{"id":88511,"date":"2022-12-22T12:33:06","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T17:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=88511"},"modified":"2022-12-22T14:13:08","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T19:13:08","slug":"anecdotes-of-christmas-kisses-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/anecdotes-of-christmas-kisses-past.html","title":{"rendered":"Anecdotes of Christmas Kisses Past"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry writes about kisses \u2013 some delightful, some unlawful \u2013 from Christmases past. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

One never knows what will spark when you end up under the mistletoe at Christmas! Sometimes it is just a matter of spirit that prompts the urge to plant one on someone without help from the magical brush sprig. Today I bring you tales of kisses and cuddles from Christmas past, from the delightful to the unlawful, compliments of GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: \u201cUnder the Mistletoe\u201d from \u201cChristmas throughout Christendom,\u201d Harper\u2019s New Monthly Magazine, January 1873. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For example, in 1903 a boy bribed Santa with \u201ca kiss and a great big hug\u201d in exchange for a wagon and gifts for the kin folk! The Times-Dispatch<\/em> published precious letters to Santa from the local tots.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia), 22 December 1903, page 11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This one read:<\/p>\n

Dear Old Friend Santy Claus:<\/p>\n

I liked all your presents last year and I thank you for them, and I hope that you won\u2019t forget me this year. Please bring me a wagon, with a high seat in front, a step in the back, and side seats. I believe you call it a patrol wagon. Please bring papa and mamma something and don\u2019t forget my little cousin, who lives down the street, George. Please have a large box of fireworks in the wagon and anything else you can spare. If you bring me these things I will give you a kiss and a great big hug, if only [I] can catch you before you get back up the chimney.<\/p>\n

Your loving little boy,
\nMacon Latham, 1001 Hull St., Manchester, Va.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to the Albuquerque Journal<\/em>, a fellow\u2019s fiery Christmas kiss was fizzled by the fuzz! In 1910 Ashville, North Carolina, folks got a hot tip from the press.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, New Mexico), 27 December 1910, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here is the skinny:<\/p>\n

Ashville, N.C., Dec. 26. \u2013 Because it was charged, he was carried away by an exuberance of osculatory zeal and unlawful[ly] inflicted a kiss on Mrs. Zella Ward, James Ramsey is tonight cooling off in the city jail, charged with insulting Mrs. Ward.<\/p>\n

Ramsey made a holiday call at the Ward home today and was admitted as a friend of the family. He kissed Mrs. Ward as a holiday greeting in the presence of her two small children. Mrs. Ward immediately left the house and returned with a policeman, who took Ramsey in charge.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is another report on Christmas kisses and the law, from the Plain Dealer<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), 19 December 1915, page 8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reported:<\/p>\n

Elyria, O., Dec. 18. \u2013 (Spl.) \u2013 A large sprig of mistletoe is suspended over the spot where brides and grooms obtain their marriage licenses at the probate court.<\/p>\n

Judge Clyde Wilcox has issued an edict making it mandatory that all couples obtaining a marriage license perform osculation under the mistletoe.<\/p>\n

The several young women clerks employed in the office are remonstrating against being witnesses to the forced kissing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Baltimore American<\/em> highlighted a Christmas kiss craze in 1921.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Baltimore American (Baltimore, Maryland), 20 December 1921, page 16<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reported:<\/p>\n

Will the Baltimore Blade, who has heretofore done his kissing as the party of the first part and in person, take kindly to the kiss-print?<\/p>\n

The answer is that he will have to, because that is what he is going to get this Christmas.<\/p>\n

According to those who will send them out to true lovers and admirers, \u201cNo Christmas card is complete without one.\u201d<\/p>\n

The kiss-print is the latest invention of Paris, to be used to bestow, up to a given point of fervor, affection upon the absent. It was invented by Mlle. Etoile Lenoir, a Paris dancing star, who found that her engagements were becoming too numerous for her to attend to personally.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A kiss under the mistletoe made a nice start for Pvt. Richard Wallace\u2019s Christmas leave, as reported in the Dallas Morning News<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), 13 December 1957, page 24<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The photo caption read:<\/p>\n

This, and Christmas leave, too! Pvt. Richard Wallace of Oradell, N.J., enroute from Fort Hood to his home for Christmas, gets a sendoff kiss under Texas mistletoe from stewardess Bonnie Alexander as he boards the Braniff DC-7C for New York City. Stewardess Mary Sheehan holds the mistletoe, which is part of 3,000 pounds loaded on the plane and destined for markets in New York and Chicago. A Marlin company harvests the Christmas product.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And last, for aquatic mammal lovers (myself being among them), comes this cute photo of a very special Christmas kiss from the Dallas Morning News<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), 14 December 1975, page 16<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The photo caption read:<\/p>\n

Sealed with a kiss. Cristy Waymer, 2, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Waymer of Houston, gets a kiss from Barnaby, the Christmas seal, at a Houston shopping center. Barnaby, who lives at Sea-Arama in Galveston, is selling kisses through Dec. 18. The money goes to a Christmas Seal program.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Happy Christmas, Peeps!<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial. <\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> a sailor tries to kiss a young woman under a sprig of mistletoe. Credit: William Small.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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