Santa Claus, too, is an American invention, although an amalgam of American, Dutch, and English traditions: partly the lean, ascetic Saint Nicholas, he is also related to the bacchanalian Father Christmas. While many countries and ethnic groups have a Christmastime gift bringer, the “right jolly old elf ” dressed in red and fur and driving his sleigh and reindeer sprang from the pen and imagination of New Yorker Clement Clark Moore. In his 1823 poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” Moore created the to c. en ubli newplook for the Christmas O ep gift-giver. Cartoonist Thomas o th Nast completedic. vision with n to l the edrawings that still his 1860s t b ic. Openpubl define how we see Santa. Ope pu the Christmas cards. Printers th have been cashing in on Christmas since the eighteenth century--at least in London and other large cities. Schoolboys (and I do mean only the young males) filled in with their best penmanship pages pre-printed with special holiday borders. “Christmas pieces” they were called. But the Christmas card per se was a nineteenth-century English invention. Garlands and greens. Decorations for the midwinter holidays consisted of whatever natural materials looked attractive at the bleakest time of year--evergreens, berries, forced blossoms--and the necessary candles and fires. In ancient times, Romans celebrated their Saturnalia with displays of lights and hardy greenery formed into wreaths and sprays. Christian churches have long been decorated for Christmas. The tradition goes back so far that no one knows for certain when or where it began. No early Virginia sources tell us how, or even if, colonists Cash tips, little books, and sweets in small quantities were given by masters or parents to dependents, whether slaves, servants, apprentices, or children. decorated their homes for the holidays, so we must rely on eighteenth-century English prints. Of the precious few-only half a dozen--that show interior Christmas decorations, a large cluster of mistletoe is always the major feature for obvious reasons. Otherwise, plain sprigs of holly or bay fill vases and other containers of all sorts or stand flat against windowpanes. (I cannot tell for sure how these last were attached; perhaps the stems were merely stuck between the glass and the wooden muntins.) Christmas trees. If we had to choose the one outstanding symbol of Christmas, of course it must be the gaily decorated evergreen tree with a star at the very top. German in origin, “Tannenbaum” gained acceptance in England and the United States only very slowly. The first written reference to a Christmas Customs continued on page 21 Donate! Volunteer! Shop! Donate! Volunteer! Shop! Donate! patio? Finally cleaning out the garage? Renovating? Building a Volunteer! Shop! Renovating? Building a patio?unwanted householdthe garage? extra building supplies and Finally cleaning out items. Renovating? Don't throw out your old cleaning out the garage? Building a patio? Finally appliances, Don'tsupplies and unwanted household items. extra building throw out your old appliances, The Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore extra building supplies and unwanted household items. accepts donations of: used appliances, furniture, tools, The Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore home improvement supplies, unwanted household items and more! The Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts donations of: used appliances, furniture, tools, We'll even come to you to appliances, furniture, tools, accepts donations of: used pick up your donations! more! home improvement supplies, unwanted household items and home improvementcome to you to pick household items and more! We'll even supplies, unwanted up your donations! We'll even come to you to pick up your donations! Don't throw out your old appliances, www.fauquierhabitatrestore.com us To schedule a pick up or contact 540-216-3447 • restore@fauquierhabitat.org 540-216-3447 • from the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore www.fauquierhabitatrestore.com Donations are tax deductible. All proceedsrestore@fauquierhabitat.org go to support the construction of safe and affordable homes for Fauquier area families in need. www.fauquierhabitatrestore.com Donations are tax deductible. All proceeds from the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore Warrenton Towne Centre 617 Frost Avenue, Warrenton, VACentre to Food Lion) Warrenton Towne (next Warrenton Towne Centre Store Hours: Tuesday—Friday VA (next to Food9-2 617 Frost Avenue, Warrenton, 10-6, Saturday Lion) 617 Frost Avenue, Warrenton, VA (next to Food9-2 Store Hours: Tuesday—Fridaycontact us To schedule a pick up or 10-6, Saturday Lion) Store Hours: schedule a pick up or 10-6, Saturday 9-2 540-216-3447 • restore@fauquierhabitat.org To Tuesday—Friday contact us go to support the construction of safe and affordable homes for Fauquier area families in need. Donations are tax deductible. All proceeds from the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore go to support the construction of safe and affordable homes for Fauquier area families in need. 2013 • Issue 6 Piedmont Family Magazine Donate! Volunteer! Shop! 11