Mondo Lizzie Borden

According to B.K. Swartz, Jr. in his “The Origin of American Christmas Myth and Customs,” The salutation, “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” may have first appeared in 17th century European correspondence. Says Swartz, “Merry is probably of English origin and was introduced to America in Dickens’ time.” In Clement Moore’s poem (l822) “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (or as we know it now, “Twas the Night Before Christmas”) the reader is addressed with the phrase “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.”

The Old English origin for Merry is myrige [pleasing, delightful]; of Germanic origin it is related related to mirth.

“Christmas cards were first printed in London, England. They were designed by John Calcott Horsley of the Royal Academy for Sir Henry Cole in 1843 and were sold at Felix Summerly’s Home Treasury Office. The greeting was “A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” A portrayal of a child sipping wine in a toast on the central panel caused a stir with temperance groups. Cards were first mailed (to friends) by W. C. Dobson (Queen Victoria’s favorite painter) in 1845. First mailings in U. S. were in 1846. Louis Prang, a Boston lithographer, marketed multicolored Christmas Cards in Europe in 1865, and in the U. S. in 1875. He made Christmas Cards popular. Mailing was expanded with the “penny post card,” 1893. Half-tone engravings appear in 1900. The home photograph card begins in 1902 by Eastman Kodak.”

Harper’s Bazaar, December 9, 1876.

Odd facts about Father Christmas:

Father Christmas (later Santa Clause) was part of an old English midwinter festival and was normally depicted as dressed in green—a sign of the returning Spring.

Father Christmas was also known as ‘Sir Christmas,’ ‘Old Father Christmas,’ or ‘Old Winter.’

Father Christmas was not a bringer of gifts, nor did his slide down a chimney, but walked from home to home, feasting with families and then moving on to the next house.

Father Christmas was dressed in a red coat in the 1930s in an advertisement by Coca-Cola.

Source.

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens

I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph. ~Shirley Temple

Don’t expect too much of Christmas Day. You can’t crowd into it any arrears of unselfishness and kindliness that may have accrued during the past twelve months. ~Oren Arnold

Christmas is forced upon a reluctant and disgusted nation by the shopkeepers and the press; on its own merits it would wither and shrivel in the fiery breath of universal hatred. ~George Bernard Shaw

Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered. What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day. ~Phyllis Diller

For many years, I have collected images related to the Lizzie Borden story. Part of my collection consists of photos posted by individuals in various places, Photobucket.com, Flickr, and Google Images, just to name a few, that detail their stay at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast.

When you see the photos as a series of those who assume the classic positions of the murder victims, you get a rather humorous take on the case.

I present for you now a grouping of the few, the brave, the not really dead, titled:

Assuming the Position at Lizzie Borden’s House

My friend Neilson Caplain passed away yesterday. Neilson was a great man and a wonderful conversationalist.

He was an author, historian, collector, preservationist, past President of the Fall River Historical Society, and a true gentleman. He wrote regularly for The Hatchet and loaned me many items related to the case and Fall River. He also wrote regularly for the now defunct Lizzie Borden Quarterly.

He will be tremendously missed.

Neil’s obituary appeared today in the Fall River Herald News.

Neilson Caplain
CAPLAIN, Neilson M., 96 years old of Fall River died on Thurs., Nov 15, 2007 at Sakonnet Bay Manor in Tiverton. He was the beloved husband of the late Hattie (Kossoi) Caplain.

Born in Jamaica, NY he was the son of the late Samuel Jacob and Nettie (Zoline) Caplain. A graduate of Erasmus High School in Brooklyn, NY he attended New York University and was the Founder and President of U.S. Ring Binder of New Bedford where he worked for 30 years.

He was a member of Temple Beth El of Fall River, a Trustee of Charlton Memorial Hospital, Founder of the Fall River Marine Museum, Worshipful Master of the Watuppa Masonic Lodge, a member of the American Philatelic Society and Past President of the Historical Society of Fall River.

Considered to be a Lizzie Borden Aficionado he was a contributing writer for the magazine called “The Hatchet”.

He leaves his two sons, Ronald and his wife Claire Caplain, and Scott and his wife Susan Caplain all of Fall River; as well as 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

A graveside service will take place today, Nov. 16, 2007 at 12 o’clock noon at Temple Beth El Cemetery, North Main St., Fall River. Relatives and friends are invited.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to: The Lown Foundation, 21 Longwood Ave., Brookline, MA 02446. Shiva will be observed at his late residence, today from 1-4 P.M. and Sun., 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. The family was assisted with arrangements by SUGARMAN-SINAI MEMORIAL CHAPEL.

From ace photographer Michael Brimbau. Snapped today in Fall River. Wow is all I can say. Kewl!

Wanna hear some good old fashioned whodunits or just plain things that go bump in the night scary stories. Try out Strange World Radio, Paranormal Podcast Talk and Old Time Radio.

They offer a little bit of everything—Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, The Whistler. Wonderful old radio shows (Lux Radio, Mercery Theatre, Lights Out, Green Hornet, Dragnet, etc.)

check them out . . . . if you dare!

Photo by Terence Duniho.

On November 17, from 9am until 4pm, the New Bedford Pilots Association to benefit the People Acting in Community Endeavors’ holiday toy drive will be offering 20 minute sightseeing plane rides of local communities. The 12th annual fundraiser at the Nor’East aviation terminal at New Bedford Municipal Airport.

The price is only $20 for adults and $10 for kids.

For information, email Joao Ferreira at jferreira@s-t.com.

Here’s the entire story from South Coast Today.

Saturday, October 27, 2007
A chance to see SouthCoast like never before
By Joao Ferreira
Standard-Times staff writer

NEW BEDFORD — On the left, Lakeville is no more than an archipelago of lakes surrounded by fall foliage.

On the right, New Bedford looks like a lizard spread out along the edge of the Acushnet River.

The little Cessna 172 single-engine plane is fast reaching 2,000 feet, and from up here things look a little different.

Everything comes into perspective.

On a clear day, flyers can see the Boston skyline and the mountains of New Hampshire, Cuttyhunk and Martha’s Vineyard, and the vast expanse of the Atlantic.

Passengers almost always use the word “awesome” to describe the view.

“They say it’s awesome. Awesome is the word,” said New Bedford flight instructor Deanna J. King after stepping from the Cessna.

The passengers she’s talking about are the steady stream of kids who turn out for the annual Toy Flights fundraiser held by the New Bedford Pilots Association to benefit the People Acting in Community Endeavors’ holiday toy drive.

The 12th annual fundraiser is being held Nov. 17 at the Nor’East aviation terminal at New Bedford Municipal Airport.

“It’s just fantastic. Kids love it,” Ms. King said. “Yeah, it’s going to be a pretty good event this year. Miss Massachusetts is coming down on Saturday. I think with Miss Massachusetts this year, we’ll get more folks.”

Last year, about 120 passengers turned out for the event and about $2,500 was raised.

This year, for $20 for adults and $10 for children, the pilots association will offer 20-minute to half-hour sightseeing flights over local communities.

Friday afternoon was this reporter’s turn to go on a 30-minute flight to give the reader a preview of what is in store next month.

The route would take us over Dartmouth, Little Compton, R.I., Horseneck Beach and Dartmouth again, then back to New Bedford.

The command tower announces an overcast ceiling of 2,900 feet and a temperature of 57 degrees Fahrenheit as the little Cessna rolls down in a southwest direction on Runway 5.

Soon it is in the air.

“We’ll get a few bumps on the way up. Hopefully it’s going to be smooth when we get to 2,000 feet,” Ms. King says.

It isn’t bumpy.

“That’s (Route) 140 below us. Up there is Lakeville,” she says through the intercom system as the plane makes a turn to the right over a vast expanse of fall foliage cut by Interstate 195.

“Fall River is up there. That is Braga Bridge,” says Ms. King, pointing forward. “You can just make the battleship there to the right of the bridge.”

Ahead, the Spindle City spreads from the Wattupa Pond complex to the Taunton River, with a wide thoroughfare that looks like Pleasant Street lined up with the Cessna.

At this altitude, the plane cruises smoothly.

“Sometimes what we’ll do, we’ll let them take the controls,” says Ms. King, a flight instructor with Atlantic Aviation. “We’re straight up, there’s no safety issues here at all.”

The plane makes a left turn toward Little Compton. Newport, R.I., is seen ahead, as well as the complex of bridges that connect to the island and the Portsmouth Abbey’s famous wind turbine.

“Newport bridge is absolutely beautiful at night,” Ms. King says.

Soon we’re cruising over the half moon-shaped Horseneck Beach. To the left, the houses dot the scenery hugged by forests and surrounded by fields. In the ocean, a few yachts dot the water and seagulls fly around them.

“Not many people on the beach today,” Ms. King quips. “I don’t know if anybody ever told you that there’s a lot of shipwrecks out here.”

The trip is ending, but not before we glimpse an “awesome” bird’s-eye view of UMass Dartmouth, its architecture taking on a new dimension from the air.

The Cessna lines up with Runway 5 again and lands without a hitch.

“So, we do that about 20 times a day,” Ms. King said, half-joking.

I’d do it again.

Despite Friday afternoon’s gloomy weather, Ms. King said this is the best time of the year to fly, because the skies tend to be crystal clear and the air more dense.

The sightseeing flights on Saturday, Nov. 17, start at 9 a.m. and will continue until 4 p.m. The rain date is Nov. 18.