Some modern Grinches continually complain about the overcommercialization of Christmas, while a few eager souls extol such antics with childlike anticipation.
There are, I suppose, valid arguments for each point of view. But there is no doubt Christmas today is celebrated much differently than in the olden days.
The major store displays exploiting the coming of Santa Claus (rather than the Christ Child) appear earlier and earlier each year, now starting even before the jack'o'lanterns and trick-or-treat costumes are put away.
Not too many years ago, stores waited until Thanksgiving was over before the Christmas goodies came out. But now some people head for the malls' Christmas displays and jolly music before the Thanksgiving turkey is digested.
When early pioneers began settling Niagara County in the beginning of the 19th century, Christmas was barely celebrated. Perhaps the work day was cut short and the dinner table contained a few more delicacies than the usual plain fare.
There was, of course, no citrus fruit -- no oranges for stockings hung over a smoking fireplace. There were, however, a few apples from the early orchards planted here. There were nuts aplenty from the native walnut, butternut, hickory and chestnut trees. There was dried fruit, such as raisins and currents.
Cranberries grew in great bogs in lowlands between the escarpment and Lake Ontario. Also plentiful were deer and wild turkeys in the vast forested areas of the county. And the forest provided Christmas trees handy for the cutting.
Commercialization of Christmas came hand in hand with the development of early newspapers and the advertising they brought. Early merchants soon learned they could increase sales by advertising, and the holiday season provided a great commercial opportunity.
It seems the earliest Christmas advertising came in a Lockport newspaper in an ad for the sale of books. One merchant, N. Leonard, advertised on Dec. 24, 1834, "Juvenile Books for Christmas and New Year's Presents," mentioning such titles as "Robinson Crusoe" and "The Christmas Box."
On Dec. 21, 1836 (the commercialization already started coming a couple of days earlier), N. Leonard advertised "Juvenile Books Suitable for Holiday Presents." The next holiday reference came in 1841, when O.C. Wright, who had just opened a store, advertised "Christmas and New Year's books richly bound."
On Dec. 18, 1844, J.G. Lewis advertised "Creature Comforts" and noted, "Navigation is closed but internal improvement still goes on at the Rubican where the luxuries of life can be had at all times of the day or night. Oysters will be furnished to families opened or in the shell at lower prices than were ever offered or asked in this market. Oysters by the barrel can be obtained by applying soon. Santa Claus can be supplied with his usual variety of holiday toys."
And on that same date, Christ was remembered. An article stated, "Christmas Celebration -- The anniversary of our Savior's Birth Day will be commemorated at the Universalist Church in this village on Tuesday evening, Dec. 24. An appropriate address will be given by the Pastor U. Clark."
A newspaper article on Dec. 27, 1859, noted, "Christmas was generally observed in this place yesterday, Monday, since the 25th came on Sunday. Everything passed off quietly with the exception of the annual stampede of boys to the main streets and their noisy demonstrations about the confectionery and grocery establishments. The usual amount of that favorite Yankee Christmas necessity -- turkey -- was disposed of. Great rushes were made on our candy and book institutions which are becoming very fashionable in this season."
Also advertised were imported French bonnets, perfumes, sewing machines and candles.
An editorial in the Lockport Daily Journal and Courier of Dec. 23, 1861, took note of the need for charity during the holiday season. It asked, "Who will make glad the hearts of the poor this year?" The editorial added, "But human sympathy is not quite extinct. There are a few hearts not quite closed to the demands of the poor and needy."
The popular Santa Claus story goes back to a historical figure living around 280 A.D., one Bishop Nicholas, who used inherited wealth to help the poor. He became a priest, then a bishop in a mideastern area now including Turkey. He began by secretly helping women who needed dowries to keep them from being forced into slavery. He would drop a bag of gold down the chimneys of the needy. He was canonized in the ninth century.
The story spread throughout Europe, and the Dutch changed St. Nicholas to Sinterclaus, which the English made Santa Claus. The Dutch, first settlers around Manhattan, brought the Santa Claus tradition with them and it spread, eventually becoming the fat, jolly elf of Clement Clarke Moore's immortal poem, "A Visit From St. Nicholas."
Niagara Falls is indeed fortunate to have a piece of old St. Nick, alias Santa, right here in this city within the confines of St. Mary of the Cataract Church. Pastor Father Mike Burzynski's extensive collection of relics of the saints contains a relic of St. Nicholas. The relic shrine is located to the right of the main altar
Father Mike recently informed his parishioners of the following bit of information:
Saint Nicholas was an Archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor, who, from the innocence of his own life and the devotion with which he, as a bishop, watched over the young people of his diocese, has come to be regarded as the patron saint of children. His perils at sea also made him the patron saint of mariners: both professional and amateur sailors, and ships' passengers. He died in the middle of the fourth century, and 100 years later some of his relics were translated to Bari in Italy. His relics are also present in our relic chapel here in Niagara Falls. The familiar "Santa Klaus" or "Santa Claus" is a variation of his name.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | Dec. 21, 2010 |