Evergreen Still Tops As Tree
Nowadays Christmas trees
are made out of almost every
thing, from aluminum to plas
tic — but the world’s favorite
Christmas tree is still the ever
green.
Many legends explain how
the evergreen became associat
ed with Christianity and
Christmas. One is the story of
St Wilfred, according to The
Book of Knowledge.
Speaking to a group of con
verts, the saint sought to illus
trate how they had broken
away from the heathen wor
ship of the Druids.
ne cnoppea aown a giam
tree — an oak, since this kind
of tree was one of the chief
objects of Druid worship. As
it fell with a crash, it split into j
four pieces. From the center a ;
young fir tree sprouted.
“It is the sign of an endless
life,” he said, “for all its leaves
are evergreen, and it points to
ward heaven.
“It is the wood of peace, for
all your houses are built of the
fir. Let this be called the tree
of the Christ Child; gather
about it, not in the wildwood,
but in your homes.”
1
MERRITT and PHYLLIS LONG
MUTUAL OF OMAHA
MATAMUSKA VALLEY
CREDIT BUREAU
Santa Claus Around the World
The beauty in all children
the wonder that lights up thei
faces and gladdens the heart
of everyone at Christmastimi
is eloquent tribute to the hoi;
idea behind the festival cele
brating the birth of Christ.
In many lands, the symbo
of Christmas and Santa Clau
is different. In America am
many other countries the ap
pearance of Santa Claus is th<
signal for the holiday seasoi
to begin.
The jolly, round, rosy-cheek
ed character with the flowinj
white beard is the fellow re
sponsible for the bringing o:
gifts. He drives a sleigh drawr
by reindeer, and rides acros:
the night sky on Christmas ev<
from the North Pole, hoppinj
, from chimney to chimney with
' his pack of toys for all good
» boys and girls.
; But the origin of Santa Claus
r dates back many centuries to
■ many lands where the symbol
of Christmas has taken many
I forms.
’ Strangely enough, St. Nicho
* las was bom in a remote town
■ in Asia Minor by the name of
■ Petras. It has been told of this
1 great, hardest working saint of
all, the many and wondrous
. deeds of good for which he was
- responsible. He helped the poor
and needy and saved the lives
; of many.
Believe it or not, he is the
i patron saint of bankers, pawn- j
! brokers, children, unmarried
I girls, sailors, and thieves. He
PALMER MACHINERY
RALPH AND DUANE GOODRICH
PI 5-3520 Palmer
lived a long time ago and is
said to have died about 343
A.D.
About the year 950 A.D. Rus
sia adopted St. Nicholas as her
patron saint. Later the Lap
landers followed suit as did
the Samoyeds. Legend has it
that this is where St. Nick ac
quired the story of the reindeer
and sleigh.
And with the changing of the
locale, so changed the symbol
of Santa Claus. In Germany,
France, Switzerland, Holland
and Luxembourg, Santa Claus
is recognized as a horseman on
a beautiful white steed, loaded
down not only with gifts for
the good children he visits, but
whipping rods for the naughty |
ones. He makes his ghostly ride
December 5th.
In the early days of the Am
erican colonies, the Dutch
brought with them their idea of
what St. Nick was supposed to
look like. He was called “Sante
klas” and was a severe, lean,
spiritual looking gent in long
robes. Not at all like our ver
sion of Santa.
He was gradually transform
ed to the happy fellow he is to
day through the efforts of an
American cartoonist by the
name of Thomas Nast in the
nineteenth century, and since
then, the traditional Santa
Claus, reindeer and sleigh as
Extension Service Offers Seggestioes
For Christens Tree Selection
The woodsy fragrance of an
evergreen tree is one of the de
lights of the Christmas season.
Since most of us pick out a
tree only once a year, Harold
Pillsbury, Extension Service
Horticulturist with the Univer
sity of Alaska, offers these
suggestions for treeselection:
To be sure your tree is fresh,
give it a good shake before you
buy it. If needles fall off, it is
dry and will soon lose its fresh
look and safety value.
A fresh tree looks lovely
and is safe. A dry tree is a real
fire hazard and will flare up if
a spark or flame hits it.
Test the needles to be sure
they’re soft, flexible and full
of moisture. Also check to see
if the branches are pliable.
You should also test the limbs
for strength if you plan to have
many heavy ornaments hang
ing from them. And of course,
WHERE "XMAS" BEGAN
“Xmas,” now generally con
sidered poor usage as an abbre
viation for Christmas, was of
ten used as a holy symbol in
the early Christian church. “X,”
in Greek, is the first letter of
Christ’s name.
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yow
pir® hoping that
holiday is
as woimd®irhuil as it oami b® =
so gay amid sparfdiimg that ®ach
day fair o^tshimi®s th® biright®st
glitt®rsinig ba^bl® oim yow tir®®!
BERT’S DRUB STORE
WRIGNT TRAVEL AGENCY
NEAL and MARIE WRIGHT
PI 5-4500 - PI 5-4515
PALMER
May your Christmas
be beautifully serene
and wonderfully joyous
we take this opportunity
io thank you for your
co'ifir’w ■ friendship,
GUS SGNEELE EXCAVATMG
WASILLA LAUNDER CENTER
WASIUA
i
you will want a tree that’s
well filled out with branches
evenly spaced all around.
Two popular local species us
ed for Christmas trees are
white spruce and black spruce.
Imported trees are likely to be
douglas fir, balsam fir, cedar,
hemlock or several other var
ieties.
“Happy tree hunting!”, Mr.
Pillsbury added.
we now know them came to
stay on the American scene
In many countries, the Christ
Child or Kristkind, is the giver
of gifts. Others falling in the
same role are less known and
many of them have passed in
to limbo. This would include
Tante Aria, a cloud goddess
accompanied by the Father
Star, brings gifts to children.
Hungarian children depend
upon a host of angels for their
Christmas gifts. Italian children
look to “LaBefana," a mystical
wanderer carrying a broom—
albeit she is a good fairy—who
brings gifts to good children.
Old Russia had her “Babou
shka,” who, in search of the
Christ Child, went from house
to house carrying a staff and a
bag of toys for the children.
St. Lucy is little known in
most countries, but in Den
mark, Switzerland and some
others, it is this saint who is
responsible for the distribution
of gifts.
And so it goes throughout
the world. Regardless of the
legend, the Yule holiday is the
spirit of unselfishness, the won
der of children’s joy, all com
bined in one joyous song and
praise of thanksgiving, of beau
ty, that is Christmas.
Christmas Greetin
to oar many frien
'^4
PROM YOUR FRIENDS
THE WASILLA ROADHOUSE
BILL and GRACE ELKINS
1.0
OUR WARMEST
OUB -FASHIONED
IvIERRY CHRISTMAS
WISHES TO ALL!
WILLI WAW LODGE
THE REED'S AND STAFF