Alice B. reviewed A Rocky Mountain Christmas: Yuletide Stories of the West on + 3559 more book reviews
Beautiful extremely interesting book. I am very interested in the Old West and it was under very primitive, but interesting and creative our ancestors lived. Even under the most extreme conditions our pioneer ancestors kept the festive spirit alive in their hearts and frontier homes. From Lewis and Clark's first Christmas in the Rockies to the generous gift that changes a widow and her children's lives, this book shares celebrations of the Yuletide season. As far back as 1804 Christmas was celebrated in the West.
In the Southwest, New Mexico, the Spanish, Indians and Anglos combined Christmas traditions.It was usually a large dinner with much liquor and food. In the Northern areas North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska, Christmas was usually a meager cut out of wishes from the Sears catalog. In Utah the Mormon pioneers made homemade Christmas presents. Denver was the best. Due to English and German investors this city rapidly grew and Western and European Christmas traditions mixed such as Christmas trees and glass ornaments. Denver had many department stores for the wealthy. For the middle class there was JC Penney's and Woolworth's to buy inexpensive decorations, ornaments and toys. And many evergreens grew in and around Denver making Christmas trees accessible by the 1880's. In 1879 Thomas Edison decorated a Christmas tree with the first incandescent light fixture. Far safer than the lighted candles on the tree.
In the Southwest, New Mexico, the Spanish, Indians and Anglos combined Christmas traditions.It was usually a large dinner with much liquor and food. In the Northern areas North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska, Christmas was usually a meager cut out of wishes from the Sears catalog. In Utah the Mormon pioneers made homemade Christmas presents. Denver was the best. Due to English and German investors this city rapidly grew and Western and European Christmas traditions mixed such as Christmas trees and glass ornaments. Denver had many department stores for the wealthy. For the middle class there was JC Penney's and Woolworth's to buy inexpensive decorations, ornaments and toys. And many evergreens grew in and around Denver making Christmas trees accessible by the 1880's. In 1879 Thomas Edison decorated a Christmas tree with the first incandescent light fixture. Far safer than the lighted candles on the tree.
