Sandburg's Hometown

December 30, 2013

Vintage Christmas Card
 

Christmas 1880
by Barbara Schock

The Republican-Register of January 1, 1881 reminisced about the Christmas just past in this way:

“This festive occasion to young and old, rich and poor, has again come and gone, and is now among the memories of the past. While it is a cosmopolitan day, yet its benign influence was not wanting in our city, but for several days previously, the busy feet upon our streets and eager purchasers crowding the stores, showed plainly that we were on the threshold of an important occasion. The hearts of the old pulsate more rapidly, aged limbs are more lithe, while young eyes sparkle with delight as they anticipate the return of old Kris. Pleasant memories crowd the minds of the grown as they retrospect Christmas in the days of other years; often such recollections are fringed with sadness at the remembrance of loved ones, who are gone into the silent land, and we trust are with the Christmas Maker. If aught will cause to flow the milk of human kindness, certainly it is occasions like this.”

The schools and churches had their usual Christmas trees, gifts and literary and musical exercises. The “Old First Church” had a nativity service which was composed of song and scripture reading.

Christmas Day had dawned sunny and very cold after a week of cloudy days. Sleighs were brought out and the sleigh bells could be heard late into the evening.

Carl Sandburg and his older sister Mary were too young to appreciate the festivities. Over the next few years they would learn to enjoy the Christmas season as much as all of the other people in Galesburg.

Sandburg's Hometown
Date Title
December 30, 2013 Christmas 1880
December 23, 2013 Swedish Christmas
December 16, 2013 The Reporter Sees Santa
December 9, 2013 The Coming of Christmas
December 2, 2013 The Fire Boys Talk
November 25, 2013 Galesburg Will Feast on Turkeys and Cranberries - Thanksgiving 1893
November 18, 2013  Mary Sandburg Johnson
November 11, 2013 Carl Sandburg's Bicycle
November 4, 2013  Lace Curtains 
October 28, 2013 The Front Room
October 21, 2013 A Warm Breakfast
October 14, 2013 Marion D. Shutter
October 7, 2013 Cigars and Consumption
September 30, 2013 Forrest F. Cooke & August Sandburg
September 16, 2013 Forrest F. Cooke, Mayor
September 9, 2013 Dusty Streets
September 2, 2013 Typhoid Fever
August 26, 2013 Coffee and Water
August 19, 2013 A Horse! A Horse!
August 12, 2013 Gaddial Scott
August 5, 2013 The Racetrack
July 29, 2013 John Peter Algeld - Part II
July 22, 2013 John Peter Altgeld - Part I
July 15, 2013 Tramps, Tramps, Tramps
July 8, 2013 Lady Liberty
July 1, 2013 Galesburg's Fourth
June 24, 2013 John H. Finley
June 17, 2013 The World's Columbian Exhibition
June 10, 2013 Fruit Short-Cake
June 3, 2013 Horatio Alger, Author
May 27, 2013 Memorial Day, 1887
May 20, 2013 Professor Jon W. Grubb
May 13, 2013 Beginnings of Lombard University
May 6, 2013 Young Sandburg’s View of Lombard College
April 29, 2013 Thinking
April 22, 2013 Robert Colville, Master Mechanic
April 15, 2013 The Galesburg Opera House
April 8, 2013 Grocery Stores and Sample Rooms
April 1, 2013  A Hearty  Breakfast 
March 25, 2013  The Lost Wallpaper Legend 
March 18, 2013 Martin G. Sandburg
March 4, 2013 The Edison Talking Machine
February 25, 2013 Joe Elser, Civil War Veteran
February 18, 2013 Remember the Maine...
February 11, 2013 Lincoln's Birthday
February 4, 2013 Curiosity
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