Express Site Guide |
|
|
|
|
Express Features |
|
|
|
|
Classifieds |
|
|
|
|
LOCAL RESOURCES |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Wonder of Christmas created by early pioneers
12/24/08
As we celebrate another Christmas, it is interesting to reflect back to the Christmas of nearly a century ago, when Red Deer was a small prairie town of less than 2000 people.
A young girl in the community was Evellyn Brumpton. Her parents, Robert and Druscilla Brumpton, had first moved to Red Deer in 1892. Evellyn and her sister Lenore had the distinction of both being born in the family apartments above their father’s store which still stands at 5003 Ross Street.
Evellyn later wrote an autobiography of her early life in Red Deer which she titled Babs of the Foothills. In that book, she included a chapter on a pioneer Christmas that she remembered.
The Brumptons were parishioners of the beautiful sandstone St. Luke’s Anglican Church, which stands on the corner of Gaetz Ave. and 54 St. Mr. Brumpton’s business had flourished in the rapidly growing town of Red Deer. Hence, in 1901, he built an impressive brick house, one block east of St. Luke’s Church.
The Christmas Eve, which Evellyn reminisced about, started with a light snow in the morning. However, by afternoon, the weather had turned bright and clear, but also quite cold.
A special “Christmas Tree’ was organized at the spacious Parish Hall, a short distance north of the church. The parents spent the afternoon decorating the hall and getting ready for the evening’s festivities.
Large numbers of evergreen boughs were hung throughout the hall, along with reams of red crêpe paper streamers. The main feature was a huge spruce Christmas tree, centered on the main stage. It was covered in special red candles along with a number of other ornaments.
After supper, the children and parents made their way to the Parish Hall. The evening’s entertainment consisted of the Sunday school classes singing carols, reciting poems and performing short Christmas skits.
The concert finished with one of the older boys reciting “Twas The Night Before Christmas”, which was followed by the assembled crowd singing “Merry Merry Christmas Bells”.
The children could then hear the sounds of sleigh bells on Gaetz Avenue. This was followed by the grand entrance by Santa Claus. He was dressed with a long white beard, red suit trimmed with white fur and a red toque on his head.
After the red candles were lit on the tree, Santa Claus invited each child to the front of the hall to receive a special Christmas gift.
After the evening was over, most people walked home, as Red Deer was still a small town. A few, however, departed in cutters, with large buffalo robes or other fur blankets wrapped around them for warmth.
On Christmas morning, Mr. and Mrs. Brumpton had little trouble getting their two daughters and son Joseph out of bed. However, they insisted that their children eat their breakfast right away, served up by the Brumpton’s live-in maid, Lena.
The family and Lena then gathered in the library for the gift opening. There was a large tree in the corner. In addition to the candles and ornaments, many of the presents were hung on the tree, with the special ones near the top.
Evellyn and Lenore were jointly given a child’s sewing machine, which had come from the toys sold at their father’s store. Each girl also got a doll, dressed in the same colour silk dresses as the girls had worn to the Christmas Eve celebrations at the Parish Hall.
After the exchange of gifts were over, the family made their way down the street to the special Christmas Day church service which was held at 11 a.m. Again there was the singing of traditional Christmas carols. There was also a special sermon by Rev. C.W.G. Moore on the meaning of Christmas.
As the service closed with the ringing of the bells in the church tower, people recalled the words of the new Christmas carol they had sung the night before:
“Merry, merry chiming bells
Clear and sweet their
carol swells
Joyful news their music tells
Glory in the highest.
In a manger far away
Once the infant Savior lay
We will sing His birth today
Glory in the highest.”
|
| |
|
SERVICES |
|
