BUTTE — Christmas in Butte this year doesn’t have the spirit it once had in the past.
“Butte loves celebrating Christmas, the different neighborhoods had community Christmas trees, so they’d chose a large tree in a square to decorate. Butte’s businesses went all decked out and decorated the exteriors for Christmas,” said Assistant Director of the Butte Archives Aubrey Jaap.
It's a tradition of generosity was very common during Christmas in Butte’s early years.
“They would create Christmas baskets for families around town during times of strikes, they would help people who couldn’t afford Christmas dinner and help them have dinner, so that was one theme I really noticed was Butte’s people helping their own in times of need, and I think this year that’s something we’re seeing still today,” said Jaap.
The old Butte neighborhood of Meaderville used to host big Christmas displays. Now, part of that old display can be viewed at the World Museum of Mining.
“So although it’s not occurring anymore, I think Butte’s kept the traditions alive and try to remember those traditions. I think Christmas is just a holiday where, you know, it’s about coming together, so I think that’s the Butte spirit anyway, that’s why Butte’s Christmas hits those hard,” said Jaap.
