Lititz, PA Copyright © 2022 by Bill Dussinger. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system, without prior written permission from the author. Written and illustrated by Bill Dussinger Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-7360002-1-2 For information: Penny Lane Graphics, Lititz, PA 17543 717.333.7106 www.plgraphics.com [email protected]

in Lititz CONTENTS 1 The 12 Days of Christmas in Lititz 28 The Putz 30 “Lititz Snow” 31 Main and Broad Street Stars 33 Have Yourself a Merry Lititz Christmas

1

12

The

Days of Lititz

2

On the first day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

A

Morning Star

FUN FACT

just for me.

The “Morning Star” or Moravian Star traditionally has 26 points and is properly displayed from the first Sunday in Advent (the fourth Sunday before Christmas) until the Festival of Epiphany (January 6). The first Moravian Star originated in the 1830s at the Moravian Boys’ School in Niesky, Germany, probably as a geometry project. The star that hangs in the Lititz Moravian Congregation Church has 110 points. That geometry would make my head hurt. That’s a lot of points!

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On the second day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

2 FUN FACT

Waving Snowman and a Morning Star just for me.

There have been many newspapers in Lititz, starting with the Litiz Gazette in 1875. In the years following, The Sunbeam, The Litiz* Record, The Prohibitionist, The Lititz Times and The Lititz Express popped up. In 1937, The Lititz Record and The Lititz Express combined to form today’s Lititz Record Express. * Original name of Lititz.

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6

On the third day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

3

ChocolateCovered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

In 1861, at the age of 26, Julius Sturgis purchased the house at 219 E. Main Street in Lititz and opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in America.

FUN FACT

Wilbur Chocolate has been in Lititz, PA since 1913. Founded in Philadelphia in 1865, Wilbur produced mostly molasses candies & hard candies at the time, eventually venturing into chocolate. The company did well and by 1913, Wilbur officials decided to locate additional production facilities in Lititz. What’s better than a chocolate-covered pretzel during the holidays? Two of them!

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8

On the fourth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

4

Light post Stars

3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

FUN FACT

These street light stars brighten up the downtown street of Lititz during the holiday season. The original ones were made in a high school shop class. They have been replaced since then and now have LED lights. I’d give that shop class an “A” for amazing! (see page 31)

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On the fifth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

5

Wilbur Buds!

FUN FACT

4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

How did the iconic Wilbur Bud get its name? Actually, an unlikely source of inspiration- nature. In 1894, founder H.O. Wilbur developed a process that created specially blended aged chocolate into a solid shape that resembled a flower bud. Wilbur Buds were made and sold 13 years before Milton Hershey created the Hershey’s Kiss®. Hmmmm?

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12

On the sixth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

6 FUN FACT

Band Members a - Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

Lititz is the home of Rock Lititz, a group of companies that support the live entertainment industry. Rock Lititz has a large structure that is used for bands and entertainment shows to practice the set up of the staging, lighting and sound design for shows before they are taken around the world. As long as Rock Lititz is here Rock and Roll will never die!

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z t i t Li cks! Ro

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On the seventh day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

7 FUN FACT

Ducks a - Swimming 6 Band Members a-Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

The ducks in Lititz Springs Park are much smarter than other ducks. They know the waters of the springs were well known for its medicinal properties. That is one of the reasons General Sutter lived here in Lititz. I wouldn’t drink that water, though. Ducks pee in it!

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On the eighth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

8 FUN FACT

Mouse Traps a - Snapping 7 Ducks a-Swimming 6 Band Members a-Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

Woodstream Corporation, located in Lititz, is the largest producer of mouse traps in America. In 1899, John Mast of Lititz, designed the world famous mouse trap that we use today. In the 1920s the company was known as The Animal Trap Company of America. The Victor Mouse Traps are easy to spot with a large red “V” printed on each one. These traps will keep the mice from stirring on Christmas Eve!

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On the ninth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

9 FUN FACT

Carolers a - Caroling 8 Mouse Traps a-Snapping 7 Ducks a-Swimming 6 Band Members a-Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

Join in the community carol sing held each year in the Moravian Church Square. You can come and join in the singing even if your name isn’t Carol!

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On the tenth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

10 FUN FACT

Letters to Santa

9 Carolers a-Caroling 8 Mouse Traps a-Snapping 7 Ducks a-Swimming 6 Band Members a-Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

To send letters to Santa, address your letters to North Pole Postmark, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Drive, Anchorage, AK 99530-9998. Letters must be received by December 15th. Letters from Lititz will definitely get you on the nice list!

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On the eleventh day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

11 FUN FACT

Lititz Ornaments

10 Letters to Santa 9 Carolers a-Caroling 8 Mouse Traps a-Snapping 7 Ducks a-Swimming 6 Band Members a-Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen and a Morning Star just for me.

The shops in downtown Lititz have some great ornaments for your holiday tree. Those ornaments will become some of your most cherished, for sure!

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On the twelfth day of Christmas in Lititz, my good friend gave to me...

12

Christmas Trees

11 Lititz Ornaments 10 Letters to Santa 9 Carolers a-Caroling 8 Mouse Traps a-Snapping 7 Ducks a-Swimming 6 Band Members a-Practicing 5 Wilbur Buds! 4 Light post Stars 3 Chocolate-Covered Pretzels 2 Waving Snowmen...

FUN FACT

It is thought that the first Christmas trees in America were in Lancaster County, PA in 1747. The first Christmas tree placed on the Lititz Square was in 1915. Lititz Springs Park traditionally holds Christmas in the Park on the first Friday of December each year. Today, the town Christmas tree is lit as well as carol singing and an appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. I think the trees in Lititz smell much Christmasier and are easier to decorate than trees anywhere else!

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A ...and

FUN FACT

Morning Star

just for me.

The twelve days in this song are the twelve days starting with Christmas Day to the day before Epiphany (5 January). Many people think the twelve days start before Christmas Day. Twelfth Night is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the evening of January 5th, the day before Epiphany, which traditionally marks the end of the Christmas season.” Now you know!

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28

the

Putz at The Lititz Moravian Church

29

Putz. that’s a funny word. A Putz is a depiction of the story of Jesus’ birth. A Putz can be as small as a simple manger scene or it can be very large and fill a room. The manger is always the center of the Putz. The word “putz” comes from a German word, putzen. It means to clean or to decorate. The Putz in Lititz tells the story of the birth of Jesus by following thirteen electrically lighted scenes that are set among moss, twigs, rocks and driftwood. The figures and scenery have been hand painted by members of the Moravian Church. The sky of the Putz actually depicts the December sky.

Here are the thirteen scenes that are displayed: 1. Light of the World 2. Isaiah 3. The Annunciation 4. Bethlehem 5. Shepherds - Angel of the Lord 6. Heavenly Host 7. The Cave Stable 8. Star of Bethlehem 9. The Wise Men - Visits King Herod 10. The Wise Men - Visiting Jesus 11. Flight to Egypt 12. The Church 13. Finale

30

Lititz Snow Oh, the weather outside is brightful And the town is so delightful And since we know where to go Lititz Snow! Lititz Snow! Lititz Snow!

When you finally go home at night How you’ll hate leaving this cool town! But if you’ll really, really hold on tight You can turn your frown upside down.

It doesn’t show signs of stopping And the stores are still open for shopping The star lights are turned on and glow Lititz Snow! Lititz Snow! Lititz Snow!

The year is slowly dying And, my dear, the snow is flying. But you know you love this town so Lititz Snow! Lititz Snow! Lititz Snow!

Main and Broad Street Stars These iconic stars help make Lititz special during the holiday season. In 1937, three “stars of lights” were placed on the Washington Boulevard Light Standards with colored lights and placed on the Roebuck Memorial Square area. Seven were placed adjacent to the square. In 1939, ten more stars were added. In 1940, 22 new stars were created under the direction of Robert

31 Hower, industrial arts teacher at Lititz High School. In 1944, during the war, it was decided that Christmas decorations would only be placed at the square and not around town. Five of the stars were placed at the square that year. 38 stars were in the collection by 1945. in 2017 there were 50 stars along Main and Broad Streets. In 2018 the original stars were retired and sold off. New stars were created with stronger materials and LED lights.

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Bill always did love Christmas.

Bill Dussinger lives in Lititz with his wife Cherie. He has one daughter and two sons, a granddaughter and three grandsons. He is a graphic designer, illustrator, and educator. Bill graduated from Warwick High School in 1978. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Kutztown University, went on to work as an editorial artist for Lancaster Newspapers, then to Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. He now owns his own design company, Penny Lane Graphics, and teaches graphic design and illustration at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. Lititz has always been important to Bill. He served on the Lititz Springs Park Board, The Lititz 250 Committee, and he continues to be on the Lititz Springs Park 4th of July Committee. He helped found the Lititz Area Business Alliance and is a board member of the Lititz Regional Community Development Corporation. He’s a member of the Lititz Historical Foundation and the Lititz Art Association. He is also the PA announcer for Warwick High School football games. He continues to work in the graphic design and illustration fields, draw cartoons and paint an occasional watercolor.

33

Have Yourself a Merry Lititz Christmas!

“Ho, ho, ho. You gotta have this book. It’s a holiday classic! Rudolph ate 3 copies already.”

“I hope we sell a bunch of these books. I don’t want them taking up so much space in the house.”

~ Santa

~ Mrs. Claus

A PENNY LANE GRAPHICS PUBLICATION

“This book will easily become a holiday tradition. A good place to set your milk and cookies so you don’t stain your furniture.” ~ Bill Dussinger