THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE
! “ALL TIIE NEWS ALL THE TIME"
THIRD SECTION
JUNEAU, ALASKA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1950
PAGES ONE TO EIGHT
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SANTA CLAUS HIT
AS'SUGAR DADDY'
INSTEAD OF SAINT
Assailing the Santa Claus myth
as ‘foolish fiction’ and rival of the
Holy Child, the Rev. John S. Mar
tin, editor of the Catholic Review,
declared in a 1949 editorial that
Santa the saint has been lost in
Santa the sugar daddy—and that
the whole idea is bad psychology
and bad pedagogy.
"Our children learn about the
reindeer, but have never heard of
the ox and the ass,” Father Martin
continued and recommended that
“Leave the man in the red suit
to those who have nothing better
. . . for whom life mast end in
disillusion and despair."
Father Martin's sentiments are
reminiscent of Martin Luther’s vig
orous campaign against neglect of
the central idea of Christmas,
which is the birth of Jesus. So,
German children have been taught
that the Christkind brings the
presents—Christkind being depict
ed as the messenger of the Infant
Jesus sent earthward at Christmas
time to bring happiness to good
children.
The modern conception of Santa
Claus is, of course, 99 per cent" fic
tional and strictly American. But
the spirit of generosity and thought
fulness as typified by Santa Claus
is neither sugar daddy-ish nor es
sentially American. Unfortunately
not all children who await Santa
have learned from their mothers'
lips the story of the Holy Child.
_ _ *
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Expressing our appreciation for
your courtesies of the past and
extending compliments of the Season.
ALASKA
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JUNEAU FLORISTS
DR. MOORE, AUTHOR
OF "NIGHT BEFORE"
WAS ASHAMED OF IT
Everyone knows and loves the
poem which begins—
'Twas the night before Christ
mas, when all through the
house
Not a creature was stirring, not
even a mouse;—
but the man who wrote it, Dr.
Clement Clarke Moore, was ashamed
of it and would not allow it to be
published under his name for more
than 20 years.
Dr. Moore, an aloof professor of
Greek and Oriental literature in
the Episcopal Siminary in New
York, wrote the poem on Christmas
Eve 1822 and read it to his seven
children.
He had not planned for the poem
to go further than his own family,
but a relative who was visiting the
Moores put a copy in her diary.
The next year the relative's father
sent it to a newspaper.
Other newspapers printed the
jingles and they quickly became
known all over the country. The
dignified Dr. Moore was embarras
sed and considered it beneath a
man of his scholastic standing to
be the author of children's jingles.
Twenty-two years later, however,
he finally publicly admitted au
thorship of the jingles and it was
published in book form under his
name for the first time.
Ironically, the professor's serious
works are forgotten today. He is
mentioned in encyclopedias because
he wrote the celebrated Christmas
verses.
IT TAKES KNOW-HOW
TO BURN A YULE LOG
The Yule log is a tradition of
Christmas, but due to central heat
ing and gas stoves it is becoming
a lost tradition in this country.
Few city dwellers have open grates
or desire a log fire. And those
living in the country find coal more
efficient and less trouble.
However for those who have a
place to burn the yule log and
want one, tradition says it should
be oak, ash. olive, apple or pine.
Further, the fire on which it is
placed should be kindled from a
brand saved from last year’s log,
and that it should not be allowed
to go out during the night.
For those determined to have
the yule log, the voice of exper
ience says get hold of all the wood
you can. Some kinds burn oetter
than others, but reject none these
days.
Ash is highly praised by some
and can be used without being
seasoned. It burns quickly, but
throws off great heat. Poplar, on
the other hand, should be seasoned
or it will spark badly.
Elm is condemned as undesirable,
but can be used. It is slow to get
burning, but lasts a long time and
brightens up when it gets going.
A few logs of birch, pine or fir
will help it along.
Beech and oak are among the
best logs. Beech is is especially
good, having a pleasant aroma and
a steady glow. Oak has the out
standing merit of burning slowly.
If none of these are available,
wood from all kinds of fruit trees
are prime favorites for the yule log
because of their pleasant smell
when burning.
HAWAIIAN CHRISTMAS
IS ELABORATE AFFAIR
Although many Hawallans have
seen ice only as frozen in mechan
ical refrigerators, the trees used by
the islanders for Christmas decor
ations are painted white to simul
ate snow.
Chiistmas dinner is an elaborate
affair, enjoyed in the privacy of
the home behind locked doors and
drawn blinds. Any open-house hos
pitality is an economic impossibility;
if the shades were not drawn and
the doors not locked, homes would
be invaded by hordes of strangers
—all expecting food and drink.
Gift-giving is the order of the
day as everyone exchanges inex
pensive presents. Even the serv -
ants in hotels expect and receive
gifts from over-night guests.
YULE SYMBOLS
It is said that the symbol of
Santa Claus originated in Holland,
the Christmas tree In Germany.
Christmas shoes (stockings i in Bel
gium and Christmas cards and the
“Merry Christmas" greeting in Eng
land. Americans have contributed
the turkey dinner and ine poin
settia as a decoration because it
blends Into the Christmas color
scheme.
i
England's Puritans
Banned Christmas
As Privolous Time
Christmas was outlawed in Eng
land by the Puritan government of
England in 1643 and, although the
restoration of the Stuarts brought
a revival of Christmas customs and
traditions, Christmas never re
gained its former prestige in Eng
land.
It is observed religiously in the
churches and as a day for family
reunions and social gatherings, in
contrast to the lavish feasting and
boisterous merry-making of olden
times.
Merry-making and gift-giving
come in for their share, however,
on December 26 which is Boxing
Day. The origin of Boxing Day
antedates Christmas and can be
traced to the custom of gift-giving
during the Roman festival of Sat
urnalia.
In Christian liturgy December
26 is observed as the feast of St.
Stephen, the first Christian mar
tyr, and during the centuries when
journeymen and apprentices were
in the habit of levying upon their
masters’ customers, ‘Christmas
Boxes’ were collected on St. Ste
phen's day.
Thus, the children receive tnerr
presents, in boxes, as do old serv
ants, the postman, and everyone
else. And reminiscent of the Ro
man Saturnalia, householders dance
with the servants and, toward eve
ning, there is revelling in the
streets as groups of merry-makers
gather on street corners or ride
about London-town dancing on the
■flats' of trucks.
SANTA CLAUS IS POPULAR
"Dat gn’l'man Mistas Santa
Claus,” said Uncle Eben, ‘‘is sho
popular. Nobody else could carry
around so much valuables wif’out
sooner or later being hijacked.”
CHRISTMAS CANDLES
Christmas tree candles date back
to the very earliest times In the
Christian era. The Yule candle of
goodly size, lighted early Nativity
scenes.
Poisonous paint on a toy may
prove injurious to baby.
Inspect your Christmas tree
lights for flaws.
Thot we wish coch on d^
all of our friends and
customers the very
i MERRIEST CHRISTMAS
SKINNER'S GUN SHOP
Home of the Alaska Magnum
A LITTLE CHRISTMAS NOTE|
OF CHEER TO YOU
Juneau Insurance Agency
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There is something in the very season of the year
that gives charm to the festivity of Christmas.
We feel a special glow of warmth and gladness
when we think of our friends and neighbors.
It is in this spirit that we wish every one
a joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Northern Commercial
Company