This excerpt is taken from "Christmas Among the Shakers in the Olden Time" by Elmina Phillips and published in Ohio Archeological and Historical Quarterly, Volume 9, July 1900.
There was a stir of Christmas preparation in the air two or three
weeks beforehand. Individual members had no money to spend for Christmas gifts,
since all the purchasing for the community was done by the trustee deacons and
deaconesses; but it was understood that it was to be a day of good cheer and
that there would be gifts for all.
And, as the
day drew near, the elders did not fail to counsel the People in meeting that if
there were any differences among them they should be reconciled, that there
might be nothing to mar the Christmas good-will.
On
Christmas eve, at half-past seven, at the sound of the bell, all retired to
their rooms, and one read aloud and the others listened to the story from John
XIII of the washing of the disciples’ feet. Then each two washed each other’s
feet, “and when they had sung a hymn they went out, if they chose, to make any
final preparations for the morrow.
Next morning
as early as half-past four the singers met, perhaps in the kitchen, and partook
of some light refreshment, set ready the night before just to put them in
voice, and then started out to sing, first in the halls of the principal
dwelling, then at every house in the little village, in which several people
lived.
By
the time they had gone all around the family, if there was sleighing, a span of
horses and sleigh was likely to stand convenient, and the company merrily
started off to sing their song at one of the other families a mile away. If
they met a sleighload from the other family coming to sing to them, as they
sometimes did, they hailed each other and kept on their way, sure of a warm
welcome, though not of surprising and waking the friends where they were going.
And
after breakfast, as all rose from the table and kneeled for a moment in silent
thanksgiving together, the new song was probably sung again in the dining-room,
the kitchen sisters coming in to listen to or join in the singing.
At
9 A. M. the singers met to select and rehearse the hymns to be sung at the
church meeting at the meeting house.
At
10 A. M. came union meeting, which was a number of social meetings held at the
same hour, the brethren usually going to the sisters’ rooms.
The
brethren and sisters were seated in two rows facing each other at opposite
sides of the room; doubtless it sounds more stiff to alien ears than to one
brought up from childhood in the customs of the community. There was cheerful
chat of this and other Christmas days, and singing of new and old songs, and
passing around of pans of cracked nuts and pop- corn, etc.
At
11 o’clock lunch was carried around to the rooms in big pans by some of the
young brethren and sisters—great quarter sections of the most delicious cake,
if memories may be trusted, and slices of creamy, home-made cheese and whitest
bread and pie.
At
1 P. M. all the families assembled at the meeting house. The services were the
same as at the usual Sunday meetings, except that there were special hymns and
special readings from scriptures, old and new.
After
meeting baskets of choice apples were carried around and the gifts which had
been prepared for each one—usually some article of clothing somewhat nicer than
common.
At
4 P. M. came the principal meal of the day, and afterwards a big basket was
carried around to the rooms to receive offerings of clothing for the poor. All
were expected to give something from their own store. And the day closed with
quiet talk, probably interspersed with singing.
