As we gather in anticipation of Christmas, we participate in routines year after year. Perhaps we bake sugar cookies with our grandchildren or plan a family day together decorating our fresh balsam tree. We attend services at our church as a family or simply sit in our warm living rooms gazing with satisfaction at our beautifully decorated tree. We might sip our hot chocolate and embark on a multitude of kind and nostalgic thoughts.
It seems these thoughts are wonderful, but there is a journey that begins after Thanksgiving where we must start the somewhat stressful preparation for Christmas day. We take trips to the mall or downtown to shop at specialty stores. We might sit comfortably on a cold evening with our laptops or tablets ordering online as we hope the packages are delivered on time. We look at deadlines and shopping lines while that inner feeling or stress and anxiety grows a little deeper each day.
There are people that are not affected in the least with the approaching holiday season, but they are far and few between. Sadly, the preparation for Christmas can be quite stressful indeed.
Of course, these thoughts of concerns do not apply to everybody, but it is a relevant feeling if you honestly take a moment to reflect. We do create our own stress and we have to strive to get better at managing it. Perhaps we try to use our calendars a little more or save our money a little sooner in the year in anticipation of Christmas gift purchases. I admire a person that calmly enters the holiday season with little expectation and an understanding of what Christmas really means.
As I mentioned in my column last week, the meaning of Christmas is different for each and every one of us, but the increased activities in our lives is very real this time of the year. But it doesn’t have to be this way — in fact, it wasn’t this way for our ancestors.
Many decades ago, the approaching Christmas season in our little town would spark routine activities that did not have to be scheduled. The season would trigger an atmosphere of generosity unheard of during other times throughout the year. The local orphanage in Concord was a favorite for many people with a desire to give generously. The orphans were the recipients of generous food donations so that they could enjoy a fine Christmas dinner with all the extra fixings such as roasted turkey or goose, cabbage, potatoes, cranberry sauce and much more. Of course, the meal would be finished with a grand assortment of cakes and pies and perhaps a little plum pudding too. The orphans would receive many gifts from the townspeople in the form of clothing, toys and basic necessities. Various groups and organizations would contribute heavily to children in need too.
Our ancestors would gather around large bonfires when they were young. It was a time of carefree celebration and a joyous time to sing and dance in the warmth of the blaze. The caroling would continue as the young people would walk from Whites Park down to the Main Street for a sleigh ride under the cold winter stars. Door to door, they would sing the time-honored Christmas carols to weary and unsuspecting residents, some recipients very pleased while others perhaps not so much.
As the caroling continued into town the sleighs were boarded near the New Hampshire State House. Some sleighs were quite small and drawn by a single horse while other sleighs provided by establishments such as the Eagle and Phenix hotels held numerous people adding to the festive eve as the roads surrounding Concord were visited. A favorite sleigh route being the road toward Hopkinton with a roundabout return. Blankets were provided to the young ladies for the sleigh rides and the young men were quite pleased with their captive audiences as the Christmas caroling continued along with the accompanying sounds from the bell laden horses.
Ice Skating was another wonderful event enjoyed for the entire winter season but especially during the Christmas recess. Always a nearby bonfire with plenty of hot chocolate the skaters would frequent Horseshoe Pond as well as the Whites Park Pond in town.
The spirit of Christmas was alive and well as church services were conducted and the midnight mass church bells were rung all over Concord to welcome this holy day. The bells concluded with the weary retiring for the evening and the young trying to elude sleep in search of the approaching sound of Santa and his sleigh drawn by reindeers.
The early frigid Christmas morning certainly greeted by children delighted to experience the gift of their desire. Gifts long ago were very different than the gifts we find beneath the Christmas tree today. Marbles, slingshots, horns and board games were favored long ago, and of course the sweet taste of a peppermint candy cane too.
As Christmas day continued and families attended church services, dinners, sledding and skating the hours grew long. A sense of ease would descend upon our ancestors much like ourselves. Christmas had finally arrived and all of the events and preparations leading up to this special day had concluded. With New Years approaching it was a time of reflection. A time to appreciate what we had and reflect on those less fortunate than us.
January would arrive and with it the deep snow and coldest temperatures visited. Our ancestors settled for the remainder of winter in the comfort of their own homes near their blazing fireplaces. Their thoughts would turn toward the spring season and planting and the warmth of the approaching months. They would sleep comfortably as they dreamed about their past Christmas days and approaching spring. Yes, life was good, those Christmas celebrations from the past.