Discover Christmas Day Twenty Two

What was Christmas like in Nauvoo? 

Did you know that the Prophet Joseph Smith was born on Dec. 23, 1805? What a special Chrismas that must have been for the Smith family that year. People in the 1800's did not celebrate Christmas like we do today. Christmas back then was a sacred day of prayer and remembering the life of Jesus Christ. Christmas decorations and celebrations were not allowed. 
By 1835 in Nauvoo, however things had begun to change. New immigrants from Europe had brought their Christmas customs with them. Sometimes a small dinner was held with friends and carols were sung. Christmas was not a legal holiday in IL. though and the pioneer children in Nauvoo even attended school on Christmas Day! There were no Christmas trees or cards, and no presents were exchanged.
What did they eat for Christmas dinner back then? There's no official record of what was served at Christmas dinner in Nauvoo, but most likely it included the ingredients they used the through out the rest of winter.They may have enjoyed potato pancakes, ginger cookies, and rusk, which is a cereal made from cornbread. Some of the Saints favorite sweets were ice cream made with snow and sugar and cookies made from dates or figs.
In honor of Joseph Smiths birthday we had a Pioneer Christmas today. The boys made potato pancakes, rusk, and ginger cookies. (We added sausage for protein) and we just enjoyed the day together watching the storm outside! It has been a wonderful day