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4The Canacian Statesman. Bowmgtnville, Decemnber 21, 1977 Section Three Top leit: Decorated wooden sled pencil-box; 1910-1920. Boitom left: "Daisy" in her musical horse drawn sleigh; Amnerican, about 1880-1910. Right: Cast iron Santa Claus bank; American 1880-1920. From the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Irv Bahrt. dl d very persnalcollection ot treasured Uhri stmas Ail year round Normr. and Irv Bahrt enjoy their Christmas things, toys and decorations reminiscent of holidays past, ail gathered patiently and lovingly. Mrs. Bahrt, an enor- mously talented painter, began collecting Christ- mas mementos as a girl. Mr. Bahrt joined her in her neyer ýending search when ttiey were married. In their large assort- ment of Yule treasures is a tiny sled, originally used as a penci box. A Christ- mas scene is painted on it, the sof t colors muted with age. Another find is a little girl called Daisy who speeds along in a horse drawn sleigh, the sleigh Ringing out a simple wish for ail our friends: May your Christmas be the best cver! fromnallof usat R Kid's SmaII Appiances Repair Service 164 base Une Rd. E. Bowmanville Phone 623-6244 - May Christmnas bring ,é friands ta youor firaside and II plac tyour haoe.in the glow cf yaur friendship R ~ -me extend sire thanke. from Randy and Peggy Chapman The a FirplnePlus Authorîzed Heatilatortt Fire0lace Centre 900 Hopkins St. at Bur-ns Wib Phone 668-3192 Wib toys making music as it moves; beils ring gaily every time the wheels turn. A cast iron Santa Claus bank, six inches high, still works. Fut a penny into Santa's hand, push a lever and Santa drops the pen- ny into the chimney for safe keeping. One of the Bahrt's special ornaments is a figure about 14 inches high that is probably Father Frost or Father Christmas. He has a touch of red on his peaked hat, a full, white beard, high black boots, arms folded and hands tucked into the sleeves of his tunie jacket. On Christmas day he will grace the Bahrt's dinner table, as he has for many years. Mrs. Bahrt enjoys col- lecting her Christmas things because of their old style and fiavor. She says "I love the faded colors, quaint scenes and fashions because they tel how people lived long ago." Mr. Bahrt tells about having thrown out a set of old quintuplet dol]s that Mrs. Bahrt owned when they were first marrled, some twenty-five years ago. About three years ago he finally was able to 10- cate another set of quin- tuplets for which he had to pay $600 . . . consider- ably more than the origi- nal dolîs cost! The Bahrts neyer have too much o! Christmas and they keep their lovely things where they can see and enjoy them every day, winter and summer. Chrîstmas Music I do not know a grander eff ect Of music on the moral feelings than to hear the ful çhoir and the pealing organ performing a Christmas anthem in a cathedral, and filling every part of the vast pile with tr-iumphant har- mony. - Washington Irving (1819) CHRIST'S BIRTHDAY IIow many observe Christ's birthday! Hiow few, his precepts! 0! 'tis easier to keep holidays than commandments. - Benjamin Franklin (1732) a lovable Iegend, bringer of gifts served in barrels of vine- gar. St. Nicholas found' these truncations, fitted them together with a placed before the fireplace, and the next morning the shoes are found filled with either sweets and Iittle horned god only much later made into a satan- ic Christian devil-figure. (Shades of an exorcist!) These people used hallu- cinatory drugs and used ointments like belladonna that made them feel like they were flying. So it seems that the jdv- ial, genial fellow whom we know as St. Nick or Santa Claus has had his darker side, too. Ail very inter- esting, as is most history, if you dig deep enough. TREE SAFETY Keep in mind that a dry Christmas tree can be de- stroyed by flames within minutes, thereby threatening the entire home. Remember to keep the tree well-watered at ail times and dispose of it when the needies begii dry- ing and falling easily fnrý,-n the branches. OUTDOOR DISPLAYS Many homes are brightly dispiayed for the Yuletide holiday. If you'resetting up ights outdoors, make sure the wiring is weatherproof and flot cracked. Also secure wires so they don't hang or blow too much in the winter wind; secuire free-standing displays as well. Throughout history, Santa Claus has had many names, many origins. He has as many personalities as fertile imaginations through the ages can dreani Up. The symbol of Santa Claus and other magical bringers of gifts is infin- itely variable. In Europe the chief gift-.bringers are St. Nicholas on his saint's day, the 6th of December; his Anglo-American de- scendant is Santa Claus; in parts of Scandinavia dwarfs and goats take his place; there is the Christ Child of the Ger- man Xmas Eve; the white-robed girl Kolyada in pre-revolutionary Rus- sia 'arrived by sleigh on Christmas Eve with at- tendant carol-singers; and the Epiphany gift-bearers associated with the Magi - such as the Befana of Italy, Babouschka of old Russia, and the Tres Reyes Magos of Spain - ail parade down through the centuries with essen- tially the same function - to bring gifts to good little boys and girls. Santa Claus himself is composed of many ele- ments; he is haîf Saint Nicholas and haîf ancient yule god. St. Nicholas, the original, was a bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in the fourth century. Hie is sup- posed to have wrought miracles; certainly he was a good man. Many stories evolve from legends con- cerning the Bishop. One which is not as well known is told which introduces his connection with chul- dren.1l Three boys were mur- dered by an innkeeper, cut up, and the pieces pre- prayer, and brought the gifts - or, depending on boys back to life. To our past behavior, birch rods. 2th century minds this Santa's arrivai by chim- may seem a most macabre way to begin a legend's as- ney in America probably sociation with children! has an origin of anteced- In Holland, St. Nicholas becomes Sante Klaas. The children put out a pair of shoes or clogs filled with hay, water and carrots for his white hors e; these are ent significance. Hearth- gods and gods of the Yule- log went in and out by chimney - also witches, adherents of the old and earliest religion of the A eyseia oia gr eeigtalo spca red n parnRwohv A very Specialhlia R geeîn t aqëi of tr R Y sp15&c3ial fr i lesaNor nd Management of the ESTAiUR AN T ýStudents at Clarke High School ristmas and New Year's Day eth of 401 Phone 987-4226 Greetrngs~ to ail our R Customers and Fred PotDrRgtnMrn Roe LeR oa f iet .6342 Bo mnil e-4y- R ý - 1ý%eï; A Merry Christmas to everyone this- Happy Season. Enjoy a friendly and sale holiday, We thank you for Syour patronage and look f orwarrd tserving you in the futu~re. tofromaillof us QývoYa Ge u r RESTAU RAN T BOWMANVI LLE A We Guarantee Dependable andRelable OPEN: Weekdays8:00am.to5:oep.m. Saturdays 8:O00a.m. to12* 0 onn ~wW SBase Ln U to Body 164 Base Line Rd. E. Beowmnanville