Talking trees, a Snow Queen, Father Winter, Santa Claus and his missus, Clara Claus, all made an appearance in the Downers Grove Historical Society’s recent holiday program, “A Holiday Historical, Downers Grove.” This was held in the barn, or annex, next to the History Museum on Maple Avenue.

These mythical characters mingled with the likes of Lucy Downer, Avis Blodgett, James Henry Breasted, Lottie Holman O’Neill, Mable Blanchard Carnahan (the town’s first librarian), Esther Binder (one of the founders of the Downers Grove Music Club) and Thelma Roe Milnes (the chief founder of the Downers Grove Oratorio Choral Society).

The cast included John Hiddleston, Medge Soline, Debbie Guptill, Ann and Jack Springer, Christine Myles, Marti Sladek and Joan Read. Shirley Hiddleston and Kate Skegg contributed their talent to the cause as well by serving as event photographers.

Skegg also assisted with research on the history of various Christmas traditions and on how Christmas has been celebrated in Downers Grove. For instance, it was in 1822, 10 years before Pierce Downer left his Vermont home to settle here, that Clement Clark Moore wrote “An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicholas.”

This was the poem, with a subsequently shortened title, that set Christmas Eve as the time Saint Nicholas/Santa Claus visited children. It was Moore who also put Santa in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, according to Penne A. Restad, author of “Christmas in America — A History.”

The literature was the chief source of information on Christmas traditions used for the program. “Downers Grove, 1832-1982” by Montrew Dunham and Pauline Wandschneider was the primary source of information on Downers Grove’s history. Dunham, a longtime member of the Historical Society and current board member, was present at the event.

Information gleaned from these sources makes it clear that very disparate things were going on in different parts of the country at times. For instance, Avis Blodgett and her husband, Israel, were aiding former slaves escaping North via the Underground Railroad before and during the Civil War.

This was happening about the time noted cartoonist Thomas Nast illustrated Moore’s poem in 1863, putting Santa in his now-standard furry red-and-white outfit.
Santa and Mrs. Claus appear in those matched outfits in Downers Grove for the Hospitality Day parade and for visits from local children who want to tell Santa about their Christmas wishlist.

Famed Downers Grove legislator Lottie Holman O’Neill would have been 21 years old when, in 1899, writer Katherine Lee Bates decided Santa needed a wife. The jolly man’s best lady has been given various names over the years, but none has stuck. Right here in Downers Grove, however, as noted in the Historical Society-sponsored program, locals have settled on the name Clara.

This version, from the poem “Clara Claus Comes Into Her Own,” depicts Clara’s role as more of a partnership with Santa instead of a secondary, behind-the-scenes character. “For long centuries, Clara’s been a brick, helping hubby dear get through thin and thick.” Now, however, “no more will Clara sit at home alone, while Santa leaves gifts from Sydney to Rome,” for “this is the year, and Christmas Eve the day, that Clara will ride with Santa on his sleigh.”

This take, promoting Clara and Santa’s partnership, is surely in keeping with Downers Grove’s pledge to honor progress along with tradition. If this version catches on and becomes more widespread, Downers just might be credited with being the birthplace of this future tradition.

Happy Holidays — all of them — to all of you!