History Book: Christmas through the ages

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Monday, December 9th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next, the WORLD History Book. Today, artistic expressions of Christmas and how Americans have come to celebrate certain traditions. Here’s WORLD’s Emma Perley.

EMMA PERLEY: In 1850, the French composer Hector Berlioz scribbles out a short organ composition for a friend. He’s already well known for dramatic pieces, such as his classic Symphonie Fantastique:

And the 1845 drama La Damnation de Faust:

But as Berlioz writes this particular piece, he realizes it’s much lighter and softer than his earlier works. He scraps the simple organ composition and arranges what would become L’Enfance du Christ, or the Childhood of Christ. It begins with Joseph and Mary’s flight to Egypt as King Herod issues the order for all young baby boys to be killed.

In an open letter before the opera’s London premiere Berlioz writes:

From the germ of a few bars of organ music sprang the full completed work in three parts. Like ripples, the composition of the whole spread outwards from its central point of origin …”

Although Berlioz himself was an agnostic, The Childhood of Christ handles the nativity with precise, descriptive storytelling. Ben Quash, professor of Christianity and the Arts at Cambridge, writes that …

“It is made for contemplative engagement, inviting our attention to move back and forth across its musical and textual surface, to linger on some details and – having lingered – to revisit others.”

The 170 year old opera is still regularly performed at Christmastime in many countries around the world.

Next, December 10th, 1905: William Sydney Porter publishes a short story under the pseudonym O. Henry Audio from the Well Told Tale:

AUDIO: One dollar and 87 cents. That was all, and sixty cents of it was in pennies … Three times Della counted it. One dollar and 87 cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

The Gift of the Magi tells the story of a poor husband and wife who try to buy a meaningful gift for each other on Christmas. Della’s most prized possession is her long flowing hair, while her husband Jim owns an old gold watch passed down from his father and grandfather.

So, desperate, Della walks down the street until she sees a wig shop and rushes inside.

“I buy hair,” said Madame. “Take yer hat off and let’s have a sight at the looks of it.”

Down rippled the brown cascade.

“Twenty dollars,” said Madame, lifting the mass with a practiced hand.

“Give it to me quick,” said Della.

Now—with the hard-earned bills in her pocket—Della buys a beautiful gold chain for Jim’s watch. She hurries home to wait for Jim to come back from work. When he comes through the door, he just stares at her. And then puts his gift for Della down on the table ….

AUDIO: They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.

Della promises Jim that her hair will grow back fast. And then presents him with the gold chain for his watch.

AUDIO: “Dell,” said he, “let’s put our Christmas presents away and keep ’em a while. They’re too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs.”

The story has become a beloved Christmastime favorite among families, symbolizing unconditional love and generosity.

Finally, Washington Irving made several of his own tributes to Christmas. As an author in the 1800s, he was well known for writing some spooky tall tales—like his famous The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

But Irving was also very interested in all the “merry and bright” traditions that come along with Christmastime. Voice actor Jon Gauger (GAY-gurr) reads from Irving’s 1876 essay, Old Christmas.

JON GAUGER: There is something in the very season of the year that gives a charm to the festivity of Christmas … It seemed to throw open every door, and unlock every heart. It brought the peasant and the peer together, and blended all ranks in one warm generous flow of joy and kindness.

His essay describes the magic of Christmas—like good hot meals and fellowship around blazing fireplaces on cold, dark nights.

JON GAUGER: Where does the honest face of hospitality expand into a broader and more cordial smile—where is the shy glance of love more sweetly eloquent—than by the winter fireside?

Irving hearkens back to medieval times, where crowds used to sing and dance together to celebrate Yuletide. And he encourages readers to rediscover that holiday cheer …

JON GAUGER: if I can now and then penetrate through the gathering film of misanthropy, prompt a benevolent view of human nature, and make my reader more in good humour with his fellow-beings and himself, surely, surely, I shall not then have written entirely in vain.

Americans haven’t always been as enthusiastic about Christmas as they are today. In the 1600s, some colonies even banned Christmas for a while because of its pagan roots. And in the 1700s, most people didn’t observe it. But Irving’s cozy fantasies revived public interest in feasting and celebrations.

Irving also popularized the idea of ole Saint Nick and his make believe counterpart Santa Claus. He writes in his fictional account of The History of New York.

JON GAUGER: And, lo! the good St. Nicholas came riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children.

He founded the St. Nicholas Society of the City of New York to commemorate the “spirit of fun” that Christmas brings as well as to preserve the history of New York traditions.

That’s this week’s WORLD History Book. I’m Emma Perley.

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