Merry Christmas from 100 years ago

With feelings of peace on earth and goodwill to all abounding throughout the city and the county, Christmas parties already were being held during the early days of December 1922. For example, the Times Recorder, on Dec. 5, reported the following celebration: “One of the most elaborate parties planned for the week is that of the Wide Awake Class of the New Church of Christ, which will take place at the home of their teacher, Mrs. A. E. Hull, of 1245 Maple Avenue. The class now has a membership of 125 and every member is planning to be present. A Christmas box will be a feature and it will be a large one. Each member is to take a gift for the box and these will be distributed during the evening. Refreshments will be served.”

A 1922 Christmas greeting from The Times Recorder.

Of course, each day the Times Recorder listed numerous ads for Christmas gifts: “BICYCLES – Buy that boy or girl of yours the most useful gift of all-a bicycle. All you pay down is $10.00; balance $2.00 per week. Lowest prices in town. TOM LINDSAY, 29 S. 6th, Bell 334-W.” (TR, 12-5-1922.)

“We are pleased to announce to the citizens of Zanesville and Muskingum County that we have accepted the agency for the famous Hoover Suction Cleaner. This affords every man an opportunity to make his wife a Christmas present that will make household work less like drudgery and at the same time revive and bring out the original colors in rugs that may have become dim and dull from dirt. The HOOVER-ROWLANDS CO.”

On Dec. 8, the TR featured an ad from the Davis & Dilley Company, located at 320-322 Main Street: “GIFTS FOR HIM: SHIRTS – New selections for Christmas selling. The very most handsome of new patterns. Woven Madras to the finest silks. $2.00 to $8.50. GLOVES – The kind he will appreciate. Gloves for dress and gloves for driving. Some fur lined. $1.15 to $7. SWEATERS – Choose from a large assortment. All colors. All styles, including the ever-popular Tom Wye Knit Jacket. $5 to $12.

“GIFTS FOR HER: GLOVES – Complete gift collection now ready. Kid gauntlets, long kid gloves, two clasp kids, brushed wool and fabric gloves. $.89 to $6.60. HANDKERCHIEFS – A beautiful display of the newest gift kerchiefs. Many hand made. Boxed or unboxed. $.10 to $1.98. SILK UMBRELLAS – A magnificent exhibit of the newest of gift umbrellas. Beautiful silk coverings in every shade: carved handles, leather strap handles, etc”.

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No doubt dads and moms were happy to read the following news in the Dec. 13 edition of the Times Recorder: “Christmas greens this year will cost slightly less than they did last year, according to a report today by the state department of farms and markets. The report quoted prices on Christmas trees, holly, and pine roping, showing slightly lower prices than in 1921.”

For the 1922 Christmas season carols were chimed at Forest Avenue: “’Twill be on a ‘midnight clear’ when the new chimes of the Forest Avenue Presbyterian Church will peal forth for the first time. It is now planned to have the chimes installed by Saturday, December 23rd, and on Sunday night, at midnight Christmas, carols will be played as a part of their dedication.”

While most area folks were in the spirit of Christmas, a few others were into other kinds of spirits – the illegal kind: “Prohibition enforcement officials of the federal, state, county, and city departments raided a number of places in Zanesville and vicinity Saturday. The series of raids culminated about 5 o’clock Saturday afternoon when Prosecutor Maxwell, Sheriff-elect Bradford, Chief of Police Arter, and Detective Frank Abell went to the Findley home, near the Hague School in Washington Township and discovered a barrel of corn mash, a quart of corn whiskey and several pint bottles in a barn near the house. No one was at home at the time of the raid. Arrests may be made later,” according to a Dec. 18 article.

On Christmas morning the Times Recorder reported that many Zanesvillians were following an ages-old tradition: “The custom of placing lighted candles in the windows on Christmas eve is growing in Zanesville, and at the conclusion of the midnight services these little lights were gleaming everywhere.”

The Times Recorder once again organized fundraising to benefit the children of Avondale: “Again it is the privilege and pleasure of the Times Recorder to make the appeal for the Avondale Orphans’ Santa Fund. These little folks, 53 of them whose ages range from 2 to 16 years, though bereft of father, mother and home, are just like other children as Christmas approaches. They are eagerly and hopefully awaiting a visit from Santa Claus. ….it remains for the generous-hearted men and women, the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of this community, to support Christmas cheer for the orphans.”

On Christmas day the Fraternal Order of Eagles made many children happy: “…the Eagles will entertain the ‘kiddies’ of the city with the most elaborate and costly Christmas treat ever attempted by the order. Every boy and girl in the city will be welcome. They will first be given an excellent Christmas dinner and they will then visit Santa Clause where they will be presented with a ‘real’ Christmas gift along with candy, nuts, and fruit.

“In addition to the dinner, to include ice cream and cake, each visitor will receive oranges, apples, popcorn, and candy. The Eagles will also remember the widows and orphans of members of the order with baskets of provisions and other supplies.”

Hopefully, every person in this area – young and old alike – had a wonderful, peaceful and fulfilling holiday season way back in 1922. Today we wish the same for all the folks of Zanesville and Muskingum County.

Lewis LeMaster is a retired teacher of the Zanesville area.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Merry Christmas from 100 years ago