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Researching the past is a great way not only to appreciate the things we have today, but to understand what our parents and grandparents experienced during these same winter months years ago. Candace Perry, Curator of Collections at the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center
in Pennsburg, is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Christmas and holiday traditions in years past. Let’s take a look at just what the Upper Perk area was like many years ago during this festive season.
With our area strongly dominated by
CHRISTMAS PAST Upper Perkiomen Valley
families of Pennsylvania German descent well into the 20th century, there were some popular traditions that were more common in this area, explains Perry. “Specifically, that would be the construction of a Christmas putz, a tradition that started with the Moravians and became very popular among others locally, especially in the early 20th century. The putz is a Christmas garden, or Christmas village layout. Originally, they were chiefly nativity scenes, then were more secularized and could include anything the imagination could dream up. Roadside America, out on route 78, started out decades ago as a putz.”
Going broke on Black Friday isn’t exactly what our forefathers had in mind when it came to their gift lists. “There were some local small stores (the Dunkin Donuts location in Pennsburg was a dry goods store called Gilbert & Hevener) in the early to mid-20th century, which certainly had some kinds of things that people might give as gifts, such as clothing and shoes, but probably any actual shopping had to be done in larger towns,” advises Perry. “Hess’s was of course a destination for anyone who lived in a certain radius from Allentown. Their toy department was incredible and people also shopped at five and dime stores, especially for decorations.”
Some local Christmas celebrations also included the `Belsnickel,” states Perry. This very ancient figure, whose roots come from German-speaking Europe, “was frequently a man or even a group of young men dressed in tattered clothing (sometimes furs) with a mask or painted face that came around to houses to give the good children a gift of an orange
or other treat and to whip the naughty children with a switch. ‘Belsnickel’ literally translates to ‘Nicholas in furs,’ so the character was one of the many folk culture gift bringers in Europe. He also sort of relates to the Mummers in Philadelphia, though from a Germanic tradition, not Irish.”
One major change throughout history is where the focus has shifted in regards to where the importance lies during the holiday itself. “The churches were often the center of the celebrations, especially for groups such as the Mennonites who try very hard to maintain the meaning of the day,” explains Perry. “That’s not to say that people didn’t decorate and buy gifts, it’s just that the emphasis was different. Many more people attended their church services.” Thinking back to her own childhood Perry recalls, “Our church needed the overflow seating on Christmas Eve in the 60s and into the 80s. There were Christmas pageants and parties at churches that were very well attended. I think this was common to everywhere. Also, people decorated the outside of their homes a lot more. Public decorating changed a lot also, meaning how municipalities decorated.”
No matter how you celebrate, take a moment to appreciate all of the history that has gone into the formation of how the Upper Perkiomen Valley celebrates this holiday season. Even though there are many more stores to buy goodies from these days, nothing compares to the memories enjoyed together during holiday season days and nights, regardless of what Santa (or Belsnickel) leaves under your tree.
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