{"id":25833,"date":"2017-11-21T16:35:59","date_gmt":"2017-11-21T23:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mymerrychristmas.com\/?p=25833"},"modified":"2017-11-21T16:33:47","modified_gmt":"2017-11-21T23:33:47","slug":"over-the-river-and-through-the-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mymerrychristmas.com\/x\/over-the-river-and-through-the-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Over the River and Through the Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cOver the River and through the wood\u201d is a phrase endeared to many that evokes the memory of Thanksgiving<\/a><\/strong> and Christmas<\/a> gatherings.<\/p>\n

Many know it as a poem first, many more know it as a Christmas<\/a> song.<\/p>\n

Christmas<\/a> was never it\u2019s original intention. It was always, from its title forward, meant to be a tribute to Thanksgiving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Lydia<\/a>It was written by an extraordinary woman named Lydia Maria Child in 1844 \u2013 decades before Christmas<\/a> and Thanksgiving<\/a> became federal holidays.<\/p>\n

Despite that fact, the poem was based on a nostalgic longing for the Thanksgiving<\/a> holiday celebrations of her New England youth.<\/p>\n

Lydia Maria Child was a woman ahead of her time. Born in 1802 she made her voice heard through the power of her pen.<\/p>\n

She was an accomplished writer, editor and civil rights activist \u2013 in the early 19th<\/sup> century. During her day she would be controversial and even daring in the eyes of some. In the 19th<\/sup> century man\u2019s world she was a force that tackled the prickly topics of slavery, male dominance and white supremacy.<\/p>\n

But in the 1840s she turned her pen to children\u2019s poetry for a time, drawing on the memories of her youth.<\/p>\n

Her poem \u201cThe New England Boy\u2019s Song about Thanksgiving<\/a> Day\u201d<\/em> was published in her book Flowers for Children<\/em> and would, over the course of her lifetime and beyond, transform to \u2018Over the river and through the wood\u2019 that we know and love<\/a> today.<\/p>\n

These are the words she originally wrote:<\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood,
\nto Grandfather’s house we go;
\nthe horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
\nthrough the white and drifted snow.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood,
\nto Grandfather’s house away!
\nWe would not stop for doll or top,
\nfor ’tis Thanksgiving<\/a> Day.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood-
\noh, how the wind does blow!
\nIt stings the toes and bites the nose,
\nas over the ground we go.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood.
\nwith a clear blue winter sky,
\nThe dogs do bark and the children hark,
\nas we go jingling by.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood,
\nto have a first-rate play.
\nHear the bells ring, “Ting a ling ding!”
\nHurray for Thanskgiving Day!<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood-
\nno matter for winds that blow;
\nOr if we get the sleigh upset
\ninto a bank of snow.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood,
\nto see little John and Ann;
\nWe will kiss them all, and play snowball
\nand stay as long as we can.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood,
\ntrot fast my dapple gray!
\nSpring over the ground like a hunting-hound!
\nFor ’tis Thanksgiving<\/a> Day.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood
\nand straight through the barnyard gate.
\nWe seem to go extremely slow-
\nit is so hard to wait!<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood-
\nOld Jowler hears our bells;
\nHe shakes his paw with a loud bow-wow,
\nand thus the news he tells.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood-
\nwhen Grandmother sees us come,
\nShe will say, “O, dear, the children are here,
\nbring pie for everyone.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the river, and through the wood-
\nnow Grandmothers cap I spy!
\nHurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
\nHurrah for the pumpkin pie!<\/em><\/p>\n

The poem was first set to music in the 1870s by an unknown composer. As it grew in popularity the words were tweaked slightly to invoke memories of Christmas<\/a> instead of Thanksgiving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The original words of the poem are important to remember because they testify of what Thanksgiving<\/a> was in early America. It was a time of great family reunion and feasting. It was a time of religious devotion. It was a time of gathering and gratitude.<\/p>\n