tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post8069188040323253856..comments2023-10-05T05:21:53.100-05:00Comments on Sweethearts Of The West: History of the American Christmas by Paty JagerCaroline Clemmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14914658854159456335noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-44060854395116225532012-12-13T12:09:34.474-06:002012-12-13T12:09:34.474-06:00Hi Lyn! I agree, I like the way Christmas is celeb...Hi Lyn! I agree, I like the way Christmas is celebrated now. With religion and fun! You're welcome!Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-57546676506606289202012-12-12T22:52:14.285-06:002012-12-12T22:52:14.285-06:00Paty, thanks for sharing the interesting Christmas...Paty, thanks for sharing the interesting Christmas history. It's amazing how customs change down the centuries. Much as I dislike the commercialization of Christmas nowadays, I would not want to live in those Puritan days. Such dour people!<br /><br />Thanks for the gift of your book. Merry Christmas!Lyn Hornerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05596495172490672271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-10079967394369022942012-12-12T17:20:09.557-06:002012-12-12T17:20:09.557-06:00Paisley, thank you for stopping in. MY mom also ma...Paisley, thank you for stopping in. MY mom also made a fruit cake that people asked for. I think it was because it was soaked in rum, but who knows. Have a Merry Christmas!<br /><br />Maggie, this is only what I garnered about an American Christmas. But It is interesting how it came about here. Thanks for stopping in!<br /><br />Alison, Christmas has been celebrated a long time. But this new country had to mix the cultures and come up with their own take on it, I guess. <br />Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-30925942686616806472012-12-12T16:28:30.265-06:002012-12-12T16:28:30.265-06:00People have celebrated Christmas as a religious ev...People have celebrated Christmas as a religious event longer than it was a secular holiday, Maggie. Catholics held mass, for instance - hence Christmas - and even now, Christmas Eve is the time for parties and gifts in French Canadian households. Christmas Day is for services (and Rolaids).<br /><br />Calvinists, on the other hand, forbade the celebration of Christmas... maybe because it's not really Christ's birthday except by papal designation. <br /><br />One of the reasons that Christmas was designated December 25 was to replace the Festival of Saturnalia when the Roman Empire converted. Most cultures have a mid-winter festival tied into invoking the return of longer days.<br /><br />My mother's family is English and, with the exception of the Cromwell years, the Brits have celebrated Christmas for centuries. I had no idea that it wasn't national holiday in the US until 1870. <br /><br />Thanks Paty for making sure I learned something new today.<br /><br />Alison E. Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16449544045685213466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-8922439185551884942012-12-12T12:19:52.828-06:002012-12-12T12:19:52.828-06:00As always, I'm appreciative of your research. ...As always, I'm appreciative of your research. It is interesting that the holiday was declared after the use of Santa Claus during the Civil War. It's also interesting that it did not become a religious holiday until later. It seems that symbols, no matter where they originate, take on meaning as people need them to do so. I'm not sure if I like that or not. But it is interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-33693504562427952062012-12-12T12:18:39.797-06:002012-12-12T12:18:39.797-06:00I really enjoyed reading the history of gift givin...I really enjoyed reading the history of gift giving and Christmas. We don't participate too much in the Christmas ritual anymore, but I do make fruitcakes and we give them to people in the community who've been good to us. For some reason this recipe that my mother-in-law gave me is different from most and people beg me for them. :)<br /><br />Happy holidays to you and your family. :)Paisley Kirkpatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06401039126457210324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-10059174956088430542012-12-12T12:18:18.001-06:002012-12-12T12:18:18.001-06:00Thanks Celia, I was trying to think of something a...Thanks Celia, I was trying to think of something and started googling American Christmas and found these tidbits.<br /><br />Hi Diana! Thanks for stopping in! Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-9567894503623305202012-12-12T11:45:23.571-06:002012-12-12T11:45:23.571-06:00I loved the history of Christmas giving and Santa!...I loved the history of Christmas giving and Santa! Great post, Paty.Diana McCollumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14827594305973746696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-40328095735608490912012-12-12T11:43:28.165-06:002012-12-12T11:43:28.165-06:00Thanks, Paty, for the history of the American Chri...Thanks, Paty, for the history of the American Chritmas. The facts were not familiar to me, at least most of them weren't I'd never heard that about Abraham Lincoln. Very interesting all around. I enjoyed it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16272417114895975742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-18393635378635924402012-12-12T11:22:46.592-06:002012-12-12T11:22:46.592-06:00Thanks Tanya! I agree. I don't think I would h...Thanks Tanya! I agree. I don't think I would have mad ea good Puritan! LOLPaty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-18945512059582237972012-12-12T10:48:52.267-06:002012-12-12T10:48:52.267-06:00Absolutely loved this Christmas history trivia, Pa...Absolutely loved this Christmas history trivia, Paty! Such fun times. My upcoming YA is partly set in Puritan times so I knew about the no-Christmas deal. What a snore life must have been back then LOL.Tanya Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08580821680629254085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-41052191941031078072012-12-12T09:43:19.150-06:002012-12-12T09:43:19.150-06:00Caroline, I love it when a friend or family member...Caroline, I love it when a friend or family member is blown away by the gift I give. It makes the search for just the right thing so much fun. And you are welcome! Merry Christmas!Paty Jagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257614436422105729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1822452633282744192.post-88363481003000852602012-12-12T08:27:39.045-06:002012-12-12T08:27:39.045-06:00Paty, thanks for the gift. You're right, the f...Paty, thanks for the gift. You're right, the fun of Christmas is giving...but it's also fun to receive great gifts like yours. Merry Christmas to you and yours!Caroline Clemmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14914658854159456335noreply@blogger.com