Christmas in the Old West!


    In the three years that I have lived in Wyoming, I have felt the welcome of her people and the challenge of serving the Lord Jesus Christ in a state that is…. forever West!

This week  my mind was captivated by what the early pioneers….experienced as they settled the Land that would remain “Forever West”.

What was Christmas like for them 130 or more years ago?

*Far away from the tinsel, eggnog, and colorfully wrapped packages of civilized life in the East, explorers, mountain men, and pioneers usually celebrated Christmas with homemade gifts and humble fare.

As the West became settled, affluent westerners could order by mail virtually all the trimmings of Christmas, from toy trains to canned oysters.

*Christmas in the Old West:  A Historical Scrapbook, a mosaic of stories, reminiscences, recipes, photographs, newspaper clippings, magazine advertisements, and more, brings alive the spirit of Christmas on the American frontier.

Through diary quotes, letters, and stories we can feel the icy December wind as a lone trapper sips rum by his campfire, hear the gruff caroling of soldiers at their remote outpost, see candlelight flicker as a pioneer mother pieces together a rag doll for her little girl, and smell the venison roasting over an open hearth. Newspaper clippings announce town celebrations where “a glorious time is assured.”

Christmas is timeless. Today more than 130 years removed from the days of the old west and early pioneers we are here to celebrate what believers have always celebrated.

As 2010 comes to a close, for some a year of challenge, for some a year of heartache, that left eyes frequently brimming with tears….still others a year of success, and advancement.

Notice as we peer into 2011 this wonderful reminder, a reminder that can carry us into the New Year with great hope! Why? It’s all because of the “Arrival of Jesus”

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  (Luke 2:10-11).

The arrival of Jesus subdues fear!

The arrival of Jesus is great news!

Christmas Eve, in the old west, would generally find most families singing carols around the Christmas tree or fireplace. On Christmas Day, most would attend church, return home for the traditional Christmas meal, and spend the day visiting with friends and neighbors.

Then, as it is today, Christmas would also find many a mountain man, explorer, or lone cowboy, spending a solitary evening without the benefit of festivities.

Yet for His people, Christmas will forever be, a season of hope….all because of the arrival of Jesus!

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