A few years back I was Gospel Doctrine instructor for the Doctrine and Covenants/Church History curriculum year. We had one Sunday where there was no lesson in the manual and so I decided to end the year with some research and moments from early Church History. It starts out with some general reflections on how early members of the Church celebrated Christmas, to some unique stories you probably haven’t heard before.
Here are my notes from that lesson:
“All Hail to Christmas” Mormon Pioneer Holiday Celebrations by Richard Ian Kimball:
To Mormon historians and members of the Church generally, Christmas is not a particularly “Mormon” holiday. Though contemporary Latter-day Saints throughout the world embrace a variety of traditions that commemorate the holiday, no major body of distinctively Mormon tradition surrounds the day in December traditionally reserved for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Mormons celebrate the holiday like most other Christians—reading from the nativity account in Luke, exchanging presents, and spending time with family and friends. Santa Claus, decorated trees, and the redemptive story of Ebenezer Scrooge all are staples of the winter holiday for Mormons in the United States. Some members of the Church lament that Christmas celebrations have devolved into a commercialized ritual focused on the acquisition of goods rather than on a solemn remembrance of the Savior’s birth. Such critics seek to put “Christ” back into “Christmas” and return to the days of old, when the holiday meant more than toys and shopping trips.
In Mormon history, such halcyon days of Christmas past never existed. Nevertheless, the celebrations of Christmas and the New Year—the central components of the pioneer Saints’ holiday season—carried considerable cultural importance before, and especially after, 1870. The winter holiday season was annually anticipated and widely celebrated, and it served as the crowning social event of the year, being preeminently important to early Mormons. As an 1869 editorial in the Juvenile Instructor recorded, the winter holidays provided “long evenings for social gatherings and parties and pleasant fireside intercourse, and in no country and among no people are they more valued than in our Territory and by the Saints who reside here.” By about 1870, the Saints in Salt Lake City celebrated Christmas in much the same way we do today. Santa Claus, gifts, and parties and socials competed with the birth of Christ as the central focus of the Mormon Christmas.
Joseph Smith wrote in his Journals about some of his experiences that his family had on Christmas’s in the early church:
Joseph Smith in his journal 1835 wrote, “At home all this day and enjoyed myself with my family, it being Christmas day—the only time I have had this privilege so satisfactorily for a long time. Seven Years later, Joseph Smith wrote on December 25th 1842, “Emma was delivered of a Son, which did not survive it’s birth.”
The following year, December 25th 1843 would be Joseph’s last Christmas in the Manson House in Nauvoo. Of that occasion he wrote:
“This morning about one o’clock, I was aroused by an English sister, Lettice Rusthon, widow of Richard Rushton Sen. (who ten years ago lost her sight) accompanied by three of her sons, with their wives, and her two daughters, with their husbands, and several of her neighbors singing,”Mortals, awake! With angels join’ etc.” Which caused a thrill of pleasure to run through my soul. All of my family and boarders arose to hear the serenade, and I felt to thank my Heavenly Father for their visit, and blessed them in the name of the Lord.
[Later that evening, a large gathering of family and friends “supped” with the Prophet and spent the evening enjoying good music and dancing “in a most cheerful and friendly manner.” Then, an uninvited guest interrupted the party.]
During the festivities, a man with his hair long and failing over his shoulders, and apparently drunk, came in and acted like a Missourian. I request the captain of the police to put him out of doors. A scuffle ensued, and I had the opportunity to look him full in the face, when to my great surprise and joy untold, I discovered it was my long-tired, warm, but cruelly persecuted friend, Orrin Porter Rockwell, just arrived from nearly a year’s imprisonment without conviction in Missouri.”
History of the Church 6:134-135
Christmas traditions really started to settled down as the Saints themselves were settled down:
Celebrations revolved around a season of merriment that included both holidays, though, much like today, each holiday meant something different to the pioneer Saints. Christmas was a time of friends, frolics, and feasts. In addition to its religious connotations, this holiday offered the Saints a chance to close out the year in high style with a public expression of gratitude and joy for the bounties brought in during the recently concluded harvest. The commemoration of the New Year, on the other hand, was more contemplative and provided early Mormons with an opportunity to assess the past year and contemplate the future. Pioneer New Year’s celebrations were more subdued than those of today and included expressions of gratitude for past blessings and declarations of hope for the coming year.
The Deseret News reported: A week of public parties, dances, and amusements—referred to in another newspaper article as the “customary annual period of relaxation”—initiated not only the celebration of Christmas but also the busiest social season of the year.”
Here are some excerpts from the record of the first Christmas’s in the Salt Lake Valley:
Christmas morning, 1847, dawned clear and sunny in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Although there had been some light snowfall, it had been a fairly mild winter to day, which was both good and bad as far as Utah’s pioneers were concerned. It was good because the thaw allowed men to till and work the ground that had never before seen the blade of a plow, thus increasing their chances of reaping an adequate harvest the following summer. But it was bad because the melting snow seeped through the sod-and-rush roofs in a nerve-frazzling drip, drip, that kept everything chilly and damp.
And that is just how it felt inside the cabins that were contained within the 10-acre log enclosure called the Old Fort – chilly and damp – as people began to stir that Christmas morning. For the adults, there were preparations for the usual chores: milking the cows, building up the fires in the fireplaces and cooking breakfast, which would probably consist of fried salt pork and corn meal. For the children there were the last few precious moments of sleep, snuggling under piles of quilts, waiting for the fires to warm the drafty cabins.
Then suddenly, the entire encampment was startled by a thunderous “BOOM!” from the old cannon in the middle of the fort. Children scrambled out of their beds to peer out windows and doors, anxious and excited to see the cause of this unusual occurrence. Men and women looked up from their morning tasks long enough to smile an acknowledgement of the cannon’s unspoken proclamation. Throughout the rest of the day, parents and children, neighbors and friends greeted each other with warm smiles, handshakes and the jovial words to the cannon’s roared message: “Merry Christmas!”
And that, for the most part, was that, as far as the first Christmas is the valley is concerned. It was Saturday, the weather was good and there was work to be done. According to Emmeline B. Wells, there was no departure from the daily routine, except for the wishing of Christmas greetings to each other.
“This was the extent of their celebrating the day,” Sister Wells recorded. “The people were living on rations, and would not dare indulge in any extra cooking.” But though the Utah pioneers lived in relative discomfort that first winter, their spirits remained high. Finally free from persecution, they truly believed they had been led to the Promised Land, where God would provide for them. The settlers had no Christmas gifts to exchange and no Christmas trees or decorations, but the spirit of Christmas permeated the camp.
Parley P Pratt once taught a sermon around Christmas time December 28th 1847, entitled, “The Velocity of the Motion of Bodies When Surrounded by a Refined Element.” There are many accounts that show that the holidays season was a time for the giving of sermons as much as it was a time for merriment.
There are also indications that much of what some express during New Years, was once part of the traditions of Christmas, with New Years being the more conservative and reflective of the holidays. “Thomas Bullock recorded in his diary: “Christmas Eve was all alive by the people in all directions firing guns, pistols, revolvers and the cannon fired several times. A dance at Martin H. Peck’s and the band played at Aaron Farr’s house.” Christmas 1849
“The Mormons combined American and European Christmas traditions, and in this amalgam emerged a tradition that became the “Mormon Christmas.” Part import, part homegrown, the resulting celebrations recalled holiday festivities from other parts of the world while containing a distinct Latter-day Saint sensibility that required moderation and self-control in merry-making.”
Brigham Young
After a few years had passed after being in the Salt Lake Valley, here is what was said during Christmas 1850
“Christmas day, lovely. The Band, twenty-six in number, have promenaded the city and played before the houses of the Presidency, Twelve, and others, while riding on horseback. President Young went up to his mill, where there was a dance in the upper room.”
Christmas with Brigham Young’s family, as remembered by his daughter Clarissa Young Spencer.
We hung our stockings on the mantel, for we had no Christmas tree in early days. Christmas bundles came from John Haslam’s store, where father had arranged for each individual family’s gifts. There were toys, such as bugles or drums for the boys, and beautiful painted rag dolls, that were made by Elise Long in her little “art” shop near Dinwoodey’s store, for the girls. These dolls were not dressed, so we learned to sew for them. Our newest supplies in winter clothing were usually give to us as Christmas gifts. Among them were pretty knitted garters and stockings, mittens and wrist bands, We did not exchange presents. Later, when we had Christmas trees, there were decorated with gold and silver paper ornaments and popcorn. Father did not approve of candles because they were a fire hazard. We had honey taffy, molasses candy, and a huge jar of cookies.
Just when you think that Salt Lake City was a place where Zion was being established and nothing rebellious took place, you find stories about “rowdyism” (something that was against Salt Lake City code–you couldn’t be publicly rowdy.)
The Saints’ fears about rowdyism disrupting Christmas Day celebrations stemmed from a long history of unseemly and sordid behavior that surrounded the year-end holidays in America and Europe. Historian Stephen Nissenbaum concluded that early American Christmas celebrations, like their European predecessors, “involved behavior that most of us would find offensive and even shocking today—rowdy public displays of excessive eating and drinking, the mockery of established authority, aggressive begging (often involving the threat of doing harm), and even the invasion of wealthy homes.” Although rowdy public behavior proved unpopular among most Latter-day Saints, Christmas festivities provided license for some revelers to follow such less-refined traditions.
While evidence of a handful of ill-mannered public holiday displays has been preserved, most evidence of immoderate Christmas revelry must be found between the lines of the historical sources. For example, although most Christmas celebrations went off without a hitch, peaceful displays of Christmas cheer were on occasion considered worthy of remark. Following Christmas Day 1860, the Deseret News recorded:
“There was no rowdyism seen in the streets, nor unusual demonstrations made of a belligerent character, such as we have seen on such occasions, indicating that if there are any rowdies about, they are not very anxious to show off. . . . At the time of going to press no unpleasant circumstance had transpired, and it is believed that none occurred to mar the festivities of the occasion. “
Three years later, the holidays passed “in a quiet, peaceable, orderly manner, drunkenness and rowdyism being no part of the ceremonies.” The fact that a quiet Christmas elicited a response in the local paper indicates that not all holidays passed off so peaceably.
1855 – Deseret News December 26th
Yesterday was “Merry Christmas” which passed with unusual quietness. Although many went forth in dance, that universally admired recreation, there was little parade and show. As far as our observations extended, we have never seen a Christmas day pass off more harmoniously. And, with all our ultra notions about holidays, we saw nothing that we particularly objected to.
Usually, the rowdy behavior was associated with alcohol, as in 1859, when a group of “christians, dissenters, and other outsiders, with some who profess better things have tarried too long ‘at the wine,’ or made too free use of ‘mountain dew.’” Non-Mormons were often blamed for the flare-ups of Christmas incivility. In 1861 the newspaper ruthlessly attacked rabble rousers who spilled their Christmas indulgence into the holiday streets of Salt Lake City. The editorialist hoped that decent Christmas celebrations could take place in the near future without “being molested by the unhallowed yells and disgusting performances of reckless beings reveling in dissipation and debauchery, as has often been the case during the last three years.” Eight reckless revelers—including a judge, an attorney, one “professional rowdy,” and “one youthful aspirant for distinction”—appeared before the bar that year to answer for their holiday offenses. Fines ranging from five to fifty dollars were levied against this crew for “furious driving,” drunkenness, and fighting. One rowdy was cited for running a horse over a female pedestrian.
It should be noted that the late 1850’s and early 1860’s were a time when members of Johnston’s army stayed around for a while in the territory and became quite a nuisance to the locals.
On several occasions, rowdy holiday behavior in Salt Lake City turned violent. Not even the Sabbath day was spared. Such was the case on Christmas Day 1859, a Sabbath Christmas that turned bloody. Just after Sabbath services at the Tabernacle adjourned, a gang-style gunfight disrupted the quietude of Sunday afternoon. As many as fifty shots volleyed across the streets of Salt Lake City as W. A. Hickman’s group pursued Lot Huntington and his minions. The chase lasted for a quarter mile down the street to the front of Townsend’s hotel and concluded when Huntington took shelter in a house. The shoot-out involved eight or ten persons, though none but Huntington and Hickman received injuries. Unexpected on any day of the year, this violent outburst marred that year’s Christmas celebration and was remembered as “one of the most disgusting and disgraceful affrays that ever transpired in this city.”
Music played an important role in the holiday season of the early pioneers as well:
“Music was always an integral part of the season. After all, these were a people who had worshipped, mourned and rejoiced through song as they build cities, buried loved ones and labored across the plains. Song sprang from their souls and lips almost as naturally as words.
A few precious musical instruments, carefully carted across the plains in handcarts and wagons, added to the holiday festivities. Musical talent was greatly appreciated in the budding communities, and the holidays provided an opportunity to display those talents.
“Early on Christmas morning, Thursday, December 25th 1851, several companies of serenaders, with brass instruments, made the sleeping mountains echo with the sound of rejoicing,” wrote Elder George D. Watt. “Out attention was drawn more particularly to the Governor’s mansion, in the front of which was drawn up in military order a troop of horseman. This was the brass band, giving his Excellency a good wish in sweet strains.”
The band made another appearance the next year, “playing before the houses of the First Presidency and the members of the Council of the Twelve.”
Following the completion of the Social Hall in 1853, Christmas was celebrated there with dancing parties for both the adults and the Children. One reference from Emmeline B. Wells referred to the Christmas tree as a Santa Claus Tree. “After the Santa Claus tree was stripped of its gifts, the floor was cleared and the dancing commenced, and there was good music too, and President Young led the dance, and “cut a pigeon wing,” to the great delight of the little folks. In fact, I think the evening was almost entirely given to the children’s festivities, and othe older ones, the fathers and mothers and more especially President young, mad them supremely happy for that one Christmas eve.
Adapted from Emmeline B. Wells – Young Women’s Journal 1901:539-42
(The social hall is now a museum of sorts in downtown Salt Lake City. It is at 31 South State Street, and is a glass building erected to be the same size as the original Social Hall. The historical site was discovered under ground during a construction project in 1991 and, when the remains were discovered, they decided to preserve the findings and build the museum in its place.)
Other fun facts about Christmas in the early LDS Church.
The season grew larger, and the holiday period seemed to extend its time period to last for a few weeks instead of just the days surrounding both Christmas and New Years:
Mormons, like other Americans, had come to expect a festive season at the close of the year during which they could enjoy the company of distant friends and relatives and express gratitude for a bountiful harvest. Christ- mas and the New Year dovetailed with the slow season in agricultural Utah. Crops had already been gathered, and the frozen ground usually prevented plowing. Of this lax period, the Deseret News commented in 1865:
Holiday times are coming . . . workmen are taking the holidays, because they can’t help it; sad interferers [sic] with outdoor work, those storms. Good fires are pleasant just now. Are those big piles of wood still held in reserve in the lower wards? Remember the poor, where you find them, you who are comfortable; their comfort will add to your pleasures.
Further advising the holiday merrymakers, the paper reminded readers to “take care of yourselves when you get heated with dancing, and avoid catching colds.”
Wilford Woodruff wrote the following of his Christmas experience:
Dec. 25-28 1850-Was spent, most of the time, at hard labor.
Dec. 25 1871 – Was Christmas, but I spent the day husking corn.
Dec. 25, 1874 – Christmas. We shot nine ducks.
January 6th 1877 – You ask what I was doing on Christmas. I spent the whole day at the Temple in St. George. Forty women were sewing carpets and all the men were at work. Josiah Hardy worked at the buzz saw until 9 o’clock at night to get through. We laid carpets, put curtains on the partitions an covered the alters, preparing the temple for its dedication.
Letter to his wife Emma Smith Woodruff
Christmas 1897 – 50 years since their first arrival in the Salt Lake Valley
Statehood. The transcontinental railroad. The Salt Lake Temple. The establishment of settlements all along the Wasatch Front. ZCMI. These are just a few of the major accomplishments of the 50 years between the first Christmas in the valley and the Christmas of 1897 that helped to shape the Salt Lake Valley and the people who lived within it. Indeed, by 1897 Salt Lake City was a thriving metropolis, bearing a much greater resemblance to the Salt Lake City of Today that is did to the lonely outpost of 1847.
Similarly, Christmas celebrations of the era were more representative of contemporary holidays than the spartan observances of the pioneers. The Victorian era was in full bloom, with many of the same endearing Christmas images and traditions that endure to the present. Santa Claus was an annual visitor, and children looked forward to receiving their portion of candy and nuts, dolls and sleds, tool boxes and toy horses con Christmas morning. Most homes had Christmas trees decorated with cookies with raisin faces, walnut shells covered with bits of tinsel and raisin boxes covered with crepe paper and wall paper.
The Young Women’s Journal of December, 1897, cautioned its readers to avoid extravagance in purchasing Christmas gifts, providing patterns and suggestions for making presents for friends and loved ones. Some of the favored suggestions included a scrapbook of photographs of prominent actors and actresses, or photographs of prominent public men for those more politically minded.
“If he is an amateur photographer, or a critic of beauty, give him an album of ‘Fair Women’,” the Journal suggests. Of course, one could always give a society man a hand-made satin shirt protector. Or, for the more literary types, the Journal recommended a collection of quotations from favorite books, each of which the man must write the authors name within one year or forfeit the book.
Invitations to parties abounded in 1897, and dances were still the entertainment form of choice. Everyone attended Christmas Dance. Small beds were arranged on seats and coats and shawls were used for coverings so even mothers with very young children could attend.
While it would not be accurate to say that the hardships of that first pioneer Christmas were forgotten (after all, a good number 1847 pioneers were still alive just 50 years later), one could easily see that as the turn of the century approached, the austerity and quiet simplicity of Christmases past were little more than memory.”