Christmas in the New Hanover area
Aside from the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, I can think of no work of imaginative fiction that has more influenced popular culture than Clement Moore’s 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” which begins, “Twas the Night Before Christmas….” The reindeer, the sled, St. Nicholas coming down the chimney with presents, the stockings by the chimney… all of those icons seem to have originated with that poem. Interestingly, the poem doesn’t mention a Christmas Tree. Perhaps this is because Moore was from New York, and the Christmas practice of decorating an indoor evergreen is German. The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree originated here in Southeastern Pennsylvania having been brought from the old country.
The first settlers came here to New Hanover around 1720, and of their daily lives and customs we have little record…of Christmas, no mention. Indeed, Rev. Muhlenberg, who came here in 1742 and kept a journal, never mentions Christmas as such. Once, when December 25 fell on a Sunday he entered: “Went to church. Bitterly cold. Preached to a small attendance. Went home.” That’s it.
Indeed, in this area it seems Christmas was hardly celebrated at all until the late 19th century. And when it was one informant observed that “It was not a big deal.” In those days, the “celebration” revels occurred for the adults on “Second Christmas,” December 26, December 25 was a holy day to be observed quietly.
The first image of a Christmas tree that I know of is an 1805 watercolor from Lancaster. It’s a fully decorated tabletop tree. It’s quite likely that the practice of decorating evergreen trees came with the immigrants. In 17th century European towns and villages, celebrating feast and festival days by cutting trees and branches in the forest and bringing them to the village for decoration goes back into the depths of time.
In the early folk tradition of this area, children of Lutheran and Reformed families set out a rye-straw breadbasket or their hats for Es Grischtkindel — the Christchildl — to deposit gifts that might include nuts and cookies, a nice apple, perhaps a pretzel or two and maybe a small personal item. Later it became the custom for children to set their dinner plates at the table, and in the night the Christchild, who arrived on a donkey, slipped in and placed the treats on the plate. By the 19th century the plate may also have held some small gifts or simple toys.
Also, during this time the terrifying doppelganger of the spiritual Christchild, the Belsnickel, appeared before Christmas to inquire of the child’s behavior and perhaps dispense treats, but with the ever-present tree twig switches used for whippings which were sometimes dispensed playfully or in earnest. Sometimes the Belsnickel commanded the child to perform some small task such as reciting Bible verses learned for the Sunday school program. Many-a child was frightened into good behavior by the parental threat of “telling the Belsnickel on you.” One early informant had mentioned that it was strange, though, that the Belsnickle always arrived when her father was in the barn.
Although decorated Christmas trees became common place in pictures and literature by the mid 19th century, in a monograph on local Christmas customs, Goschenhoppen historian the late “Abe” Roan notes that “…many Goschenhoppen and surrounding area Pa. Dutch families, especially Mennonites and Brethren, but also some Lutheran and German Reformed families did not put up a Christmas tree. The late Charles Sheffy, weaver of rag carpets from the Fox Hills [Upper Pottsgrove] overlooking Falkner’s Swamp, stated that about 1900 a new family moved into the area and put up a Christmas tree. All the local children went to see it as they were unfamiliar with the folk custom. [Not having a Christmas tree] was not at all unusual, based on statements from numerous local informants during interviews.”
However, by the end of the 19th century some local households did put up trees, and the staff of the Goscchenhoppen museum has found documentation (sketches and local references) of families placing the family presents, unwrapped and wrapped, on the tree as well as under it.
There were (and are) also Mennonites in this area. At that time they did not participate in Christmas celebration. In the 20th century, members of the more liberal Mennonite conferences had Christmas trees, some gifts and modest home decorations, but some conservative conferences members still will not erect a tree.
By the early 20th century, though, Christmas trees were found in most local Sunday schools, some churches, school rooms and many homes. In this area trees were the ubiquitous “cedar trees.” Actually Virginia junipers, these prickly evergreens still grow robustly on the thin shale soil of the New Hanover region and when brought indoors soon perfume the whole house with their characteristic fragrance. A perfect specimen would have been scouted out months in advance by the farm children. After the selection was laid low by the ax and dragged home, often it would be measured and cut to length so the tip would just touch the ceiling. Anything less was deemed insufficient.
Finally, perhaps the strangest Christmas tree in the local region was the cotton tree. Some “crazy clean” German housewives objecting to a “dirty” tree in the house, wrapped cotton batting around each branch and twig of a small sassafras tree and then decorated that for a Christmas tree. In this way the home was kept forever “spotless.”