The Pony Express (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 4, Ed. 1 Tuesday, December 15, 1964 Page: 4 of 6
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Party Line
BY SHIRLEY BROADWAY
News Editor
Some Holiday Customs
Have Pagan Origins
BY MARTELL FREEMAN
Mistletoe is one of the trad-
itional symbols of Christmas. Leg-
end has it that if a person stands
under the mistletoe, he will fall in
love with the one who kisses him.
The PONY EXPRESS, not real-
ly trying to inspire some eternal
romance, placed several branches
of mistletoe in the SUB to see
what the reaction would be from
the PJC student body.
The reaction was somewhat of a
surprise. Instead of jumping at
the chance at planting under the
mistletoe, the majority reaction
was to dodge the little branches
dangling in the doorways. How-
ever, there were some believers
in tradition still around the cam-
pus.
Kathy Patterson and Stephen
Lane (pictured on this page)
paused under the mistletoe as
Mr. Cecil Robertson sneaked a
picture.
Judy Clabaugh has been trying
to get someone under the branch-
KATHY PATTERSON and
Stephen Lane make good
use of the mistletoe in the
SUB, courtesy of the PONY
EXPRESS. See Party Line.
ALL SANTA CLAUSES
LISTEN
J0
KGAS RADIO
es but she wasn’t very successful.
The boys were just too embar-
rassed.
Coach Bill Griffin wasn’t bash-
ful. He stood for periods of time
hinting but, alas, no one seemed
to notice him.
Darrel Owens was in luck. He
cornered several girls. But as he
drug them under the mistletoe his
luck failed. They wouldn’t even
kiss him.
Miss Lenora Palmer and Miss
Martha Miller surprisingly didn’t
even notice the branches of eter-
nal romance overhanging their
heads.
Clifton Smith wasn’t satisfied
with getting Elizabeth Williamson
and Rebecca Holland under the
Mistletoe. He pulled the branches
down and held it over their heads.
Poor Clifton still didn’t get any
results.
Sammy Reed cornered Janice
Campbell and gave her a big
smack.
Mr. Phillips has been eating at
the table in the Sub nearest the
mistletoe hoping that he will get
an offer.
The body of a dog contains 255
bones.
The average age of an Ameri-
can bride is .18 — the groom 20.
LAY'S CLEANERS
WHITAKER BLDG.
Carthage, Texas
Special!
Bed Spreads
At
BEALL'S STORE
FLOWERS SAY SO MUCH
DURING CHRISTMAS
Carthage Flower Shop
The derivation of the Christmas
symbols have been variously trac-
ed; however, many of the tradi-
tional customs and the symbols
now associated with Christmas
are pagan in origin.
The word “Christmas,” now
commemorating the birth of Jesus
means the Mass of Christ. It
came to us as a Roman Catholic
mass. Most of the symbols and
customs now associated with
Christmas were pre-Christian and
non-Christian customs taken up by
the Christian Church.
ORIGIN OF THE DATE
December 25th is first known to
have been celebrated in Rome
about the second quarter of the
4th century. This was the date
of the pagan festival as the birth-
day of the unconquered sun.
Saturnalia, as it was called, pro-
vided the model for many of the
merry-making customs and sym-
bols of Christmas. Some of these
derived from the pagan celebra-
tion were the following: the giv-
ing and exchange of gifts, the
burning of candles, lighting
bonfires, dancing, and the decora-
ting of homes with greenery.
When this became a Christian
festival, the customs continued,
but with a Christian meaning im-
parted to them.
ORIGIN OF IVY, HOLLY, AND
MISTLETOE
The Germano-Celtic yule rites
were added when the tribes pene-
trated into Gaul, Britain, and Cen-
tral Europe. The Saxons made use
of ivy, holly, and mistletoe in the
execution of the rites. Yuletide
brought its own tradition of feast-
ing and customs which combined
with those established. Mistletoe
was used at the festival of the
Winter Solstace because of its
supposed miraculous healing pow-
er. The custom of kissing under
the mistletoe was an early step in
the night of drunken orgy-cele-
brating the death of the old sun
and the birth of the new.
MERRY
CHRISTMAS
Here's hoping
that your holiday is
ever-so bright and gay,
HAWTHORN'S
CARTHAGE, TEXAS
CHRISTMAS BECOMES
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY
Throughout the middle ages
Christmas was a richly varied
religious holiday. The merry
songs of religious themes were
heard as early as the 13th cen-
tury. The English Puritans for-
bade any religious or secular
celebration. The English celebra-
tion returned with the restoration
of the Stuarts. In the United
States traditional Christmas cus-
toms were at first suppressed, be-
cause of the Puritan objection to
them as being pagan in origin,
but since the middle of the 19th
century it has become increasing-
ly popular.
ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS
The definite origin of the Christ-
mas tree is not known; however,
it was not in wide usage until the
18th century. Santa Claus is tak-
en from a Roman Catholic bis-
hop St. Nicholas, who lived in the
5th century. He is said to have
originated the old custom of giv-
ing presents on the eve, a certain
festival, held on December 6th.
It was subsequently transferred
to Christmas day. The exchange
of gifts symbolizes God’s gift of
his son to men.
CHRISTMAS CARDS
The sending of Christmas cards
by way of friendly greeting has
grown up since the middle of the
19th century. Thus, the symbols
and customs of Christmas are a
definite mixture of pagan ritual
and modern commercialism.
HARKRIDER'S
CLEANERS
Christmas Special
Panola Sweat Shirts
ONLY
$2.98
M & M TOGGERY
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Watson, Marylee. The Pony Express (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 4, Ed. 1 Tuesday, December 15, 1964, newspaper, December 15, 1964; Carthage, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth507897/m1/4/: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Panola College.