A Historic Nacogdoches Christmas (December 20, 2025)

by Scott Sosebee

How we currently celebrate Christmas in the United States is vastly different from the ways those who lived in the nineteenth century commemorated the holiday. During the colonial era this “New World” contained so many different religious sects, ethnicities, and national origins that there was little conformity in the manner of celebrating Christmas. As just an example, the Puritans of New England did not celebrate the holiday at all, and even at one time banned the holiday. Their reasoning was that because the Bible did not mention Christmas—in fact, did not even give the date or time of year of Christ’s birth, although most biblical scholars today place the date sometime in the late spring—thus there was no need to celebrate. The planters in the South, however, had a different notion and their way of celebrating mirrored the manner of the English gentry: a large hunt, followed by a huge feast, and probably a horse race or two, along with the appropriate wagering. Others, perhaps noted the holiday with a small festive party, usually on Christmas Eve, or a religious service on Christmas Day. Still others thought nothing about the holiday at all.

As the United States developed into a more cohesive nation with a more defined sense of tradition and place it also began to move away from its Old World notions and evolved its own unique customs. One of those was Christmas, and it began to take on a uniquely American hue. One of those new customs was, not surprisingly, commercial, as Americans, particularly those of the “new middle class” in northern cities, began to expand the modest gift-giving notions of Europe into a distinctly American concept of elaborate presents that were not only symbols of celebration but also emblems of wealth and status. Americans also began to embrace the more secular notion of Christmas—which would have actually pleased the Puritans who wanted no part of a religious celebration of a holiday they thought had no religious significance—and thus the parties, decorations, and revelry grew into what was fast becoming a national holiday celebration. That, too, took on great significance in mid-nineteenth century America. The U.S. was still young, a place looking for any attachment to a “national identity.” One way Americans had come to symbolize unity was through a reverence for the founding, and thus July Fourth had become a categorical fête for all to identify as American. Christmas, in many ways, had begun to take its place as the winter version of that holiday—a time of cheer and parties.

Nacogdoches during this era celebrated Christmas in much the same manner as other Americans. Parties and feasts were the order of the day. Adolphus Sterne usually hosted a moderate gathering on Christmas Day. His guest list varied from year-to-year, usually dependent on who he was currently conducting business with, but Judge Hart was a frequent invitee, as were members of the Forbes family. On more than one occasion, Sterne did lament the custom of suspending all liquor sales on Christmas, which meant that, in his words, often there was “not a single thing in the shape of Liquor in the town.” The absence of liquor did not seem to deter others; Sterne noted that on Christmas 1843 “the whole town was alive,” although the festivities were marked by “a few drunken men having a fuss.” Perhaps Sterne was feeling a bit sorry for himself that year since he had to miss most of the celebration as he had a fever and was confined to his bed.

John S. Roberts also did not allow any ban on alcohol to put a damper on his holiday. Roberts, who among other commercial ventures operated a saloon, threw a big bash every year on Christmas Eve. His was an elaborate affair complete with musicians, dancing, eating, and—one has to assume—a sampling of Mr. Roberts’ libations. One visitor to the Roberts shindig in 1854 noted the presence of a “celebratory tree,” which must be assumed to be a Christmas Tree. The presence of such a decoration in Nacogdoches in the 1850s would be curious since many Americans of that era still thought of these traditionally German accoutrements as odd—some more adherently religious folks considered them inappropriate pagan symbols—so if Roberts has put up a tree I suppose that would make him “cutting edge.”

I suppose not a whole lot has changed since those mid-century times. Nacogdoches still throws a pretty good party at Christmastime. So, to you and yours, Merry Christmas and best wishes for a delightful 2026!

The East Texas Historical Association provides this column as a public service. Scott Sosebee is a Professor of History at Stephen F. Austin State University and the Executive Director of the Association. He can be contacted at sosebeem@sfasu.edu or via www.easttexashistorical.org.