Front Page News
December 19, 2012
Childhood Holidays
By Beverly Adams
The Pittsfield Press, 12/18/1974
The true meaning of Christmas, a treasury of favorite readings, the
giving of gifts, the message of music well blended and the special
foods cooked for this most special day of the year makes Christmas
just a little bit more special.
As a child I can remember dressing in warm wool clothing and going
into the woods with my father in search for a Christmas tree. One
year I cried because the snow melted on the tree when we brought it
inside and I thought part of the beauty of the tree was the snow on
its boughs.
I remember the Christmases of the depression when the gifts were
simple and usually made after we had gone to bed. The Legion also
had a big Christmas party and under Santa’s beautiful red velvet
suit and snow white beard beat the heart of George Freese who spent
his time and money giving to all the children in town all in such a
quiet manner that even today only a few have any idea of the many
things he did.
I do know I looked forward to the free movie, the candy and gifts
and most of all to receive an orange in the middle of the winter
from Pittsfield’s generous Santa Claus.
One year in the thirties the Legion had a Christmas dinner and a
gift for each needy child. It was held at the Legion Hall and I
didn’t feel like a needy child, I felt like Cinderella and had
little or no thought of anything except sincere gratitude for what
was being done for me. I carefully wrapped a piece of the meat in a
napkin to bring home to my mother and dad because although our home
was never without food during these difficult times, we seldom had
meat and so I carefully saved some to bring home.
I have been told by folks that know these things that around 1910
Pittsfield had an active group of Christmas Carolers. They went from
house to house singing, they looked very much like the pictures you
see of Christmas Carolers, the ladies dressed in long warm skirts
and sweaters and flowing capes, many carried a muff or a Christmas
Wreath and some of the men carried lanterns.
More often then not they were invited in the house for something hot
to drink and Christmas cookies and so the evening was spent, singing
and visiting.
In the 40s Joe and Betty Colby with the help of Ernest Wells revived
this lovely custom, borrowing clothing of yesterday, they spent an
evening going from house to house singing.
All three of these people have remarkably nice voices so I would
imagine that they received a very warm welcome.
I remember each Christmas season the high school had a Christmas
Dance and the girls wore long beautiful gowns. Plans were made weeks
in advance for that dance.
Do you remember the first Christmas lights on the streets of
Pittsfield? They were only strings of lights going across the street
but as a child I thought they were beautiful; the multi-colored
lights shining on the snow. The snow piled soft and high seemed to
reach out and touch the lights.
Now we have new Christmas lights for the streets of Pittsfield and
they are truly beautiful.
I can remember when my daughter was in grade school each class had a
play and parents were invited to attend. I was working at the First
National Store at the time so I asked for some time off but was too
late to see the play. The teacher, however, gave me a special
performance. I don’t know who was more embarrassed, my daughter or
me. The whole production for an audience of one. Oh well, that’s
what happy memories are made of.
Sometimes Christmas music was played from each street corner in
town. The music teacher had one time taped each class singing. Of
course, I could pick my daughter’s voice out and it wasn’t until
after Christmas that she told me she hadn’t even been in school the
day the tapes were made. A mother’s pride can see and hear many
things other people miss.
I remember the Christmas concerts at the Congregational Church. I
especially remember hearing Elizabeth Morgan’s solos. Her voice was
sweet and clear and if you weren’t full of the true spirit of
Christmas before you went to the concert you were after you left.
The Christmas past has a ring of pleasure and it can be recaptured
this year if you put your faith where your heart is. Merry
Christmas.
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