Did You Wonder
Why Santa Drops
Gifts Down Chimney?
How did it come about that
Santa drops his gifts down the
chimney?
For the answer to this common,
belief about Santa and Christ
mas, we must go back to Saint
Nicholas, responsible for so many
other customs related to Christ
mas.
There’s a story about an im
poverished nobleman who was
unable to find husbands for his
three daughters because he could
not afford a dowry for each. He
was about to sell the daughters
into slavery when St. Nicholas
heard about it. Silently, Old Saint
Nick dropped three bags of gold
down the chimney. All three
daughters soon married and lived
happily ever after.
Thereafter, Saint Nicholas was
often pictured holding three bags
of gold. It is thought that he died
about 343 A.D. and historians say
that for 30 days after his death
his gienal spirit roamed the earth,
filling the hearts of mankind with
love and generosity.
It could be said that St. Nick
and Dr. Clement Moore, who
wrote “A Visit From Saint Nicho
las” (now better known as
“ ’Twas the Night Before Christ
mas”) contributed most to our
present concept of Santa Claus.
December’s “Reader’s Digest”
mentions the part the University
of Alaska is playing to help solve
“The Secret of the Aurora.”
The article originally appeared in
“Popular Science Monthly.” The
story explains man’s attempts to
explain the auroras. Dr. Sidney
Chapman, visiting professor geo
physics, receives mention in the
article.
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Wasilla Roadhouse
PEGGY, JACK AND .
RONNIE MALEY
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Annual
Christmas Eve Party
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Matanaska Hotel
DECEMBER 24TH
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7:00 to 8:00 P.M.
PUBLIC CORDIALLY INVITED
Planning a turkey dinner for
Christmas? If you are, and you
want to be sure it’s a “good” bird
when you place it on the' festive
table, then follow these tips in pre
paring that important part of your!
holiday meal.
Be sure all wing-tip feathers are'
removed. They may be pulled outj
easily by pressing the skin be
tween the feathers down to the
tips of the quill with the forefingers
if one hand and pulling the feath
irs straight out with the other.
The drum stick can also be'
jreatly improved by pulling with
i pair of pliers as many of the
line heavy tendons in each leg as
possible.
Singe your bird the easy way*
Put a few teaspoons of rubbing;
alcohol ir. a jar lid, light, then
rotate the turkey slowly over the
flame. The bird should then be
vashed with soap in lukewarm wa
’er, using a scrub brush, then
rinsed in clear water and dried.
Don’t stuff the turkey until ju«'«
uefore putting it into the oven.
' Three skewers should be used be
fore closing the cavity and a
square knot tied after each skewer
so the lacing won’t tighten. If there
is not sufficient opening to let off'
steam, the dressing will get soggy. I
In roasting the turkey, you’ll
find that the wing-tips can be
brought over the back and tied
to make a “rack” on which the
bird will rest in the roaster.
XMAS CUSTOMS
The origin of many of our Christ
mas customs can be traced back
lo prehistoric times, with some
pagon customs being modified to
it into the Christian observances.
But. as official Christian holidays,
Christmas and New Year's had a
iong struggle to become firmly
established.
f ' ^
Ear*]? Controversy Over
Exact Christmas Bats
The origin of many cf out
Christmas customs can be traced
back to prehistoric times, with
some pagan customs being modi
fied to fit into the Christian ob
servances.
Even today, while December 25
is almost universally celebrated
as Christmas, some countries,
such as Armenia, celebrate it on
January 6, the Epiphany, or spir
itual birth of Jesus.
There was considerable contro
versy in the early days of Chris
tianity as to whether the physical
birth or the spiritual birth should
be celebrated. And those who be
lieved the spiritual birth should
be celebrated even disagreed
among themselves about the date,
some holding that it took place
on March 25, others that it oc
curred on December 25.
The theologians finally agreed
upon December 25 as the correct
date and such has been celebrat
ed since the year 354.
The first Christmas cards were
mailed in 1846 by Henry Cole,
an Englishman. The cards depict
ed a Victorian family assembled
at the festive board and bore the
now-famous greeting: “A Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year
to you.”
Christmas Scene:
St. Francis Set The Stage
Did you ever wonder about the origin of the custom of displaying
the Christ Child in the crib at Christmas time? These displays have be
come increasingly popular, so that this Christmas we find manger scenes
in churches, store windows, even in outdoor locations.
Credited with the idea of the first display is St. Francis of Assisi, who
is reported to have said to one of his followers: "1 wish to celebrate
Holy Christmas night with you. In the woods near the cloister you will
find a cave where we shall arrange a manger filled with hay. We shall
have an ox and an ass just as at Bethlehem. I wish to see how poor and
miserable the Infant Saviour became for us.’’
This was in the small village of Garcia, in Italy, in the year 1200.
St. Francis and his followers celebrated mass at the cave and sang hymns
in honor of the Christ Child.
RANDOM RAMBLINGS OUT WASILLA WAY
By E. Hjellen
I’m sorry I didn’t explain why
pre-schoolers were excluded from
the X-Ray program. They squirm
—the staff hasn’t been able to
take a good picture—thus they’re
unable to make a study of the
results.
You should have your 1955 cal
endars on which to mark these
Saturday school attendance days.
January eighth and twenty sec
ond and February fifth.
If you have a doorbell—don’t
be surprised if it is sounded by
Chuck Bergland. Ke has been ap
pointed contact solicitor for the
Matanuska Telephone Association
in their effort to obtain subscrib
ers to the intended dial phone sys
tem.
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Kneff
with children Violet and Donna
left for Flora, Illinois the 6th of
December. They plan on return
ing via highway in a new car—
about a month from now.
With fine pairing off, i.e. Gary
H.iellen - Jo Ann Rogers; Jim
Byers - Clyda Thomas; Wallie
Tecland - Sally Carson; Bob Pen
nington - Sally Betts; Don Carter
- Nancy Onkka, the Explprex
Scouts held thpjf Swim party at
the Anchorage Spa. Walt Teeland
and Pat Carter furnished trans
portation and “snuck” a nibble ol
he refreshments.
The V.F.W. and their Auxiliary
r-d an outstanding Christmas
Party. Phil Serrell regaled all
With his recitations and songs.
Our C. D. fire department is
hoping up with the sponsorship
- >f tiie Community Club. Walt
Teeland was elected Fire Chief,
Roy Morrison is Assistant Fire
[ Chief, Frank Smith is Chief En
gineer (he fixes the truck; and
Pat Carter is Secretary. After the
school cor.tracters finish using
the quonset that used to be Carl
Onkka’s garage, the fire truck
will be housed there.
Loaded with magazines to idle
away the long evenings and
nights, Paul Rogers boarded the
train for Chase. He'll be back for
Christmas and New Years.
Honor Roll for the November
grading period shows some addi
tions. First Grade: Colleen Carter,
Mary Line and Linda Wyse. Sec
ond Grade: George Harbeson,
Roger Lincoln, Ruth Davenport
and Judy Bergman. 3rd Grade:
Jane Nunley, Katherine Coghlan,
Barbara Clarke, Judy Betts, Jay
lohnson and Ida Hjellen. 4th
Grade: Eleanor Rickteroff and
Earl Erickson. 5th Grade:'Helen
Carter, Patricia Hobson and Jean
Nunley. 6th Grade: Elizabeth
Rickteroff, Joyce Gislason, Susan
Hjellen and Linda Bergman. 7th:
Joe Fleckerstein and Erling Nel
son. 8th: Vadney Bledsoe, Gary
Gislason and Bob Pennington
(none in the 7th or 8th last time
remember-). Freshmen: Clara
Ayres, Walley Teeland and Jo
Ann Rogers. Jim Vickaryous is
the only Sophomore; Colleen Tee
land and Alice Church show up
on the Junior Honor Roll—and
Allayne Nelson again represents
the Seniors—all by herself.
Driver's licenses, automobile
and truck licenses are available
at May Carter's office. The new
1955 driver's licenses should be
purchased prior to January 1st.
License fees on trucks and cars
are the same as last year but driv
er's licenses -are issued covering
a two year period and cost S4.90.
A reminder that 1955 school iax
is now due and payable and may
be paid at the same time you .ob
tain your new tags.
May the House of Hjellen:
Pat ‘n’ A1 (E.); Garry, Gil, Susie,
Alice, Peter ’n’ Ida, (the dogs)
Mike ’n’ Buster; fifty hens and
one haggard rooster—wish you
well on this Christmas—and best
wishes for a New Year.
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TEELAND’S SHOPPING CENTER
VIVIAN AND WALTER TEELAND
WASILLA. ALASKA
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And the season's greetings,
Frontiersman Classifieds Always Bring Results
FRONTIERSMAN CLASSIFIEDS BRING RESULTS
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A Special
Valley Beauty Shop
BESS AND YVONNE
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FRONTIER CAFE
HOWARD AND EVA
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: And time to send you
* Greetings.
ALPINE INN