This year the spirit of Christmas in Alaska may be overwhelmed by the politics of the times and a tsunami of electronic gifts and doodads. But looking through Alaska newspaper clippings from 100 years ago, Christmas had more to do with turkey shoots and a kindly police chief ...
Turkey Shoot at Kennecott
A very successful turkey shoot was held at Kennecott on Christmas day starting at 10 a.m. and lasting until 3:30 p.m. It was a decided financial success as well as being thoroughly enjoyed by both spectators and participants. Ideal weather prevailed...
Victor Johnson picked off no less than seven, while Fred Schranz got three and Walter Egtert two. The opening rules compelled shooting offhand from a standing position at 100 yards. This was modified later to permit kneeling to aim while the last few were disposed of with pistols at thirty yards. Twenty birds were put up. – The McCarthy Weekly News, Dec. 27, 1924.
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Apropos of Christmas we are reminded that many a fine girl is going to make the mistake of judging a man by the kind of Christmas gift he sends. Too frequently it happens that a 10-cent man sends a 6-dollar gift.– Hyder Weekly Herald, Dec. 24, 1924.
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Flooded with gifts
Program for Those Persons Who Think Santa Clause Deception Should Come to End
We have tried to work out a little Christmas program for those who object to Santa Claus. We respect the opinions of all who think the deception should be stopped and feel that we ought to help them to arrange a disillusionized and thoroughly harmless Christmas-what you might call a germless and renovated and disinfected and veracious Joy season-which the children will take hold of with enthusiasm without, in after days, wishing to upbraid their parents and hiss at them, "You lied to us!"
We suggest, therefore, that the children be called together on Christmas morning by the governor and addressed as follows:
"Kids: We shall now enjoy our gift giving. I tore off a few scads from my roll the other day and handed them to your mother, and she dived headlong into the bargain counter flood and for two whole days appeared not again, and when she did crawl out, battered, jammed, ragged, torn, bruised and old, she clutched to her bosom these few gimcracks, fol-de-rols, and highly unserviceable articles. We have placed them upon these chairs so as to divest the business of any stage effects that might heighten the pleasure in any way or give a false impression. You are to understand that I had to give up for these things, and I wish to forget about It before I feel real good inside again, and with these few remarks we will now fall to, and you want to be quick about It, for I want to read my paper In peace."- Judge.
– Wrangell Sentinel, Dec. 25, 1924.
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Christmas tree for Indians on Tomorrow Eve
Various Societies and School Will Celebrate at the A. N. B. Hall.
The Indian people and their friends will hold their Christmas tree exercises at the A. N. B. Hall on Willoughby Avenue on Christmas Eve. The program beginning at 7:30 o'clock sharp. As usual, the affair is in the hands of the Alaska Native Brotherhood, which is being assisted this year by two other Indian societies, namely, the Alaska Daughters and the Christian Endeavor. No expenses have been spared to make the occasion an enjoyable and memorable one. – The Alaska Daily Empire, Juneau, Dec. 23, 1924.
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Chief of Police Mack gives present to all Juneau kiddies
Chief of Police A. D. Mack announced this afternoon that he is giving a Christmas present to all Juneau kiddies but will be unable to make distribution personally so has asked The Empire to assist. The gift is an extra hour each night, beginning tonight and including Sunday night, January 4, that they may loiter on the streets. In other words, the curfew will not ring until 10 o'clock instead of 9 o'clock. – The Alaska Daily Empire, Dec. 24, 1924.
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Christmas in Seward
Christmas in Alaska is not the dull, uneventful day one would imagine it to be from reading about the country in the first sellers. Seward citizens spend about the same Christmas spent by millions of outsiders, and probably a better Christmas than other millions. They have good warm churches, with able ministers, whose sermons are along the same lines as those of the churches in the larger cities in the States. They have snowshoeing, skiing, tramping, the theatre, the dance, and numerous good books to read. Our homes are as snug and warm as those of other places, and there is no doubt but that the average Alaskan has as good a dinner. We can see no gainful way of spending the day any other place, over spending it in Seward, with the possible exception we will not have the Christmas issues of the daily papers filled with promiscuous advertising. – Seward Daily Gateway, Dec. 24,1924.
Lawrence D. Weiss is a UAA Professor of Public Health, Emeritus, creator of the UAA Master of Public Health program, and author of several books and numerous articles.
