CHRISTMAS PAST

My gang arrives today. Nostalgia for Christmases past and simpler times come to mind as I sort through old cards, but I know, Christmases past are best remembered and not relived.  I wonder how different my kids remembrances of Christmas will be as they get older and look back.
The beautiful lettering on this card, along with the clothing says “old-fashioned”.

Children cry when meeting a scary department store Santa. What would it be like to see this Father Christmas at the door? Smithsonian Magazine’s website asked people to vote for the scariest Santa from about twenty pictures. There were some doozies.
Quaint language tickles my fancy since I love poetry and doggerel, both :
When Christmas comes to your abode,
May care be laid aside,
That naught but cheer, good will and mirth,
And joy and peace abide.
or:
We wish you a glad, merry Christmas
Surrounded by dear ones and friends;
We wish you a sweet, pleasant pathway,
For New Year, wher’er it wends.
And from 1931 :
We hope you’ll have a drumstick that is eatable,
Potatoes mashed , and gravy of the best,
A slab of mince or pumpkin pie unbeatable,
And-it doesn’t  matter much about the rest.
.
Today, I’ll finish any cooking to be done ahead of time, clean out the ashes in the stove, stack in some wood, turn on the music and wait for the best part of Christmas-the family’s arrival.

CLYMER REVISITED

Yesterday, Wikipedia provided information on the George Clymer Columbian Press, one of which is located at Quyle Kilns in Murphys. Pam Quyle very graciously sent me more information on the press, which follows: Hello Mary, The press is an 1825 George Clymer Columbian Press. Clymer patented the press design before the war of 1812. It is considered an American invention. However, the Colonial printers rejected it preferring the ease of mobility (and cost savings) of the wooden press (getting out of town before being tared and feathered...) Clymer took his wooden prototypes and moved back to England in 1817 and set up a foundry outside of London and produced the cast iron presses there for many years. They sold very well in Europe where print shops stayed in one place. Clymer changed the ornamentation on the presses from year to year. First changing the coiled serpent of the thirteen colonies for a sea serpent and adding a cornucopia of fruits around the brass face plate, and offering other counterweights other than the American Eagle . (The French however preferred the American motifs as they were geared up for revolution also. ) The presses sold throughout Europe and were widely copied. The press we have here in Murphys was sold to a print shop in Nottingham England in 1825 and is one of 12 remaining made by Clymer himself. Paul Quyle (Pam's father) heard it was for sale (in 1962) through an English printing friend, and cabled a bid of two hundred dollars for it which they accepted, boxed it and shipped it to us. Six of his presses have been brought back to the Americas and the other six are still in Europe. In California there are 5 presses, one at UC Davis, ours and three at a printing museum in Los Angeles. The sixth one is at the university at Reno Nevada. Clymer died at age 80 in 1834. The Columbian press continued to be manufactured for many years after his death. However every year shows progressively less ornamentation and the presses became strictly utilitarian. Our press is in perfect working order and sits in our pottery show room in Murphys where it's story entertains (and surprises) our guests daily. Eventually we plan to donate it to a library who will cherish it as we have. The Smithsonian had one on display for many years and just closed their printing section and sent theirs to that printing museum in LA. (Humph!) Thanks for your interest, sincerely Pamela Quyle