Hi List, My family recently visited the Port Columbus Naval Museum in Columbus, Ga. The collections and displays are quite impressive and it's a interesing and fun place to visit (www.portcolumbus.org). That particular weekend they had a Victorian Holiday Open House and a Civil War era Santa Claus. He was the best Santa Claus I've ever seen! Below is an article that appeared in a local paper about this event and Santa Claus from the 1860s. In case you're interested in learning more about how our ancestors celebrated Christmas, I've found a fun webpage to visit: http://www.victoriana.com Click on Victorian Christmas in the right top corner of the page. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas! Carla Miles Marion County Coordinator, Ga. Gen Web Columbus Community News Civil War Santa Claus By Kim Lewis Page 25 Civil War Santa Claus greeted children and families recently at the Victorian Holiday Open House held at the Port Columbus National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus. This was the fourth year that Kevin Rawlings, a Civil War-era historian from Maryland has made the yuletide trip to Columbus. Rawlings appeared in the authentic patriotic design of red and white striped pants and a blue coat with large white stars. The costume is based on the 1862 illustration drawn by Thomas Nast of Harper’s Weekly. The special occasion intrigued us at the Columbus Community News as to what Christmas may have been like during the Civil War era. So we did some research. A Christmas tree during the 1860s might include simple decorations like dried and sugared nuts and fruits, popcorn balls, and string. Colored paper, wax ribbon, spun glass and silver foil ornaments were also popular. The trees were often placed on a table and gifts were left unwrapped. Although war had emerged by Christmas of 1861, soldiers were still in good spirits and pretty well equipped with food and supplies. Families sent Christmas boxes filled with special treats. Camp scenes included small evergreens decorated with hard tack and pork, carols being sung, eggnog consumed, and friendly competitions and games. By 1862 the full impact of the war began to sink in with the battle at Shiloh, Mass., and Antietam, as well as the movements in the Peninsula and Shenandoah Valley. It was at this time that Nast first created the image of Santa Claus with a rendition based on German folk tradition of an elderly kind and gentle man. In an effort to help with morale, the illustration showed Santa visiting the soldiers. Although Nast was a loyal Unionist, it was he who declared Santa’ s home address as the North Pole so that no nation could claim Santa as its own. Christmas of 1863 brought the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. Cautious Southern parents prepared children that Santa may not “make it through the blockade” to deliver presents. Boxes were again sent to those serving and contained food, clothing and small comforts from home. Several Christmas carols specifically mention the Civil War, but the most famous is, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which began as a poem written in 1863 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The final wartime Christmas during this period was in 1864. That was the year that Abraham Lincoln was presented the unusual holiday gift – the city of Savannah, Ga. – via telegram by General William T. Sherman. The long war left many Americans struggling for such a lengthy time that by now they were completely destitute. Supplies for most were depleted, allowing very few Christmas boxes to be sent to the soldiers. President Lincoln’s assassination stunned the nation, but the capture and conviction of the conspirators by midsummer brought restitution. The war came to an end and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution became law on Dec. 18, 1865, abolishing the institution of slavery. Families kept apart for years reunited and embraced again the Victorian holiday customs associated with Christmas. Newspapers that had previously filled the pages with subjects of war were now illustrating domestic and wintry scenes.