|
Osawatomie’s pioneers celebrated Christmas in a deeply spiritual manner, and even their decorations had Christian symbolism associated with them. Children received gifts that seem simple today, but were treasured
gifts on the frontier.
Religion was an integral part of everyday life in during the 19th century. The Bible was considered to be the most important and authoritative book in print and was used as a guide in all areas of life. Churches were the most important cultural and social institutions in the mid-19th century, so Christmas celebrations were deeply spiritual, centering around church services and home devotionals on Christmas eve and Christmas day.
Christmas decorations in frontier homes had Christian symbolism attached to them. Evergreens were symbolic of God’s everlasting love and power, because they remained green throughout the winter, so pioneers hung evergreen branches in their homes. Holly berries were bright red in winter and symbolized the power of the Holy Spirit. Christmas trees were rare on the frontier in the 1850s for the very practical reason that Osawatomie’s pioneers were struggling to survive the cold, ice, and snow of December.
Log cabins were not well insulated, and most often if it was 30 degrees outside, it was 30 degrees inside of a cabin. Pioneers were literally trying to keep from freezing to death, and it was not practical to have a Christmas tree standing in the corner of their cabins when the tree could be burning in their fire places keeping families warm. In addition, most cabins were cramped for space already, and a Christmas tree took up too much space in the small homes of Osawatomie’s pioneers.
Christmas gifts were simple by modern standards. Parents gave their children oranges and other fresh fruit. These were treasured gifts, for fresh fruit in winter was rare and expensive. Toys were largely homemade. Parents made rag or corn husk dolls for little girls and wooden toys for boys.
Christmas dinner was a common celebration in pioneer homes. Families gathered together around the table and spent the holiday together. Faith and family was considered the greatest gift of all, and Christmas celebrations helped to bond the family members to their Christian faith and to each other. This attitude had a very practical side, for on the frontier, families relied on each other for survival, and maintaining the family bond was imperative for survival in a hostile wilderness. Christmas is associated with charitable giving, and Osawatomie’s pioneers helped each other when they saw someone in need. By caring for others in need in the community, the town survived its early years.
Osawatomie’s pioneers built a strong foundation of spiritual strength and a tradition of helping others, displaying the spirit of Christmas year round. As Osawatomie’s citizens help others and work together to build up the community, they keep the faith and practice of Osawatomie’s pioneers alive for future generations.
— Grady Atwater is site administrator at the John Brown Museum State Historic Site.
Trackback(0)
|
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed