From the Metamora Herald
dated December 9, 1910…
Santa Coming to Metamora
Santa Claus is coming to Metamora. The grizzly, good natured old
fellow will make a daylight visit here, arriving at 1 o’clock
Saturday afternoon, Dec 17 and according to schedule will spend
several hours visiting the stores, ordering his stocks of Christmas
presents and distributing candies and little remembrances to all the
children who turn out to greet him.
The day will be
Santa Claus day in Metamora and all the people within driving
distance are invited to come and see the jolly old saint. The
business men have made arrangements for a sort of reception by
employing a famous “little German band”, led by Herr Spiegelburger,
to dispense “moosic” for an hour or two upon Santa’s arrival. This
band is an all-star aggregation and has been procured by the
business men at the special request of Santa Claus. A program will
be arranged by the business men for Santa’s itinerary when he
arrives in the village and it will appear in the Herald next week.
The following letter received by the business men from Santa Claus
explains itself. It is dated from Santa Claus’ headquarters, Chris
Kringle Land:
To the Merchants
of Metamora:
Your kind invitation of
recent date has been received and in reply I take pleasure in
announcing that I will accept. I will arrive in Metamora at 1
o’clock Saturday afternoon, Dec. 17. Please make arrangements for my
coming and I would also ask that you procure the celebrated
“Spiegelburger Band” for the afternoon. I will come in my airship if
the wind is right, providing it is not laid up for repairs, in which
case I will fall back on my automobile; and if the roads are bad I
will come with team and buggy or sleigh, as you know I sent my
reindeer back to the north pole last winter when I bought my auto. I
would ask you to tell all the children to come to town that I may
see them and decide who most needs presents this year.
In conclusion
let me say that I have always had a warm spot in my heart for
Metamora and every year I buy my presents there for this whole
territory, because your merchants are on the square. This year I
intend to distribute goods from Metamora for a distance of ten miles
around.
Sincerely yours,
Santa Claus
From the Metamora Herald
dated Friday, December 22, 1910
Santa’s Daylight Visit to Metamora
Occasion One of Most
Enjoyable Holidays of the Year – Hundreds of Children Made Happy
With Gifts Distributed From Stores – Santa Delighted With Reception.
In traditional
garb and with a generosity and kindness that stamped him at once in
the juvenile mind as a “sure enough Santa Claus”, albeit riding in
metropolitan style in a modern auto and being greeted in broad
daylight in such enthusiastic manner as to remind him that the best
days are not of the past, jolly old Santa made his appearance in
Metamora Saturday afternoon exactly according to schedule.
Through the
afternoon, with the streets and stores crowded with people as a
midsummer celebration day, the patron of the children went about
from store to store distributing remembrances of candies, nuts, gum,
apples, pencils, pennies, handkerchiefs and other souvenirs from
each place of business among the merry horde of prattlers that
followed at his heels, while out in the streets Herr Spiegelburger
in his immense major domo hat and flowing whiskers marshaled his
“little German band”, which was combined with Attig’s band to the
amusement of old and young alike. Parents caught up the infectious
enthusiasm of the youngsters and there was naught but pleasantry
among the large gathering, while words of surprise and appreciation
as well as praise of the liberality and enterprise of the Metamora
merchants were to be heard on every hand.
It was a few
minutes past the appointed time and the children were getting
impatient when an auto came bearing down from the west. The band
immediately went on parade and followed by long ranks of children
marched out to meet the auto. The auto was met at the school house
and sure enough it contained Santa Claus, the hero of many a dream.
He was riding in J. R. Wagner’s car, Mr. Wagner having been sent to
meet the honored guest. Beside Santa sat Mayor Giehl, who extended a
hearty welcome to the distinguished visitor. Marshal Martin rode in
the front seat with Mr. Wagner. Led by the band the parade moved
through the business section of the town, Santa waving greetings to
the crowds as he passed along.
The first stop
was made at J. W. Miller’s store, Santa alighting with bows right
and left in acknowledgement of the greetings of the immense crowd
that filled the street. With Marshal Martin clearing a path Santa
made his way into the store and beckoned the children to come in,
and as they filed past him with the assistance of the clerks he
handed out handkerchiefs and lead pencils to the children.
Twenty-five minutes were required for the line of children to file
past.
The next stop
was at J. R. Wagner’s store where the children were treated to gum
and Santa then moved on to the store of C. Rohman and Son, from
which the kind old Santa distributed parcels of candy among the
children. Entering Frank Giehl Jr.’s store next the line of children
was treated to apples and aluminum souvenir. The line had increased
to almost 500 by this time, composed mostly of children under 11
years of age, with an occasional parent leading his toddlers who
wanted to see Santa Claus but were afraid to meet him alone.
The scene was
next transferred to Theena’s meat market where Santa handed out a
half thousand apples. The Metamora bank provided 500 Lincoln pennies
direct from the mint which Santa passed out to the happy children.
Out in the
street, while the children were being made happy in the business
places, the band kept the crowd of older people entertained with
tuneful old airs and formed an escort for Santa as he moved from
place to place.
At Meister’s
store, the next place visited, tablets and pencils were given out.
Santa then moved to J. F. Isch’s store where parcels of candies and
nuts were given out. Santa made his final bow to the enthusiastic
crowd here and followed by the band went to the Orphan’s home where
he distributed a quantity of good things among the children of that
institution. He made a speech to the children and in return was
greeted with Christmas songs. He was deeply touched and expressed
himself well repaid for his trip to Metamora in his visit to the
Orphan home alone.
Santa was
profuse in his compliments of the enthusiastic welcome he received
in Metamora on taking his departure and spoke in highest praise of
the people and merchants.
The unanimous
sentiment of the large gathering of people was that the day was one
of the most enjoyable in Metamora has ever provided, not excepting
the annual Fourth of July and Old Settlers’ day celebrations. The
merchants expended considerable money to make the day a success and
the band boys donated their services. All should have the heartiest
of thanks and appreciation for their efforts. Everything, even the
weather, which was tempered with bright sunshine was propitious and
it is safe to say more hearts were gladdened and more of the spirit
of “peace on earth” was manifest in the short afternoon hours than a
giddy tinseled city could ever encompass.
Story and
photos by Shirley Adams.
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