Editor’s note: This is a Christmas week series from local writer Peggy Keener on Christmas carols with research taken from a presentation by Sweet Reads owner Lisa Deyo.

Last week Lisa Deyo (owner of the delicious Sweet Reads book store) and Morgan Dickman (soprano extraordinaire) gave a Christmas carol presentation at the Historic Hormel Home. It was delightful. It was also engrossing as Lisa, in her role as researcher, went on line to discover a treasure trove of facts about our most beloved holiday songs. During this tingling week before Christmas, I thought it would be fun to share with you Lisa’s findings, plus some of my own. Just when you thought you knew everything about carols, you’re about to find out how wrong you are!

For example, we all recognize Jingle Bells as a thoroughly accepted Christmas song, right? Well, the truth is that it was originally written for Thanksgiving. James Lord Pierpont, the music director of his father’s two churches in Savannah, Georgia and Medford, Massachusetts wrote the song for their Thanksgiving celebration. True to form, both cities claimed the song originated with them. Of course we’ll never know for sure. I, for one, question both locales for when did either place have snow in November or December so that the horse could carry the sleigh through it?

But, wait! Have you noticed that no where in the song does it mention snow? The horse simply pulls an open sleigh without noting the weather. Who knew?

The Savannah version of the story states that the children loved the song so much they asked for it to be included in their Christmas pageant. Thus the tradition began.

But now we’re going to get down and dirty as to its original inspiration. The Medford, Massachusetts, crowd claims that Pierpont’s creative juices were revved up by their city’s sleigh races. Feeling relaxed and creative after watching one such event — or was it after tipping a few mugs at Simpson’s Tavern on High Street? — it is reported that he penned the song.

But to this day, the good folks of Savannah fervently poo-poo this notion! They claim Pierpont moved from Medford to their fair city in 1853 and lived there for the next four years. During this time (1857) he filed a copyright for “One Horse Open Sleigh.” Thus the strongest argument for their cause is to ask why Pierpont would wait so long to officially register his song if he did, indeed, write it while living in Medford? It’s a good question. We’ll never know for sure, but I’m betting on Savannah … and the brew at Simpson’s Tavern which undoubtedly got all kinds of creative juices flowing!

But, there’s more. On Dec. 16, 1965, astronauts Wally Schirra Jr. and Thomas P. Stafford were orbiting the earth in Gemini 6. Their plan was to create a historic space meeting by rendezvousing with Gemini 7, piloted by Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. It would be the closest that two man-made spacecrafts had ever been in orbit, only a few feet apart. And it was a success.

Just before Gemini 6 began its return to earth, the two pilots reported seeing a UFO. “We have an object — looks like a satellite going from north to south — probably in polar orbit! Looks like the space craft might be re-entering soon! Maybe we can pick up on it. Let’s see, we can see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot is wearing a red suit!”

And with that, Schirra and Stafford produced a harmonica and bells and proceeded to play “Jingle Bells.” It was the first song ever performed in space. Mission control was gobsmacked!

Look for more juicy Christmas carol insights in tomorrow’s Herald.