CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS IN APPALACHIA LOOKS DIFFERENT 4@TH IT DID DECADES AGO. TRADITIONS
OF VARNELL 4@EMERGE AND SOMETIM
DISAPPEAR. BUT IF YOU LOOK PAST
THE LGB LIGHTS IN HOLIDAY
PARADES 4@YOU CAN TRACE OUR
CELEBRATIONS BACK TO THE
MOUNTAINS WHERE 4@HISTORIANS SA
SOME THINGS NEVER REALLY
CHANGE. BUT WE'VE HAD A LONG
LIFE WITH SOME OF THOSE
TRADITIONS AT CITY AND
HARROGATE ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT CHILDREN WANT A VERY MUCH
LOOKED 4@FOR TO NATALIE SWEET A
CHRISTMAS TIME WAS THE
DIFFERENT 4@CANDY IS THE PROGRA
COORDINATOR FOR THE ABRAHAM
LINCOLN LIBRARY 4@SHE GREW UP I
CLAIBORNE COUNTY TENNESSEE NEAR
THE KENTUCKY 4@LINE WHERE OLDTI
TRADITIONS MIX SEAMLESSLY
TODAY. THAT IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE
THINK OF AS FRUITCAKE AND
APPALACHIA. ONE OF HER FAVORITE
IS APPLE STOCK KAYE 4@OR AS
PEOPLE IN APPALACHIA HAVE LONG
CALLED IT FRUITCAKE FRUITCAKE
THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF IS A
GERMAN TRADITION YOU US4@E
WHISKEY CBD CANDY NATS 4@IF
YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT IN A STORE
IT LOOKS COLORFUL THERE'S BIG
BLOCK ADVOCATE DOESN'T LOOK
LIKE THAT IN APPALACHIA YOU
EVER GET A FRUI4@TCAKE 4@WBIR
GRISWOLDS I GOT ONE THIS
CHRISTMAS YOU EAT IT. NO. 4@I
WOULD HEAR TV AND THERE WOULD
BE THESE RUNNING GAGS YOU KNOW
PEOPLE LIKE OH GIVE FRUITCAKE
FOR CHRI4@STMAS. HA HA HA HA.
COLLETTE 4@THINK FRUITCAKES KAY
WHAT'S WRONG WITH FRUITCAKE BUT
APPALACHIAN 4@CAKE ISN'T AT ALL
LIKE WHAT SHE SAW ON TV. OH
COME I GO TO WELL THAT'S
PROBABLY THE ONE HE GAVE YOU
LAST YEAR AND SHE'S STILL MAKES
IT THE WAY HER GREENEVILLE
TODDS. AND I'M WEARING HER
APRON 4@SHE'S ON SCHIELE HE'S
COOKED DOWN THE SECRET IS TO
DRY OUT THE APPLES SOMETIMES
MONTHS IN 4@ADVANCE IT IS NOT A
QUICK PROCESS A GOOD START 4@KA
KAYE TAKES PATIENCE SHE LEAVES
THE COOKED APPLES WITH THEN
CAKES SWEETENED WITH HONEY VERY
KAYE TAKES PATIENCE SHE LEAVES THE COOKED APPLES WITH THEN CAKES SWEETENED WITH HONEY VERY@
IMPRESSIVE PEOPLE HAVE SIX
LAWYERS YOU GET LAZY AND I 4@HA
THREE OR FOUR LIKE THERE'S
ANOTHER APPALACHIAN TRADITION 4@
BAKED INTO THE CAKES LAYERS
SUPERSTITION4@S 4@EVER4@YBOD4@Y
FUN OF FRUIT CAKE BUT EATING A
PIECE OF FRUIT CAKE ON
CHRISTMAS WILL BRING YOU GOOD
LUCK ELAINE MAYA LEARNED HOW TO
MAKE HER FRUITCAKE THE SAME WAY
SHE GREW UP ON THE GROUNDS OF
WHAT'S NOW 4@FROM HOME.
THIS WAS WHERE I GREW UP AND
SO THIS IS MY ARE4@A AND MY
PEOPLE.GROWING UP, DECORATIONS
ONLY PLAYED A SMALL ROLE
DURING THE HOLIDAYS."WE WOULD
PUT THE TREE UP A LITTLE BIT
BEFORE4@ CHRISTMAS AND TAKE IT
DOWN RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS."
"SO THAT'S CHANGED AND THAT'S
CHANGED EVEN 4@FROM WAY BACK
WHEN IT 4@WAS OLD CHRISTMAS "OL
CHRISTMAS IS ONE 4@TRADITION
THAT'S FADED AWAY OVER THE
YEARS. THE FAMILIES WHO FIRST
SETTLED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF
APPALACHIA CELEBRATED 4@
CHRISTMAS ON JANUARY 7TH, TWO
WEEKS AFTER 4@DECEMBER 25TH"THA
WAS THE TIME FOR 4@WHEN THE
CALENDARS CHANGED IN THE 1500S
UP UNTIL THROUGH THE 1800S,
THERE WERE STILL INDIVIDUALS
THAT WOULD 4@REMEMBER THE OLD
DATES AND GOT 4@PASSED ON. SO
THERE WAS THIS IDEA OF OLD
CHRISTMAS."THE FEW WHO STILL 4@
CELEBRATE OLD CHRISTMAS,
SIMPLY LEAVE THEIR DECORATIONS
UP INTO JANUARY. ISN'T IT
FUNNY HOW THAT'S CHANGED JUST
IN MY LIFETIMEONE TRADITION
THAT STILL BURNS BRIGHT IS
PLACING 4@CANDLES IN THE 4@
WINDOWS. "ILLUMINATION IN THE 4@
WINDOWS IS A SIGN THAT PEOPLE
ARE HOME, THEY'RE PRESENT, THE
SPIRIT OF THE SEASON IS
PRESENT. IN THE OLD DAYS IN
THE FRONTIER, THERE WERE MILES
TO TRAVEL 4@FROM FAMILY TO
FAMILY. SO WHAT A KIND OF 4@
ENNOBLING AND HEARTWARMING
THING, TO SEE CANDLES IN THE
WINDOW AS YOU'RE APPROACHING A
HOUSE OF A NEIGHBOR OR
RELATIVE"AT EAST TENNESSEE
STATE UNIVERSITY IN JOHNSON
CITY...PROFESSOR TED OLSON
STUDIES APPALACHIAN CULTURE.
"FOLKS WOULD OFTEN GO TO BED
WITH THE SUNSET, BUT IN THE
HOLIDAYS THERE WAS THIS NEED
AND DESIRE TO STAY UP LONGER
AND FEEL THIS FELLOWSHIP THAT
WAS VI4@SITORS AND FAMILY, AND
CANDLES WOULD PROVIDE
ILLUMINATION OF THE SPACES IN
WHICH THESE CELEBRATIONS WERE
TAKING PLACE. " FAMILIES WOULD
OFTEN TR4@AVEL FROM HOUSE TO
HOUSE TAKING PART IN WHAT WE
CALL CHRISTMAS 4@CAROLING, BUT
OLSON SAYS THE TRADITION WAS
ABOUT MORE THAN SERENADING, IT
BUILT 4@COMMUNITY.."PEOPLE WOUL
GO, SOMETIMES UNANNOUNCED, UP
TO A 4@HOUSE AND START SINGING.
IT'S THE MODERN-DAY CAROLING
CONCEPT. THERE WAS A BIT OF
'PRANKSTERISM' INVOLVED. THERE
WAS A BIT OF HALLOWEEN AS PART
OF THE SERENADING 4@4@TRADITION
IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETIMES THE
SERENADERS WOULD TRY TO
SURPRISE THE PEOPLE 4@AT HOME. "
YOU'D YELL CHRISTMAS GIFT OR
CHRISTMAS TREAT OR CHRISTMAS
DAY AND YOU'D YELL THAT AT
YOUR NEIGHBORS AND THEY WOULD
GIVE YOU A GIFT.ONE COVETED
CHRISTMAS GIFT WAS AN ORANGE
SINCE THE FRUIT DIDN'T GROW IN
THE MOUNTAINS, AND STORES
SELDOM CARRIED IT. "A TRAIN
CAR WOULD 4@COME WITH A TRAIN
CARLOAD OF ORANGES SO THAT'S
ABOUT THE ONLY TIME THEY SAW
ORANGES IN THIS AREA.""EVERY
CHILD, THE THING THAT THEY
MOST LOOKED FORWARD TO WAS
ORANGES THAT THEY 4@WOULD FIND
IN THEIR STOCKINGS."
"APPALACHIAN PEOPLE ON THE
FRONTIER WERE FOLKS 4@THAT WERE
4@
"APPALACHIAN PEOPLE ON THE FRONTIER WERE FOLKS 4@THAT WERE TRULY SELF-4@RELIANT,
SELF-SUFFICIENT AND
RESOURCEFUL.""PINECONES WAS 4@
SOMETHING THAT COULD BE TAKEN
IN SOME CASES DECORATED OR
PAINTED. YOU WOULD ALSO FIND 4@
BERRIES THAT WOULD ADD A
LITTLE BIT OF COLOR."WHERE IT
COULD GROW, MISTLETOE PROVED
TO BE 4@A POPULAR DECORATION
WITH ITS BRIGHT BERRIES AND
EVERGREEN LEAVES."IT PROVIDED
A SENSE OF BEAUTY, PROVIDED A 4@
SENSE OF COMFORT, THAT THERE'S
LIFE EVEN IN THE DARKEST DAYS
OF WINTER, 4@AND OF COURSE
CHRISTMAS IS CELEBRATED RIGHT
AFTER THE WINTER SOLSTICE SO
IT IS TRULY 4@DARK EARLY."LIKE
OTHER HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
CELEBRATED IN THE MOUNTAINS,
MISTLETOE CAME WITH ITS OWN
SUPERSTITIONS. "THE IDEA THAT
ON O4@LD CHRISTMAS IF YOU PLACE
YOUR MISTLETOE UNDER 4@YOUR
PILLOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO SEE THE FACE OF YOUR
TRUE LOVE."SIMILAR WIVES'
TALES ADDED A SENSE OF MYSTERY
AND MAGIC TO THE HOLIDAY. AT
MIDNIGHT ON 4@CHRISTMAS EVE ALL
THE ANIMALS WILL KNEEL AND 4@GE
QUIET AND TALK TO 4@ONE ANOTHER.
SCIENCE HAS HAD THE TENDENCY
TO WANNA EXPLAIN THINGS THAT
SEEM MAGICAL AND COME 4@UP WITH
AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY 4@THINGS
HAPPEN. CHRISTMAS ADHERES TO
AN OLDER BELIEF SYSTEM, 4@WHICH
I LIKE TO CALL "FOLK SCIENCE."
THE STORIES AND TRADITIONS
WEREN'T UNIQUE TO APPALACHIA,
BUT THE PEOPLE HERE..BUT THEIR
OWN SPIN ON THEM.IT WAS A
REGIONALLY-SPECIFIC SORT OF
CELEBRATION THAT INVOLVED OLD
WORLD TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS
AS WELL AS ADAPTATIONS AND NEW
APPROACHES TO CELEBRATING THE
HOLIDAY. SO APPALACHIAN 4@
PEOPLE, TH4@EY'D HAVE THE
CHRISTMAS TREE WHICH 4@OF
COURSE IS FROM THE GERMANIC
HERITAGE AND 4@THEY WOULD
ADAPT IT TO THEIR OWN
TRANSITION NATSMY DAD WAS ONE OF THE FIRST-EVER TO GROW THE FRASER FIR DOWN SOUTH4@HEARD A
CHRISTMAS TREE AND WEREN'T
REALLY SURE WHAT THAT WAS THAT
THEY JUST WENT OUT AND GOT A
DORMANT TREE AND DECORATED AND
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE A NEIGHBOR.
TREEGROWING 4@BY DAVID HEROING
FIRSTEVER GROWS FRO 4@4 NEYLAND
KEITEL WAYNE AYERS AND 4@HAVE
BEEN IN THE TREEGROWING
BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN HALF 4@A
CENTURY TO HEAR PEOPLES OF
MUNDAY YOUNG KROGER. HE STARTED
PLANTING PERSONAL STORY NICE
AND ALL YOU HAVE NOODY GO FOR
YOULL AND CUT YOU OFF. YOU WILL
PLANTING PERSONAL STORY NICE AND ALL YOU HAVE NOODY GO FOR YOULL AND CUT YOU OFF. YOU WILL@
NEVER SELL HOMETHEN. LAST YEAR
I HAD PEOPLE BEGGING FOR LOANS
FOR YEARS. BUSINESS WAS GOOD.
EVEN THE WHITE HOUSE TREE CAME
FROM THE INGERS FARM. IN 1993 4@
THE AYERS GIVEN US ANOTHER TREE
GO UPSTAIRS AND A SECOND FLOOR @
OUR PERSONAL TREE IN TENNESSEE.
GOVERNORS STILL TURN TO THIS 4@
FARM FOR THEIR ANNUAL
EVERGREEN. USED TO GIVE IT. NOW
WE CHARGE 4@OIL NOW. TIMES ARE
HARD. MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER
THE 2008 RECESSION LAW ONE OUT
OF THREE 4@FARMERS LIKE AYERS A
STILL HURTING. I DON'T KNOW IF
OIL 4@PULL OUT OF. GOD'S HONEST
TRUTH IS AYERS THEY ALL DO FARM
I COULDN'T 4@I COULDN'T SELL OF
TREES FOR ANY MONEY. IT TAKES
SEVEN TO 12 YEARS FOR THE TREES
TO GROW SO THERE'S A SHORTAGE.
WE WENT FROM 30 TO 30 4@4800
SELFRELIANT. IT'S 4@FARMS AROUN
THE COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE EVERY
MEAL AYERS OR YOU GOT SOME COME
IN BUT IT'S ONLY A LAW. THEY 4@
LONGER SHIP 4@TREES OFF TO PLAC
LIKE CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO. IS
WHAT KEEPS 4@ALIVE RIGHT HERE.
THE CHOPITYOURSELF SECTION IS
BUSINESS HOWELL OF FINANCE THAT
BROUGHT OUR KIDS HERE AND MY
WORTHWHILE AND I FEEL AS A
PARENT MIGHT BE PASSED ON OR IT
MIGHT BE. I MAY NOT BE MORE
CORRYTON LTGTIM KIDS WANT MORE
AND I REMEMBER WHO THEY GOT 4@O
THEY SAY PAST. WE LOVE THAT
PART OF 4@LIVEDIN OUR NATURE TO
CONNECT WITH OUR PAST. IT'S WHY
TRADITION LIKE CHRISTMAS TREES @
CAROLING EXIST AND ONE WOMAN
FROM EAST TENNESSEES TURNED HER
TRADITION LIKE CHRISTMAS TREES @ CAROLING EXIST AND ONE WOMAN FROM EAST TENNESSEES TURNED HER@
FAMILY TRADITION INTO A
MULTI-MI4@LLION DOLLAR BUSINESS
YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE HER RED
CLAD CREATIONS IN YOUR HOUSE.
PROBABLY