Santa arrives via one-horse open sleigh... er carriage

Above, Children await with their as Santa Claus arrives at the Homeplace via a one-horse open “carriage.”-Carol Niswonger/Herald Ledger

“In a one-horse open sleigh, er . . .carriage.” It doesn’t matter the time, temperature, or whether it’s a sleigh or a carriage —the important thing was that it was Santa Claus, making his first appearance in the area in the Between the Rivers section now known as the Homeplace.
With so many children to see, the weather so changeable, and families scattered across western Kentucky, Santa reported that it was “important to get an early start on seeing the children and listening to their lists.” So, with a “Ho, Ho, Ho and Merry Christmas,” he returned early from his short vacation in Florida to make himself comfortable in the newly decorated brush arbor—festive with its native fir, cedar, and pine boughs, along with cotton from the patch in the Homeplace garden.
According to lead interpreter, Bob Holiday, visitors could “smell the pine and fresh gingerbread cookies, enjoy the stockings hung over the fireplace, and listen to the voices raised in song” as he passed out songbooks to everyone as they took their places on the rough-hewn benches.
Children and other visitors were welcome to wander through the garden and pick cotton, while waiting for Santa. They could also take their turn at making their own decorations and sweet treats. They could decorate the Homeplace tree with popcorn strings, gingerbread men, and pine sprigs, yet still have a few to take home to their own trees. Several were able to help make fudge (while learning when NOT to stir!), and while playing on the grounds, they were able to listen to the music of The Dixie Volunteers and later listen to favorite Christmas stories, leading to the arrival of St. Nicholas.
Taking a peek at Christmas in 1850 was reminiscent of the words of Harriet Martineau in 1832 as visitors were “ . . .all engaged in sticking on the last seven dozen wax tapers, and in filling the gilded egg-cups and gay paper cornucopiae with comfits, lozenges, and barley sugar. The tree was the top of a young fir, planted in a tub, which was ornamented with moss. Smart dolls and other whimsies glittered in the evergreen, and there was not a twig which had not something sparkling upon it.”
Phillip V. Snyder’s description of the scene also included “tinsel, spangles, and colored glass (which) have but little place on the country Christmas tree. Instead there are huge honey cakes and ginger cakes cut into shapes representing fat hogs, sheep, rabbits, cats, horses, cows, and other farm animal life.” The people of the time decorated with what they knew and what they had and what they could make. It was a special time; it was Christmas.
Shortly before the arrival of Santa, Holiday’s recitation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Christmas Bells,” helped set the tone for the afternoon–with words written that Longfellow could not have imagined would have such an impact on the modern listener.
When Longfellow had penned the words to his poem, America was still months away from Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. His poem reflected the prior years of the war’s despair, while ending with a confident hope of triumphant peace.
Along with personal family tragedies, it is obvious that the pain and suffering of the war had an impact upon his words, and the original stanzas reflect them all, but his last two stanzas are often the ones remembered at Christmas time:
And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”
While Santa Claus indicated that he has Lyon County on his Santa visit calendar, he reminded the Herald Ledger staff that all of his helpers must remember to give advance notice of his arrival and visits, as he doesn’t want to miss seeing the children or listening to their requests.
It is apparent that many Lyon countians are already anticipating his arrival with the lighted decorations that are rapidly taking place all over the county, so big and bright and beautiful, that one newspaper feature writer cannot possibly manage to capture the beauty of them all, so she is hoping that the ones who can so beautifully decorate—can also take pictures.
In the weeks to come, look for photographs of area decorations and the stories behind the people who take such pleasure in decorating and sharing their holiday talent with others.