Christmas in Appalachia Archives - Appalachian History

He immediately noticed, at the bottom of his stocking, a tell-tale bulge in the shape of a pocket knife. It was a pocket knife…of sorts.

Christmas dawn was just breaking over the blue-hazed mountains

Our socks were filled with stick candy, rag dolls, sling shots, crow calls, whistles, apples, oranges and a few funny looking nuts.

We might be better served to think of this 15th century English hymn as the “Cherry Tree Carols,” since it exists in many versions.

John Jacob Niles (1892-1980) began collecting Appalachian folk songs and composing music as a KY teenager.

The kids oohed at the sparkling rope & the red balls. Then they all approached the bare, green, beautiful tree. For a moment it was quiet.