A Christmas tree nearly touches the tall ceiling in the Gen. William Grose home. There are old-fashioned, homemade decorations galore on its branches, but not a single light. Perhaps the glow back then came from the appreciative eyes of family and friends, celebrating together in a simpler time.

Sunday, weather permitting, the Henry County Historical Society will celebrate Christmas in a way Gen. Grose might have appreciated – with young people singing timeless Christmas carols and a look at some of the historic events that inspired the writing of classic holiday music still popular today.

In Gen. Grose’s day, there certainly was Christmas but no one had ever heard of the Christmas Rush. Late historian Herbert Heller wrote that the New Castle merchants did not begin to advertise Christmas presents for sale until 1880 – with one exception.

In 1857, the New Castle Courier suggested to its readers that a year’s subscription to the newspaper with a bonus copy of Lady Godey’s Book for 1858 would make a desirable Christmas gift. The two could be had for $4.

 

One might say Santa Claus’ first arrival over New Castle came in 1880. Heller wrote that the Courier carried a full page advertisement by A.R. Wayman. The ad showed a big picture of Santa Claus, with his pack, on a snow-covered housetop just starting down a chimney. The full moon in the corner of the advertisement showed the jolly man laughing with unusual glee at the good cheer old Santa anticipated from distributing presents to one and all.

The first report of a Christmas tree here, according to Heller, was in a Methodist Episcopal Church observance in 1868.

 

 

Grose might appreciate how some classic Christmas carols came to be. Consider:

n   “Do you hear what I hear” was written not centuries ago, but in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis. Noel Regney, a songwriter who had lived in Germany under Nazi rule, wrote it as a plea for peace.

n     “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day” was written by a once-distraught poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. When he heard Christmas bells, he felt gratitude for Lincoln’s reelection and the end of the Civil War. It inspired him to write a poem that became a beloved hymn.

n     “The 12 Days of Christmas” was a way for persecuted Catholics to celebrate in disguise. Each gift in the whimsical song represents something religious. The partridge in a pear tree symbolized Jesus.

n     “Silent Night” was a poem Franz Gruber had written. When the church organ was in disrepair, Gruber remembered his poem as he admired the beautiful, serene landscape on a walk home. He put it to music and gave the congregation a song it could sing with guitar accompaniment. An organ was no longer necessary.

Weather permitting Sunday, the Henry County Historical Society and the members of the New Castle Choir invite you to an old-fashioned Christmas celebration. No flashy holiday lights will be necessary. Inspiration and appreciation will light up the room.