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WVI1UN S • jfAWji- •mr.n c•, i»4i» The Traditions Of Christmas Christmas, you may be surprised to learn, was quite routine for many Americans until the mid-1800's. The traditional American Christmas, in fact, is not so very old at all. Gift-giving, card-sending, tree-trimming and other present-day customs did not become widely popular until the final decades of the 19th century, arriving then as a package of Victorian style and business zeal. For many years, Thanksgiving actually was far more special than Christmas in New England. In the South, firecrackers were set off Christmas morning; colored eggs decorated evergreens in Dutch settlements along the Hudson River, and well into the 1800's Santa Claus was portrayed as quite a small, elfish figure sometimes capped off with a feather. "Technological developments, advances in transportation, printing and mail services probably were responsible for the enormous change and popularization of Christmas day in the Vic­ torian period," according to Shirley Cherkasky, a sociologist responsible for holiday research at the Smithsonian Institution's Division of Performing Arts. Early in the country's history, the Puritan settlers believed Christmas should not be observed at all, and in 1659 the celebration was outlawed in Masachusetts by the decree: "Whoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas and the like...shall pay for each offense Ave shillings to the country." The Puritans associated Christmas with the Church Of England, a painful reminder of their struggle for religious freedom. The Dec. 25 holiday, they strongly felt, was a human invention, a fabrication: Christ's birthdate was unknown, and therefore, the day should never have been ordained by the church. The Puritans also didn't care much for the occasion, thinking it too closely linked to the spirited pagan celebration of the winter solstice. But in New York, Penn­ sylvania and the southern colonies, Christmas was another matter altogether. The Anglicans, Lutherans, Dutch Reformed and Roman Catholics in these regions celebrated with music, dancing, feasts and family gatherings. A French traveler, visiting the home of a Virginian in the 1680's, reported: "There was a great deal of carousing. He had sent for three fiddlers, a jester, a tightrope dancer, an acrobat who tum­ bled... they gave us all the entertainment one could wish for." "Today, if you're talking about getting back to a more religious holiday, you might remember that Christmas used to be pretty wild," Ms. Cherkasky notes. So wild that one early custom called mumming-knocking on doors, ringing bells, rattling cans and shooting off firearms-got completely out of hand in Baltimore late in the 1800's, falling into decline when quieter residents complained. After years of struggle, the Massachusetts Puritans in 1681 repealed theft anti- holiday decree, apparently won over by two reasons: the seasonal joy they could see their neighbors ex­ periencing, plus the protection the ' U.S. Con­ stitution gave to the separation of church and state. The Puritans, ac­ cording to social historian James H. Barnett, were less inclined to oppose the secular celebration when it was no longer a symbol of the political and religious dominance of the Church of England. But some in the colony still were not reconciled to the decision. Complained one Judge Sewell: "I believe that the body of the People Profane it; and blessed be God, no authority yet to compel them to keep it." In 1856, though, Massachusetts joined the growing list of states giving legal recognition to Christmas day-the first being Alabama 20 years earlier. « By the mid-1800!s, Christmas spirit was on the upswing throughout the country. Dickens' A Christmas Carol, published in 1843, helped bridge local and regional differences in holiday customs. Its themes of kindness and generosity, according to Ms. Cherkasky, crossed many cultural and regional boundaries, thereby helping to universalize the Christmas celebration. In 1868, Dickens gave readings of the tale in the United States and, after one appearance, he wrote: "They took it so tremen­ dously last night that I was stopped every 5 mintues. One poor young girl burst into a passion of grief about Tiny Tim and had to be taken out." As it did in other area* of American life, the Industrial Revolution began to in­ fluence the way Christmas was observed. Christmas cards, for example, could be produced and mailed inexpensively, gaining wide popularity by 1875. And for better or worse, the first holiday advertising ap­ peared in the 1830's. But it was not until late in the century, when the T O N E S AREA S OLDEST & LARGEST MUSIC ft ELECTRONICS SHOPPING CENTER SINCE 1964 'Your Gift-Giving Headquarters" RTES.31& 120 (Across from Jewel) McHenry, Illinois 385-4646 -- I HV-2601 26" Trinitron Console Color Television Clean contemporary styling and full-feature electronics in our most economical 26" Trinitron console, with real hand-finished pecan veneer cabinet, Velocity Modulation scanning system for superb color, our new 14-push button Express Tuning system that gives you the station you want with just a single touch, semi-automatic elec­ tronic channel setting, and our newly developed Trinitron picture tube and Alpha Chassis for low power consump­ tion. 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Thomas Nast's drawings in "Harper's Weekly" portrayed Santa for the first time as a jolly, white-bearded character dressed in fur. The popularity of the Christinas tree grew right along with the change in social customs and technological progress. After Queen Victoria set up a Yuletide tree at Windsor Castle, the style was set, reaching the White House in 1865 during Franklin Pierce's presidency. Thomas Edison's lab came up with a string of tree lights in 1882, three years after the incandescent l i gh t breakthrough, and im­ mediately this novel idea became the rage among the wealthy. Christmas tree parties to show off the ex­ pensive, lighted trees were major social events. Today, of course, the Christmas season is the sum of many traditions. "We're so encrusted with a whole set Offer Circuit Breaker Aid JJfp*31 is the last day on whiclt individuals eligible for the 1878 circuit breaker may apply for the cash rebate according to Marge Jones, executive director of the McHettry County Senior €itiztens council. The circuit breaker is a form of tax relief available in the *State; of Illinois for jf^viduals ovei; the age of 65 . ( or to ta l l y (Mf&bled ac ­ cording to Sofefel Security {standards regardless of age) Whose total; household in­ come is under $10,000 a year. "In order to be eligible for the benefit," Ms. Jones explained, Vone must have Attained . the 65th birthday (or become totally disabled bri or before Dec. 31, 1978) a resident of Illinois during 1978; be a current resident of Illinois and had a total household income under $10,000 during that year." Two grants are available from the circuit breaker form. A property tax relief grant is based on a formula that weighs the burden of an applicant'8 property or privilege taxes against his or her household income during the claim year. For purposes of the law, a renter's property taxes are computed of things to do, compared to the time when the season was really quite simple," says Ms. Cherkasky. ^ at 30 percent of the rent paid during the claim year. The grant is equal to the amount of property or privilege taxes that exceed four percent of the ap­ plicant's household income for the year. There is a grant ceiling, computed by sub­ tracting five percent of the income from $650. An additional grant, available through the same form, is based .on a per­ centage of income*, only. It applies to alf over the age of 65, whether or , not they pay rent or property tax. A "The forms are not difficult to fill out", Jones said, "butour staff can handle any questions that may arise. Also, should an individual be unable to get out of the home, our outreach team will be happy to send someone to the home to help in filling out the form. "This is one benefit for seniors that should not be overlooked", Ms. Jones concluded. "The investment of a 15 cent stamp can bring several hundred dollars in return, with no strings at­ tached." The forms and assistance can be obtained through the information and referral center located in the office of the McHenry County Senior Citizens council, P.O. Box 722, 113 Newell street, Woodstock, or at the new • • • BEFORE YOU BUY THE NEW, MODERN KINETICO WATER CONDITIONING SYSTEM f *N0 ELECTRICITY ^METERED WATER •LESS SALT •SAVES MONEY FKEMTEI TEST MO IHTiL MIES OH REQUEST CALL YOUR ~ LOCAL WATER CONDITIONIIifi DEALER: KINKTIf O Jjruner TOM HUEMANN WATER CONDITIONING 2103 W. CHURCH ST. JOHNSBORG MCHENRY, ILL 305-3003 "UKEST SEMCE KPT. M MTKM UMHS" Survival This is the lock that's •» been shown on TV being smashed with hammers, crowbars and sledges^- and surviving. This Kwikset 880 deadlock was beaten, pried, wrenched-- virtually destroyed. But it still held, still kept the door locked. To help protect you from soaring crime rates, we have a complete stock of t,hese rugged steel and brass locks with all these security features: • 1" solid-steel bolt • Steel cylinder housing • Dual steel reinforcing rings • Heavy-duty latch • 1/4" steel fastening bolts • Pin-tumbler cylinder No home should be without at least one. It's a matter of survival. A & A DOORCHECK & LOCK OF CRYSTAL LAKE 4702 Route 176 Crystal Lake, II. *815485-3666 *815-459-6700 Locks, Softs, Doorchecks, Sales 4 Service multi-purpose Senior center, 133 Illinois street in Crystal Lake. Further information may be obtained by calling 338-6075, or for those who cannot reach these numbers without charge, 1-800-892- 6120. . . PARENTHOOD GUIDEBOOK By Nancy Moore Thurmond (author, Mother's Medicine, Pub. by Wm. Morrow, N.Y.) This week we continue with the subject of babies rocking back and forth and with head banging. If the baby's rhythmic ovements move the crib across the floor until it mo­ notonously pounds against the wall, immobilize the crib by putting it on a carpet tacked to the floor. There are other ways to overcome the head-and- body-bumping impulse. Encourage the baby to use his sense of rhythm in other ways. Let him listen to music, or let him rock to his heart's content in a rocking chair. Often by moving the crib to another part of the room where the baby has other distractions, such as a window or a hallway, he forgets all about his bump­ ing. Be sure your child's needs are satisfied. Be sure he has interesting, stimulat­ ing activities during the day, plenty of love and attention, as well as enough exercise to make him physically tired at naptime and at bedtime. Be wary, though, of over-stimu- lating him. A wound-up child will have difficulty settling down for the night. Correct­ ing or restraining a baby or child who bumps or rocks does not alleviate the prob­ lem. It may reassure you to know that rocking is closely akin to the rhythmic motions many adults consciously or subsconsciouslyexhibit when under stress and strain or when bored, such as foot swinging, fidgeting, finger tapping, and hair twisting. THOUGHTFOR FOOD fly GOULD CROOK Holiday Tips For an easy, but elegant holiday vegetable, bake fro­ zen Brussel sprouts in a cas­ serole topped with cheese soup and buttered crumbs. Or, cook according to direc­ tions, drain, and toss with lemon juice and butter. Another elegant dish -- pour brandied mincemeat, hot, over vanilla or coffee ice cream. Makes a great dessert. Cauliflower should be cooked only until tender crisp, not soggy. It is best to use a vegetable steamer for fresh cauliflower. Place on steamer over rapidly boiling water, cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. YOU CRN BRNK on it! Presented by STATE BANK OF RICHMOND member F.D.I.C. Last wNk, a ten-point family flnanc* master file was suggested with details provided for the first five files whi^h included; your home, your automobile, your bank records, your health insurance and your life insurance. ' The balance of your master file should include as file six, taxes. All information relevant to your income tax returns can be kept her$. (You may want to make additional copies for your safe deposit box.) File seven, debts. In­ clude all notes payable along with records of payments. File eight, investments. Include specific information on any in­ vestments as well as records of dividends and details on profit-sharing plans or com­ pany pension programs. File nine, a copy of your will along with the attorney's name, ad­ dress and phone number. File ten. Miscellaneous. This should include all personal documents such as birth cer­ tificates, marriage licenses, passports, etc. A master file for personal finances . . , it's a good resolution. You can BANK on it! V