Jingle Bells

Monday, December 15, 2014

In 1857, when James Lord Pierpont wrote the song “One Horse Open Sleigh,” (more well-known as “Jingle Bells”) he did not neglect to include a common sleigh ride experience in the lyrics.  He wrote, “The horse was lean and lank, misfortune seemed his lot, he got into a drifted bank, and then we got upsot.”  Because, sleigh rides often ended with the sleigh “upsot.”  A lot.

Sleigh rides and sleigh ride parties were very popular in the 1800s and early 1900s.   Sometimes they were arranged by school groups, sometimes by friends and sometimes by church groups like the Ladies Aid of the Methodist Church.  The destination might be a winter picnic with a roaring bonfire, a friend’s home for an evening of entertainment or a dance hall for a party.

Who wouldn’t look forward to a lovely sleigh ride? Imagine the scene… The year is 1900. A jolly group is on a sleigh party, riding through the woods. The air is fresh and fragrant with the scent of pine and cedar trees. Snow sparkles like diamonds and covers the landscape. Horses, with harnesses laden with jingle bells, pull the sleigh. As the sled’s runners glide through the snow, friends are cuddled up under warm blankets and furs, giggling and singing...

 “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, o’er the fields we go, laughing all the way, bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright, what fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight!”

  

But, a sleigh ride was not for the unprepared; misfortune often befell the riders.

For example, in the winter of 1901, Miss Clara Bottkol of Euren invited 30 young people for a sleigh ride to her home.  She served an elegant supper followed by games and other entertainment which lasted until a few hours before midnight.  Then, her guests loaded the sleighs for the ride home.  Sledding conditions were poor on the return trip and the drivers had to follow the ditches to prevent the sleighs from tipping.  They had several near upsets.  The group finally arrived home, in time for breakfast. 

When Mr. Louis Kammer took a bunch out for a sleigh ride in December 1916, all went well until they reached Stony Creek.  That’s where Louis spilled the riders into a ditch.  Reportedly, no bones were broken.

  

And, a party of young folks from Sturgeon Bay rode to Ahnapee one cold night in January 1893.  On the way home, the cutter holding the gentleman and two ladies was upset in a snow drift a few miles from town.  Their horse ran home leaving the riders stranded.  Rescuers happened to see the horse and set out to bring the people home.  But, they too got upset and their horses returned to the stables, leaving the rescuers stranded, as well.  They all had to walk in the cold that night to find another team to hire to take them home. 

So, oh what fun it was to ride, unless the sleigh got “upsot!”

Pierpont’s “Jingle Bells,” with a few revised lyrics, became one of the most well-known holiday carols.  Perhaps the song resonated with so many people who: loved to take sleigh rides, liked to hold sleigh ride parties or had their own sleigh ride misadventures to tell. 

Shirley VerBruggen wishes you safe travels in your sleighs.  Enjoy Pierpont's song here.


Graphics are from Google.com .