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10a -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, Dec. 18, 1984 A look at Christmas of the past In Upper Canada in the 1850's when the legend of Santa Claus (alias Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas and Kris Kringle) began to grow in popularity, con- siderable speculation surrounded his means of transportation. Quick, young minds sought solu- tions to the obvious dif- ficulty of visiting so many homes in so short a period of time Christmas Eve. According to the recently published Cana- dian Christmas Book by Caroline Carver, the debate focussed on a number of possibilities, among them that Santa arrived a) on snowshoes; b) crossing the St. Lawrence on a whale; ¢) riding in a sled pulled by reindeer, and finally d) riding on the back of a giant-sized turkey. As Caroline said: 'On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Turkey .... " It's easy to understand why the reindeer theme won wide acceptance and it certainly has withstood the test of time. During this year, in celebration of the pro- vince's 200th anniver- sary since major settle- ment, hundreds of municipalities planned thousands of events and many of them focussed on Ontario's rich and diverse heritage. At Christmas, it's fun to look at how the season was celebrated a century or more ago and to learn where some of the tradi- tions we enjoy today have their roots. Christmas in the mid-19th century was more festive than it was 75 years earlier. In 1784, when United Empire Loyalists began settling the territory which even- tually became Ontario, Christmas was likely a somber occasion. Having sought freedom in Canada from persecu- tion in the United States following the American Revolution, those early pioneers had little of material value; a few clothes, almost no food and inadequate shelter. They huddled along the shores of the St. Lawrence and Niagara Rivers fighting for sur- vival and no doubt pray- ing for better 'days ahead. Better days did come. Settlements and settlers prospered. Many more people came to make their homes here and gradually the Christmas traditions we know today began to take root. May the simple pleasure of the season be with you all year long. UNIQUE GIFTS Pode! TY KRY Qld Fashioned Christmas LUKE'S COUNTRY STORE hd According to Catharine Parr Trail, who arrived in Canada in 1832 and who wrote The Canadian Settler's Guide, people here did not observe the occasion as had been the custom in England. She wrote: "When 1 first came to Canada, I was much sur- prised at the cold indif- ference which most peo- ple showed in their observance of Christmas Day ---- with the excep- tion of the few residing English families, the church was scantily at- tended. For in those days, there was no dress- ing of the houses or chur- ches with evergreens as is now so generally the custom .... But while the nativity of our Lord was regarded, all its honour and glory was conferred onthe New Year's day." The religious Christmas day was celebrated by Anglicans, Catholics and German Lutherans then. Those of Scottish descent, who were mainly Presbyter- ian, made New Year's day a festival. That year Catharine set out to decorate the home where she was a guest as she would have done in England. Evergreen boughs were draped over doors and picture frames and along mantles. In the absence of holly, Catharine used cranberry boughs. The cranberry bushes were plentiful in the Upper Canada bogs common to the mid-1800's coun- tryside. Of particular delight to young people was the practice of fashioning a kissing bough from evergreens which was hung in a con- venient passage. Under the bough a lady could not refuse a kiss. Catharine's Christmas activities at first amused her host and hostess but, before long, they became accepted traditions of the season. Christmas trees had long been a favourite German tradition before the idea spread to England during Queen Victoria's reign. The Royal family set up trees for their own children May theasunes great and small be yours this holiday. Thanking you all. A » / y . Jill. Melody and Gwen Merry Christmas from the staff of COUNTRY CLASSICS and the practice became popular throughout England when an engraving of the Queen and Prince Albert stan- ding next to a tree was published in The II- lustrated London News in 1848. °° Upper Canada's Ger- man population introduc- ed the Christmas tree here and, strengthened by the additional in- fluence of British accep- tance of the custom, the Christmas tree began to be used in Canada by the mid-century. Tree decorations in- cluded garlands of pop- corn and cranberries, decorated cookies, hand- made shapes such as cor- nucopias and drums and small handmade toys, tufts of coloured fleece and dried apple slices. The apple slices were tasty treats for the children on Christmas day. Tapered candles completed the tree decorations; however, these were carefully placed and were lit for only a few minutes at a time. Fire was such a constant threat that, as a caution, buckets of cold water were kept near the tree. Glass decorations did not become popular until the late 1800's. Gift-giving red the celebrations in the mid- dle of the century, but was usually reserved for the children. Practical gifts such as homemade mittens and socks were most common, but occa- sionally, a cornhusk doll or a small, whittled toy could be found hanging from the branches of the Christmas tree. As con- sumer products and more money became available, store-bought gifts replaced the homemade ones. A store in Picton advertised lead toys, marbles, musical workmen, toy dogs, horses and rabbits, mouth harps, boats, chairs and Noah's Arks. Christmas became an official holiday in Canada in 1849. Christmas cards im- ported from England gained popularity in the 1860's, and Canadian printers offered their own on the market in the 1870's. As with all other tradi- tions, the Christmas feasting we enjoy today evolved over the decades as more food became available and imports were easier to obtain. Catharine Parr Trail feasted on goose fattened on the rice beds of ponds and rivers. She wrote that turkeys were found only on old, cleared farms and that beef was only available when an ox was slaughtered to save it from a natural death. By the second half of the century, however, turkey was a popular Christmas repast. Plum pudding, ablaze with burning brandy and mincemeat pie, nuts and imported fruits com- pleted the feast. In the isolated parts of the pro- vince none of these delicacies could be easi- ly obtained, except perhaps for a few oranges. One man who remembered fondly the Christmas pudding of his past attempted to create one in the midst of the Upper Canada wilderness but lamented that without the proper ingredients, '"'even though we ate it, it was awful." After the meal, children and adults would gather in the parlor to play chess, backgammon, whist, Blindman's Buff and Queen of Sheba. This last was a game in which the prettiest girl in the room was seated in a chair. Young men were blind- folded and had to find their way to her to steal a kiss. When success was A wish to all for a Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year! REATIVE ITCHENS PT AR 4 PR PR 159 Casimir SL, Port Perry PHONE 985-9980 The Newlove Family Winners of our Open House Draws: Enid Oke. Barb Ross Wishing you all the merriest this Christmas with special thanks to valued patrons and friends. Eleanor's Flowers | near, an aged relative was substituted for the young girl. This game delighted Victorians. Another game which was particularly popular was Snapdragon. Raisins and currents were placed in a large bowl filled with brandy which was set afire. The object of the game was to snatch the raisins out of the bowl and pop them into the mouth without burning the fingers. DAVID CHOW'S RESTAURANT & DINING LOUNGE We will be CLOSED - December 25th & 26th. RE-OPENING: December 27th-11a.m.to 10 p.m. OPEN NEW YEAR'SDAY -4 to 8 P.M. May the light of His love be with you during this holiest of seasons. RENSINK CONSTRUCTION R.R. 2, Port Perry 985-3124