If there was one magazine that always dedicated the end of the year Christmas (and Thanksgiving, as well as the New Year) it was Harper’s. In 1870, Frank Leslie’s hardly devoted any space to the holidays—it was too concerned with European wars of France and Prussia (Bavaria).
The year saw the introduction of a novelty—the postcard. The postmaster joined Germany and other countries in its introduction with a postage of ½ cent!
Grant was busy fending off calls to get in a foreign war with Spain over Cuba (once again, Democrats beating the war drums). The Santo Domingo annexation was also prevalent, but it would be in this year that execrable Charles Sumner would make his formal break with Grant, and, lose like he was the past inspiration of the present Bill Kristol. Somethings never change—Republicans have always had an element of a loser lot of quislings and betrayers, Sumner and the Adams offspring after JQA, chief among them. The temptation of royal ruling class priviledge has always been present.
But enough of that…
Most of the early Christmas depictions of Santa, was more of a mischievous person, drinking, and pranking the people. Yet, he also always brought good cheer, and presents. The Christmas tree as well as this Santa, comes from Germany.
It was likely because of the influx of Germans into the country that had this effect. This may or may not be a good thing, for Christmas was more secularized. The Church had set this day much sooner than the German tradition, of course.
Harper’s never forgot the older meaning:
It should be noted that Harper’s was virulently hostile to Catholics. It was rabidly Protestant. But, they dispensed with their criticisms usually at this time of the year, despite, the older Church is where the meaning of Christmas came from.
It would be around this time that the Christmas decoration market finally got organized as well. It would evolve into what we have today with shops selling annual decor for the tree. With the discovery of electric, lights would soon adorn the tree as well. Cities would move from gas lamps, to electric. And the automobile would also gradually gain steam—the first were steam by the way.
The country, though consumed with European matters, was at peace. Unlike today where insurrections are trumped up upon a government framing innocents, there was a real insurrection in the South that was still present on the minds of the people. Democrats were still as violent as ever (same as today) and yes, the Republicans were considering a general amnesty. Those who actually armed against the country, or passed public resolutions to war on the North, were not ever going to serve in office—but those were few. MOST were pardoned. This was a mistake, of course, because it only emboldened Democrats more to murder members of the Republican party who generally supported reconciliation.
Democrats never reconciled back then, except for maybe one—James Longstreet.
As the country moved into 1871, the reconciliation inspired by Christmas would wane. Eventually a more secular people would rule, and a progressive ruling class would grow.
Not to end on this down note, we should always remember our ancestors, in a much simpler, hard, but more wise time. The recovery of this is what we should all yearn in an ever increasing deluded world that believes we can rise above humanity.
We remember what it means to be human, we believe in retVrn, and we remember why we are here, with God, who we really belong to. InshAllah.
