Newspaper Article From Thursday, January 2, 1908

HOW CHRISTMAS WAS SPENT IN WAYNESVILLE BY THE YOUNG AND OLD
- A QUIET DAY PRECEDED BY ONE OF BUSTLE AND BUSINESS ACTIVITY

Christmas Trees and Other Christmas Entertainments by the Different Churches.

Christmas has come and gone, leaving its impress upon the social life of the town.  It was perhaps the quietest Christmas that has been observed in this place for years.  But for the usual display of fireworks and the occasional booming of a Christmas gun one would scarcely have seen any difference between Christmas day and any other of the 365 days in the year.

Several days before Christmas the holiday trade began to open up.  Many of the stores were thronged with holiday shoppers and some merchants declared business to be as good as last year.  One thing was especially noticeable.  Those business houses that did the most advertising had the best run of business.  Monday and Tuesday before Christmas there was a big rush at the post office to get packages mailed.  The clerks here were kept very busy up to the evening before Christmas.  Uncle Sam's business was booming for several days.

All day Christmas eve the snow came down in flurries, and the small boy and others predicted a deep snow.  At night, however, the flakes ceased to fall, and Christmas day came in as bright and balmy as an early May morning.  For brightness and springlike warmth the Christmas of 1907 cannot be excelled.

On Christmas day the banks were closed and the post office except at mail time.  All the business houses were open early in the day, but closed for three hours at eleven o'clock, and resumed their business activities in the afternoon.  At Grace Episcopal Church appropriate services were held at eleven o'clock a.m.

Sunday School Entertainments.

All of the Sunday schools held appropriate excercises commemorative of the occasion.  The Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian held their's on Thursday evening Dec. 26th, and the Episcopalians gave theirs on Friday afternoon Dec. 27th.

At the Baptist Church a program of songs and recitations was rendered and the presents clipped from the two trees and distributed to the children.  It was a very enjoyable occasion.

The Methodist gave their entertainment at the Academy.  It was a surprise entertainment.  A large pocket book built on the rostrum, closed at first, but opened later to display the presents within.  Appropriate exercises were held before the distribution of the gifts by Santa Claus.

At the Presbyterian Church, the children were delighted with a Christmas tree and a chimney.  Santa Claus came down the chimney and had the gifts presented to the children.

The Episcopal Sunday School had their tree at the Masonic Hall with impressive services.  It was greatly enjoyed by those who attended.