Remembering Christmas in Greenville Greenville once enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most beautiful cities in the South, especially during the holiday season. Neighborhoods were a myriad of multicolor lights and decorations. The business district was a dazzling display of lights, and shop windows literally blazed their messages of joy and goodwill to the throngs passing along the streets. Christmas in Greenville has definitely changed over the years, but some of the old-timers in town can fondly recall the Christmases of long ago. In the older days, few people decorated the outside of their houses, with the exception of an occasional door wreath or lamps in their windows. The interior decorations were homemade and simple. Christmas trees were not put up until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and they were trimmed with popcorn balls and chains, ribbons, cookies, paper chains and angels. Candles were only lit on the tree when there was a gathering of people to watch it. Greenville did not get electricity until March 1905, and it wasn’t until about 1916 that electric Christmas lights began being used. In 1927, The Greenville Merchants Association and Woman’s Club led a city-wide campaign to get the residential sections and business district to decorate with electrically lighted Christmas trees. Many trees were placed in front yards, while others were on porches and in windows. The Merchants Association also placed a string of colored lights across Evans Street at Five Points, and a few days later similar strings appeared on other blocks. J. H. Rose, Superintendent of Pitt County Schools, even proposed to have the Pitt County Court House dome lit up with Christmas lights, but the County Commissioners didn’t go for the idea. In 1928 the Merchants Association started another tradition in Greenville by placing a 30 foot Christmas tree attached to wires over the top of the traffic island in the center of Five Points. The tree was the highlight of the Christmas sights in town until the practice was stopped about 1960. In 1929, the Merchants Association started another decorating practice when they placed a Christmas tree in front of their office on Evans Street, and other merchants followed soon after. Some will remember some of the businesses like Blount-Harvey, The Vanity Box, Jane’s Shop, Saieed’s, B. G. Abeyounis, Cozart’s, Leder’s, Young’s, C. Heber Forbes, Best Jewelry, J. C. Penny, W. A. Bowen, Pender Stores, Roses and McKay, Washington and Co., all decorated up for the Christmas trade. Mrs. L. S. Parkinson’s Dining Room on Dickinson Ave. is well remembered for its special Christmas dinner for only 50 cents. The County Department of Public Welfare, the Merchants Association, the Salvation Army and other organizations worked hard every Christmas to raise money to take care of the needs of the poor. In 1931, the city firemen began doing their bit towards bringing happiness to the local poor children by repairing broken toys contributed by the public. There were always special Christmas programs at the County Home and the Prison Unit north of the river. One of the favorite local customs at Christmas was the use of fireworks. Fire crackers, roman candles and other fireworks went on sale weeks prior to the long awaited day, and they were shot constantly until after the holidays. The Mayor usually made it legal to shoot fireworks from 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve until 6:00 a.m. the morning after Christmas. The older boys would choose up sides and line Evans Street to shoot fireworks at each other. Roman candles were the weapon of choice and woe to anyone walking down the treet during the height of battle. The fireworks often led to injuries and caused the Fire Department a great deal of trouble as they were called to put out the fires on store awnings that fell victim to the balls of fire. Sometimes the boys mixed up their fun with tin horns, noisemakers, cowbell serenades and tearing down signs and fences. Aside from the usual cantatas and special services at city churches, there were always dances at the Tobacco Warehouses and the Carolina Club. Christmas carols also played a big part of Christmas tradition in town. Members of church choirs walked around at night singing carols or traveled in wagons pulled by a couple of mules. Every once and awhile a “Mummer” all dressed up in a costume was seen and one old-timer recalled a black man named Caesar Forbes, who would play his accordion under the windows of older residents he was fond of. In the early 1960’s, there was a nationwide Christmas radio broadcast from Greenville, NC issuing a Tar Heel Christmas greeting to the country. For several years, the American Broadcasting Company of New York broadcast a half hour program on Christmas Eve consisting of a message from the Governor, an abundance of yuletide music by various ensembles of the East Carolina College School of Music and a Christmas message by the college president, Dr. Leo W. Jenkins. Occasionally there were white Christmases, but they were few and far between as they are today. The holiday season in older days was centered around home and church. Today commercialism and hectic lifestyles have made home and church ties not as strong as they once were. Yet we still yearn for the Christmases of our childhood and dreams. As we remember the reason we celebrate Christmas, remember our troops, food banks and the less fortunate. We spend a poor Christmas if we fail to make some heart glad. _________________________________________________________________ Access your email online and on the go with Windows Live Hotmail. http://windowslive.com/Explore/Hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_access_112008