan festivals such as the Roman Saturnalia might be hallowed by association with the Nativity. Thus, pagan peoples who had once looked to mythical sun gods as the source of the rebirth of life began to turn to religious observances of the Saviour's birth. Christmas lights symbolized faith, hope and life eternal. Today, the glow of the tiniest candle — or the twinkling of the smallest electric bulb — still reflects, however humbly, the People Plus ProblemsAdd Holiday Lore Friends who visited the Robert Reilly home last December got a real Christmas surprise. In this Grants Pass, Ore., household, the Christmas tree "gre>y" out of the ceiling — or at least, was suspended there, upside down. Will it start a trend? Will more and more families hang their Christmas trees from the ceiling? Only time can tell! Christmas customs start with people and, often, with problems. In the case of the upside-down Christmas tree, the problem was, "Where to put the tree?" and the humorous solution was reached when the family just couldn't decide. Creating Pudding Many well-established traditions had their legendary beginnings in the inventive reaction of people to problems, large or small. Take plum pudding, for example — as many people do at Christmastime! The very first plum pudding was an answer to adversity, so legend says. An English king and his hunting party were lost in the forest on Christmas Eve, Commanded by the king, the cook prepared dinner, using the foods he had on hand — some meat from a stag, some bits of wild game, flour, birds' eggs, sugar, dried plums, ale and brandy. Light that Christ brought to the world. Bringing Gifts At the heart of the holiday fun and feasting there glows the spirit of giving. The Wise Men sought to honor the Christ Child with rare and precious gifts — gold, frankincense and myrrh. Thus, to give of the best at Christmas is a timehonored tradition. All may rejoice in the opportunity to give generously, to please family and friends with "just what they wanted," and to share with the less fortunate. Yet the best Christmas gifts are still those that come from the open heart as well as the open hand, and the warmth of a friendly smile, the words of a cordial greeting add priceless meaning to the most elaborate of gifts. Singing Carols "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men." Across the years since shepherds flrst barkened to an angelic chorus, Christmas rings with the sound of voices raised in joyful song. Carol singing at Christmas is both a tradition and a source of tradition. Much of the legend and lore of the season is known today only because it has been preserved in song — in carols passed on from generation to generation. In Liberia Liberians use an oil palm in place of the traditional fir as a Christmas tree. The palm is decorated with red balls, other palm leaves and ferns. Yuletide Beauty Is Reflected In Legends of Flowers and Greens Flowers Flowers bur.st burst into intn bloom KI^^.,, . weeds at the foot of a statue and trees and shrubs were representing the Virgin and Child. Instantly, the weeds became scarlet blossoms and thus, so the legend saySj the poinsettia was created. green with new leaves on the night of the Saviour's birth, so legend says. Down through the ages, certain flowers and greens have held an honored place in the lore of Christmas — the holly and the ivy, mistletoe, rosemary,-the Christmas rose, the thorn tree. Ancient peoples believed that mistletoe had powers to ward off evil or cure a variety of illnesses. Druid priests of Britain, long ago, believed that mistletoe should be cut with a golden knife, then hung over doorways as a protection Rosemary, the symbol of constancy, was at one time widely used in England as a Christmas decoration. During the Victorian era, it lost popularity and is now seldom, if ever, seen as part of the Yuletide greenery. An old story says that the fragrance of rosemary was given to it when Mary placed the Christ Child's garments on this shrub. Like mistletoe, the brightlyberried holly was early credited with magical and medical powers. It could even, legend from evil. The Greeks, too, used it to ward off evil. One of many legends surrounding the poinsettia tells of a poor Mexican girl who, having no gift of value, hum- said, tell girls name of KKT,, l i . vUl ^ l ' - — ^ 1 »«»uc, iiuiii- - - - aaiu, ten gins the n bly placed some roadside their future husbands. C M S T # ^ LADIES & TEEN TOGS LTD. onto rings his bell to send very best wishes for a fun-filled Holiday to all. 163 Barlow 992-6113 HOrS DEPARTMENT STORE 201 Barlow 992-2144 With thoughts of the many, beautiful things connected with this season, we send wishes to everyone for a peaceful, blessed Christmas RUDGE ELECTRONICS 143 Carson 992-7133 A Christmas greeting appears below the angel when you c mplete this puzzle 1. opposite of you 2. opposite of he 3. a Christmas colour 4. to make a mistake 5. organs of sight 6. frozen water 7. a Christmas shrub 8. opposite of wet 9. a present 10. we celebrate His birthday 11. part ofthe forest 12. mischievous child 13. another name for saint 14. a December event. The cook not only created a delicious emergency dish, he also invented plum pudding, which tradition says must contain these same ingredients if it is to be the "real thing." Lighting the Tree A pleasant problem with a happy solution led to the custom of decorating the Christmas tree with lights. Martin Luther, the Reformation leader, returned from a Christmas Eve walked under a starlit sky, inspired by a wish to reproduce the heavenly scene for his family. How to show some small reflection of the glory of the heavens on the flrst Holy SBunsijqo BiuBS 8T duii z\ aa^l IT snsof oi lji3 6 Night? Luther solved the problem j by lighting candles and /?jp 8 ^^^ô^ i 301 9 soy?3 g jjg poj g g auj placing them on the boughs of SHaMSXV an evergreen. To our many friends and patrons who have made this Christmas so grand for us, we wish the Merriest /~> of Christmas of all. O FORSTERS AUTO SUPPLY LTD. Ester, Gordon and Peter To the entire Community we wish a Happy and Healthy Holiday QUESNEL & DISTRICT CHAMBER of COMMERCE
In New Mexico The dancers carry on their The Santa Domingo Indian ceremonials until daylight. At For Family's Christmas Fun ^'pueblo, in New Mexico, per- dawn the Indians move to forms a four-day-long sacred their sacred plaza in the cenritual dance in honor of the ter of the village, where they Christmas season. continue dancing throughout Little Prune People Bring Good Luck It begins at two A-M. Christ- Christmas day. mas day. After midnight mass. On the second day the chil- From the South of nf Germany Oprm » n V IM—IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII - m.. comes a centuries-old custom ^"i^^f^ gather inside the dren dance and the older of making maKing "Little "Little Prune Prune Peo- Peochurch. They are clad in col- members of the tribe take over jg" for Christmas decorating orful costumes, adorned with for the third day. On the last ^nd eating everything from fox tails to day the entire pueblo joins in evergreen branches. the day-long ceremonies. 3 •* ©hristmas * Time for us to speed very warm wishes for the Yuletide Holiday to you. May your day be bright with joy and merriment shared with your loved ones. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas! P.J. INDUSTRIAL ELECTRIC 2 Mile Flat 992-2316 Legend has it that the appearance of these "little people" in the home during the holiday season will bring good luck and good harvest during the coming year. They take on characterizations of people of all ages and occupations, including St. Nicholas himself. If Dad has some heavy wire and some scraps of plywood in his workshop, and if fruits and nuts are on hand (as they usually are at Christmas), almost any family could make some "lucky little prune people" this Yuletide. For groups large or small, planned or impromptu parties, the creation of prune people could be an enjoyable Christmas Day pastime. Most people will quickly come up with their own ideas for prune characters they would like to create. The characterizations are limited only by the imagination and the materials that can be used. Traditional materials used to create "prune people" are: heavy picture wire, prunes, dried figs and raisins, unshelled nuts, quarter-inch plywood scraps or wood scraps PRUNE PEOPLE BRING lii«:k during the coming year, legend suys. They are easy to make witli ingredients most famih'es have on hand at Christmas time — prunes, figs, Brazil nuts, together with plywood scraps, picture wire and scraps of such decorative materials as foil and gift wrapping paper. from crates, pliers, hammer, • • * small awl, foil, scraps of SOME CHARACTERS that miKht Christmas wrapping, glue and be created from prunes and other a little imagination. To make prune people, follow these steps: 1. Cut a three-inch square wooden base. Make two holes one inch apart in center of base and cover with paper or foil. 2. Cut wire 30" long and put each end through holes in bottom of base. The base will now stand with wire perpendicular and ready to string on nuts or prunes. ingredients are shown at right. The chimney sweep is prunes from neck to toe. His ladder and hat are made from shiny black construction paper. He and his companions, the Tyrolean prune couple, stand on a tliree-incli wooden base covered with foil. Each lias Brazil nuts glued to the base for feet, and a walnut for a head. Se from orunP^ n/fiSc'?«*'^ hold fruit in place. S six fi^s^nr ftn .^M^""^ V, /2(a THE QUESNEL CARIBOO OBSERVER - THURSDAY. DECEMBER 22. 1966 - 15 65- MAT PAGE 27 65- MAT PAGE 27 ative thought, dress the little "^^^^ s"âll prune figures. . 3. Punch hole through two prunes)^ ^^'^^ °^ ^^^^"^ and in- ^ Brazil nuts and string wire - - ' ' • 5 Twist«;frflnrfcof„^. • ^^rt Short piece Of wire in wal- In Norway through holes to form fret and to hold torso in niâcT«t nut-just far enough to hold The Norwegian Christmas 5. Twist strands of wire agam nut-just far enough to hold The Norwegian Christmas glue nuts to wooden — — . base. _ Then iilCH LSew?res and ll^ri f^'^- P^^^^' "^^^g balance traditionally starts six months 4 .csfrincr fw« ^r- fv,Voo „ r M « o o ^Jl^ separate wircs and bend of wire to wrap around wire before December 24th. The 4. string two or three prunes down arm
Page 1 and 2: Christmas Sermon FATHER JOHN SHEFFI
Page 3 and 4: FROM SAINT NICHOLAS TO ST. NICK THE
Page 5: A won JOYOUS ALL. OUR FItlENOS S. F

19661222_Cariboo Observer-5.pdf - the Quesnel & District Museum ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?