tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1439587530787929381.post4567382830923438455..comments2023-12-13T04:30:39.311-08:00Comments on Civil War Medicine (and Writing): Christmas and the Civil War - Book Review #1 - Stern's "Christmas Album"Jim Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03635615531025513644noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1439587530787929381.post-88042019388777474152010-12-07T23:46:42.031-08:002010-12-07T23:46:42.031-08:00Jim,
Michael Medved has done a show on the evoluti...Jim,<br />Michael Medved has done a show on the evolution of Christmas traditions in our country. I cannot remember when it became a National Holiday, but from what I remember, Richard is correct. Christmas was more widely celebrated in the South, to begin with.<br /><br />I am a big fan of Washington Irving, and his "Knickerbocker's History of New York" has one of the first American Characterizations of St. Nick, or Santa Claus.B. Forbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17520880540467372937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1439587530787929381.post-23953108299079956722010-12-07T11:38:25.239-08:002010-12-07T11:38:25.239-08:00I thought it was the late 1870s before it became a...I thought it was the late 1870s before it became a national holiday and I seem to recall that it became a state holiday around the south before moving up to New England, which is kind of contrary to popular believe.<br /><br />I believe one of those other books I mentioned discusses it more. I think Louisiana may have been the first state to have Christmas as a state holiday - that doesn't exactly bring about images of snow-covered villages and ice-skating, does it?Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16080050613624485848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1439587530787929381.post-35714324588027143272010-12-07T06:26:52.884-08:002010-12-07T06:26:52.884-08:00Thanks, Guys! I'll also be providing reviews ...Thanks, Guys! I'll also be providing reviews of "Marching..." and "God Rest Ye..." One I have not read is "General Sherman's Christmas" (?) by Stanley Weintraub, who has made something of a specialty of wartime Christmas books, I think. Another one is an 1890s children's fiction Christmas story with a great Civil War theme.<br /><br />Brad - thanks fo rthe tip on your Maryland letter!<br /><br />I think you are right about "quieter" Christmases in the 1860s...I don't think it was declared a national holiday until 1870, is that right?<br /><br />JimJim Schmidthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03635615531025513644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1439587530787929381.post-11263863047577832242010-12-06T21:50:15.756-08:002010-12-06T21:50:15.756-08:00Jim,
Thanks for letting us know about this book, I...Jim,<br />Thanks for letting us know about this book, I'd never heard of it. I read that Thanksgiving was more of a 'big thing' in camp, back in those days and Christmas celebrations were quieter. I do have a letter that mentions local Christmas traditions in Maryland. I posted about it last year on my blog. <br />I'll check out this book and,<br />Merry Christmas to you !B. Forbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17520880540467372937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1439587530787929381.post-64646358538386267192010-12-06T17:31:41.216-08:002010-12-06T17:31:41.216-08:00Interesting.
The only 2 I have read are "We ...Interesting.<br /><br />The only 2 I have read are "We Were Marching on Christmas Day" by Kevin Rawling and "God Rest Ye, Merry Soldiers" by James McIvor.<br /><br />I think "Marching" can be a bit hard to find or pricy, but it is very well worth it for the description of how some of our Christmas traditions were developing in the Civil War era.<br /><br />"God Rest Ye" provides somewhat similar information, but is a good read on its own. <br /><br />I'll have to keep watching for more that you suggest <br /><br />Richard (aka captainrlm)Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16080050613624485848noreply@blogger.com