Thursday, December 8, 2011

Texas Christmas

Early Texans celebrated Christmas much as we do today. Festivities centered around church, family, and friends.



They played music on fiddles and occasionally a guitar. Most gifts were handmade and included items such as wooden toys, rag dolls, quilts, fruitcakes, and preserves. They decorated their trees with scraps of cloth, popcorn, berries, and cookies.






One of the more unusual traditions was known as "shooting the anvil". This was done much like we would enjoy fireworks today.


http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor.php?lesson=July4th/anvil-shoot





In 1885 at Anson, Texas the annual Cowboy Christmas Ball was established. It is still going on today. If you're near Anson next week, drop in for a dance.


                                 http://www.ansoncowboyschristmasball.com/
 
If you are near Bandera in December, you may want to attend the Campfire Christmas. Cowboy storytellers and singers gather around a campfire on the banks of the Medina River to tell stories from Texas past.


http://www.hillcountrycurrent.com/calendar/event/848/camp-fire-christmas/


Christmas in Texas is a Cowboy Christmas.

6 comments:

  1. I like the idea of gifts being handmade :)

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  2. Homemade gifts are always more thoughtful because someone had to put thought and work into it...i love making my own.

    staniszeski3824@comcast.net

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  3. Na and Dawn,
    I agree with you both. Handmade gifts are the best.

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  4. I do make handmade gifts, cookies or knitted items and for the most part they are not appreciated by some family members. I think that's why I tend to make and give it all away to local charities where they do appreciate them.

    Love Campfire Cowboy and stories of legends past would be cool.
    Julie

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  5. Great pictures and events. One fly in the ointment - anvil shooting. It has been banned in these parts. Bullets do tend to ricochet off solid metal. Participants and bystanders have been injured. I am surprised they are still doing it or are they doing something else and calling it an anvil shoot?

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  6. Love the video and John Denver's song. Handmade gifts are best. I'm a knitter and do slippers and scarves. it's hokey but it gave me something to do when my kids were in sports.

    Eileen

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