Washington Irving’s Birthday: the birth of modern Santa Claus?

According to the Writer’s Almanac, today is the birthday of Washington Irving, in 1783.  It is Washington Irving who is responsible for the popularization of Christmas in America, and, specifically, the depiction of Santa Claus and his sleigh.

According to The Office of Santa Claus (How much more official can we get?) and many other sources, Irving’s portrayal was meant to be satire, a joke!

“In the British colonies of North America and later the United States, British and Dutch versions of the gift-giver merged further. For example, in Washington Irving’s History of New York, (1809), Sinterklaas was Americanized into “Santa Claus” but lost his bishop’s apparel, and was at first pictured as a thick-bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe in a green winter coat. Irving’s book was a lampoon of the Dutch culture of New York, and much of this portrait is his joking invention.”

Santa is a New Yorker?!?

Podcast #52- 293 Days to Go!

Podcast #52- Click here to listen to this week’s podcast- Papal Christmas Connections

Natalie & Jeremy are finally back at it!  This wee our discussion centers on the Pope, Vatican City, and Christmas.  LIsten as we discuss all the Papal Christmas facts you need to KNOW.  We also speak a little on making sure you get right to it in this weeks snow for something to DO and PLAN now to plant your holly to have it ready for Christmas 2013.  We get back to regular posts for March too- remember Natalie has days ending in 3 or 8 and Jeremy has the days ending in 5 or 0.  Merry Christmas!!

The Christmas perks of a newspaper subscription

For Valentine’s Day, the love of my life gave me a daily subscription to The Washington Post.  This was in light of two obvious reasons NOT to give the paper to me–I don’t even have time to read my mail at night and the waste of whole “trees” in the production of a newspaper is completely against Roger’s “small footprint” philosophy.

Yet, here it is.  Every day.  Early–before 6:00 a.m.  It’s like getting a Christmas present because I’ve found some tidbit or other, in just about every issue, to fuel the Yule Log (love that pun).

Sunday’s Washington Post had an excellent review of the new Thomas Nast biography by Fiona Deans Halloran, Thomas Nast:  The Father of Modern Political Cartoons.  I first wrote about Nast’s 1870’s drawings of Santa Claus as the origins of our modern-day depiction. (See post – February 16, 2012)

This biography examines three of Nast’s major contributions:  the elephant as mascot of the Republican Party, bringing down Tammany Hall and “Boss” William M. Tweed through his political cartoons, and the jolly old St. Nick drawings.  Jonathan Yardley’s review of the book is really interesting and reveals that the Santa drawings are more than just the “man.”  They also depicted children, sugarplums, and the sentimental trappings that get all of us excited about the holiday.  Since my American history knowledge is limited to the bare outlines, I think this book is just my style.

I don’t know when I would get a chance to read it, though.  I have to get through a newspaper every day!

Happy Valentine’s Day from The Yule Log

Happy Valentine’s Day from The Yule Log.  Christmas is, of course, a month-long celebration of love for each other.  The Valentine heart, just as red (or pink) and just as full of love, is represented all over the Christmas tree.

On this special day, many lovers–and lovers of love–turn to poetry to express their feelings–writing their own or searching for someone’s words to express their thoughts and feelings.  Victorian poet Christina Rossetti is one whose works are often quoted.  Although biographical sources reveal that Rossetti did not find lasting love and marriage in her own life, her poetry is often copied and shared, like one of my favorites,  “I wish I could remember that first day.”

Era gia l’ora che volge il desio. – Dante
Ricorro al tempo ch’io vi vidi prima. – Petrarca

I wish I could remember that first day,

    First hour, first moment of your meeting me,

    If bright or dim the season, it might be

Summer or Winter for aught I can say;

So unrecorded did it slip away,

    So blind was I to see and to foresee,

    So dull to mark the budding of my tree

That would not blossom yet for many a May.

If only I could recollect it, such

    A day of days! I let it come and go

    As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;

It seemed to mean so little, meant so much;

If only now I could recall that touch,

    First touch of hand in hand – Did one but know!

Rossetti’s Christmas poetry is just as loved and has been set to music?  She wrote the poem “In the Bleak Midwinter,” which often sung at Christmas.  (James Taylor recorded a memorable version.)  Her poem, “Love Came Down at Christmas” has been set to music by many composers.

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

The Basque Coal Man – The Olentzero

I admit to being a follower of author Mark Kurlansky, beginning with his history of salt and then following with his book, Cod.  Innocent bystanders were subjected to my little-known salt facts for days on end,  In fact, I read his book twice.  Now, I have discovered another gem, The Basque History of the World: The Story of a Nation.

According to Kurlansky, just about everything we have that is good in the world originated with the Basque people, a very small region in southern France and northern Spain.  Coincidentally, the Camino de Santiago’s route–another of my recent obsessions– is largely in the Basque region.   He says the Jesuits began with two Basque men; steel was manufactured for all of Europe with raw materials from Basque;  Basque whalers were early explorers of the new world; and the Basques recognized the value of chocolate from the New World.

The Basques also have a unique Christmas figure–the coal man.  My ears perked up as I was listening to my audio book.  The figure is called the “Olentzero.”

Here is information from one resource, Buber’s Basque Page:  On Christmas Eve, throughout virtually all the towns in Euskadi, the figure of a shepherd or a coal man is lifted up, sitting in a basket, onto the shoulders of people who take it from house to house throughout the town or village, and at every house that it passes, the young people that accompany the Olentzero stop to sing a Chrismtas carol.

In Navarra, for example, the Olentzero is a coal man who comes down from the mountains to hand out chestnuts and wine, and of course presents for the little ones.

The Olentzero is a mythical Basque character: he is a messenger, a shepherd who cries out that it is Christmas time throughout all the corners of the Basque Country. But he is not only a shepherd; in some parts of Euskadi he is a farm worker and in other parts he is the coalman, but all of them have in common the fact that they bring good news.

But the Olentzero has also always been associated with many other beliefs, such as the deeply rooted Basque cuisine. In Salvatierra in Alava, for example, the Olentzero is a coalman, who after having lived a hard life up in the mountains, comes back to his village to bring good news and at the same time to have a good feast to make up for the hunger which he has suffered.

This mythical character has a big head, a large belly and according to local traditions is capable of drinking ten “arrobas” (one arroba is about twenty-five pounds in weight) of wine. In Hondarribia apart from carrying a pipe, a capon, some eggs and a bottle of wine, he usually has a tail made of cod, and if a permanent Olentzero is erected in a village, a barbecue is usually set up next to him where sardines are handed out free of charge to the onlookers.

Much to Roger’s chagrin, I love sardines.  I would like to adopt this Coal Man–find a figurine to add to our tree or nativity.  By the time I finish the audio book, I’m sure I’ll want to be Basque.

Lincoln, Christmas and Apolonia Stuntz’s Toy Store

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of watching Lincoln, Spielberg’s Academy Award nominated movie staring Daniel Day-Lewis.  In addition to learning a a great deal more about Lincoln’s struggles to pass the Thirteenth Amendment and his final days in office, the fine detail of the Lincoln White House, in all of its lack of dignity (compared to today’s White House), was fascinating. Christmas was not yet a national celebration as it was to become a short time later, and, after the death of Lincoln’s son Willie (in February 1862), the Lincolns were even less inclined to celebrate the holiday.

Tad Lincoln, the President’s youngest son, by all accounts, appeared regularly in his father’s office and was present during many of his father’s meetings and travels.  Watching the movie, I was fascinated by Tad’s toys, which seemed to be mostly soldiers and maps of battlefields.

Toy soldiers (precursors of the plastic Army men so ubiquitous today that they appear in films like Toy Story) were popular during the 1800’s.  Abraham Lincoln was said to have frequented Apolonia Stuntz’s Toy and Candy store, a small store just a few blocks from the White House.  Apolonia’s husband, Joseph, a veteran of Napoleon’s army, carved some of the soldiers himself.

There’s an excellent video on YouTube created by the Indiana State Museum describing these soldiers and other playthings from the White House.

Robert Sivard, who was a popular painter in the mid-1900’s, painted this version of the Stuntz Toy Shop, which includes the image of Abraham Lincoln shopping inside the store.  The small store is no FAO Schwartz (except for the New York Avenue address), but it’s sad to learn that the building became a dry cleaner in the early 1900’s and was then destroyed to make way for more modern buildings.  Here’s a link to a Washington Times article about the store and its connection to Lincoln.

Toy soldiers like the ones Tad played with then, have given way to

Christmas Melting Pot

One of the things that has always interested me about Christmas is the origins and history of our holiday.  The fact that so much of the traditions and customs trace back to non-Christian religious, spiritual, and ethnic practices is well documented.  The Yule Log has shared many posts about the early conversion of “pagan” or other practices to the Christmas feasts and festivals.  Trees, elves, Santa Claus, food, customs, and song all are part of the rich mosaic that Christmas has formed over the centuries.  Christmas has close ties to many world religions including Islam and Judaism.  One of these connections has been one of the more intriguing to me- music.  So many of our most popular Christmas songs were created by Jewish composers and lyricists.

Natalie and I have talked about this occurrence many times.  It seems that this fact has been one of interest to many writers over the years.  Never noticed this connection before?  Here are some basics.  More than half of the annual top 25 holiday songs compiled by ASCAP were penned by Jews.  Composers like Irving Berlin and Mel Torme give us great works.  Compositions include White Christmas, the Christmas Song, Christmas Waltz, Silver Bells, Rudolph, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas.  There are also numerous Jewish performers that have given so many of the classic versions of holiday songs.  Main Jewish artists of Christmas hits include Barbra Streisand, Neil Sedaka, Barry Manilow, and Neil Diamond.  Even Bob Dylan cut a Christmas album last year.  For a more interesting look at the connections read this short 2011 article from the New York Daily News.  It definitely is one of the miracles of the Christmas season that so many people of such varied backgrounds can come together to celebrate peace, hope, and love.

A Very Merry Christmas Museum

It’s been only three weeks since Christmas 2012, but already it seems a lifetime ago.  The rush of life moves forward and the joy and glow of the holidays can quickly fade.  As I was seeking some facts for my post today (all about a monthly collection for gifts- come back the 20th for that) I came upon some lists of events in history for January 15th.  I read about the opening of the British Museum (one of my absolute favorites) on this day in 1759.  That got me on a quest to find out about any Christmas Museums.  Yes, there are many: small, large, seasonal, parts of other museums.  You name the type and you’ll likely find a display somewhere, but very few that are full-time, year-round exhibitions of Christmas.  There’s the Christmas Story House in Ohio, the Santa Claus Museum in Indiana, the Aluminum Tree and Ornament Museum in North Carolina, and the Hallmark Ornament Museum in Indiana.  Incidentally that last one houses the only complete collection of every Hallmark Ornament produced since 1973!  The one that stuck out as THE one for me was the National Christmas Center, located in Paradise, PA.

The National Christmas Center is one of the sights found on the Travel Channel’s list of the “Most Christmasy Places in America”.  Joining this small town attraction on the list were Branson, MO, Las Vegas, the Mall of America, and FAO Schwartz- pretty big deal company!  The Center is a family attraction and museum located just off Route 30 in Amish Country in south-central Pennsylvania.  Their title includes the phrase “Experience the wonder of the world’s most beloved holiday”.  It definitely seems like it lets you do just that.  The Center is open to the public weekends in March and April and daily from May through December.  Groups can tour the center in January and February.  Adult admission is $12 with discount tickets available easily online.  The center offers both a local and an online gift shop.  There are 15 main galleries covering thousands of square feet and many smaller exhibits of a more personal size.  The galleries focus on a particular aspect or historical aspect of Christmas.  Yes, Virginia shares a recreation of the story around the famous letter.  Santa’s workshop is recreated and you can see scenes from Christmas Around the World.  There is a look into Santa History, Christmas Antiques, Tudor Towne, and Train Mountain.  A popular draw is the gallery of 1950s Woolworth, showcasing the look and products of that time.  My pick would be the life-size recreation of the First Christmas and the collection of hundreds of Nativity Scenes.  One gallery has a 3/4 life-size nativity set carved from wood, nearly 100 years old.  Take the virtual tour on the center’s website to see a glimpse of each gallery.  It certainly seems like a great trip for any time of the year.  Check out the review by Skye, a real-life mom of 5, on Real Mom Reviews for some thoughts on taking the kids, seems like a solid plan.  Maybe this will make the list for our field trips in 2013!

On the 12th Day of Christmas…

On the 12th Day of Christmas, Christmas is over. Finished. Done. Complete. Today is Twelfth Night, the final day of the twelve days of Christmas. This is the night before epiphany and signals the end of the season. The earliest origins of Twelfth Night can be found in ancient Rome. It was a festival and celebration to end the winter solstice festivals and begin the long stretch of winter. The more modern practices go back to Medieval England. Twelfth Night was a night of celebration to mark the end fo the season. There was much music and dancing and a large feast. The feast would have a king and queen crowned to preside over the festivities. A plum cake was served with a bean and a pea baked into it. The man who found the bean was named the king and the woman who found the pea was named the queen. If a woman found the bean she got to be queen and named her own king. These festivals were lots of fun- nights of pranks, costumes, and role reversals. A kind of free-for-all with no rules and wild abandon. In some towns large groups with blackened faces would roam the streets causing a loud uproar to chase away and bad spirits. These traditions carried over to the new world and colonial America saw similar festivals and feasts, and many formal balls. These large Twelfth Night balls were particularly popular in the south. Even President Washington and his wife Martha hosted huge annual parties. This might also be because January 5th was their wedding anniversary! By the mid-1800s the emphasis on Twelfth Night had dwindled and large Christmas Day celebrations had become the new trend.

Some other holiday tradition are also connected to Twelfth Night. Wassail was connected with the night as part of the festivities to place a good blessing on the orchards. A mix of cider and ale was made and then taken to the orchard groves. Singing and merriment would move to the trees and the mixture was poured on the roots to ensure a good crop of apples the following fall. The fire of the yule log would be extinguished on Twelfth Night. This log was lit and kept burning through the whole season and extinguished on this night. The remains would be kept to be used to light the next log the following year. Twelfth night is not just an ending but a beginning too. It signals the start of the carnival season the will continue through Mardi Gras and end on Ash Wednesday. So much more on the 12th day of Christmas than those drummers drumming!

Winter Solstice = Midwinter Celebration = Christmas!

Just before dawn this morning winter officially began!  This happens on the winter solstice, where the sun is at its lowest point on the horizon.  It is also the shortest day in terms of daylight.  Here in Maryland we didn’t need to worry too much today about the daylight.  Winter arrived with gray skies, brisk temperatures, sweeping winds and snow!  Ok, it was just flurries but is was SNOW!!    It traditionally is a day full of festivals and celebrations.  One last hurrah before the long dark winter.  The mid-winter celebrations always included a feast.  In the Northern Hemisphere the midwinter feasts and festivals lined up with the celebration of the birth of Jesus, Christmas.  The Roman Winter Solstice was on December 25th using the new Julian calendar.  Feasts included night-time masses, large meals, public singing, and often lasted 12 days or more!  Sounds like Christmas today, right?  I decided to make today a celebration of my own.

Natalie and I have both been feeling a little Christmas funk as of late, and I made the decision that it ended today.  It was the last day of work before the holiday break.  It has been a crazy week, but today I decided to surprise many co-workers with little tins full of home-made candy.  What I love about giving out little surprise gifts today is that people can’t return the favor.  I like giving things without anything in return.  There was music at work today, snow in the wind, and a general glee among almost all who I spoke with today.  After work Natalie had a call from our friend Danielle at the Frederick News Post.  She was looking for some leads on local folks with great family CHristmas traditions.  Natalie immediately thought of our friend Kara and her parents.  Their family annually makes thousands of tiny, miniature Christmas cookies.  Each of these little pieces of artwork is meticulously crafted and decorated.  Everyone who has had the joy of receiving these treats anxiously awaits all year for them to come again.  Needless to say we set Danielle to the Boehne family straight away.  Kara reports that they were on the phone for 30 minutes and that her Dad talked the reporters ear off.  So look to the Frederick News Post soon for some coverage of these special little cookies.

That wasn’t the end to my own personal mid-winter celebration.  When I got home today I decided it was time to re-decorate my Christmas tree.  That’s right, RE-decorate.  You see, the tree fell over last Friday night during a holiday gathering.  Not once, but twice it toppled to the ground.  The tree was rest, but gravity won the battle again on Monday night.  (there are many theories as to the reasons for this trees perils- all very clever, including a curse!)  It is securely up-right now and fully decorated.  This increased my Christmas mood about 200%.  Next I checked in on Facebook and was happy to see a post from a favorite former student I keep in touch with from time to time.  His band , Twin Radio, has a new holiday recording and he sent me the link- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.  Give a listen and I think you’ll agree, they’re pretty good! I’m going to wrap-up my midwinter feast with some Christmas cookies, hot cocoa, and A Charlie Brown Christmas before bed.  Happy Winter Solstice to All and to All a Good Night!