Christmas 1831

 As we head into the holidays, I thought you might like to take a break from serious pedagogical posts and read a brief account of one of the first Christmas celebrations in what is now known as Montana. This excerpt comes from a 1911 pamphlet that the Superintendent of Public Instruction in honor of Pioneer Day.

Montana's First Christmas and Those Who Participated.

"On Christmas day, 1832, was celebrated one of the first holidays of the kind in the Northwest. Just across the line in Idaho, Captain Bonneville's party of trappers, hunters, and pioneers had gone into their winter quarters. And they had earned their right to celebrate. Since May of that year they had toiled their way up the Platte across Wyoming and over the mountain ... and suffered hardships and were prepared to enjoy their rest in winter quarters among the ... Nez Perce. Rude cabins of logs were erected, together with a large barn for the horses. ... A short distance away were the lodges of the Nez Perces.

These hardy sons of the plains and forest did not forget Christmas.... On Christmas eve the festivities began with rude fetes and rejoicing. The lodge of the Nez Perce chief was surrounded and in lieu of Christmas carols he was saluted with discharges of musketry. The old chief was highly flattered and invited the whole company to a feast on the following day. ... Skins were placed on the ground and upon these was placed abundance of venison, elk and other game. There was a short prayer and then the entire company seated themselves ... and pitched into the feast. This was followed by a long series of games, running, jumping, wrestling, shooting at the mark and the like--between whites and Indians.