The lights were strung on the Christmas tree and a table was filled with presents as people gathered at the one-room Kibler School in Towamensing Township to celebrate Christmas.

Kay Gilbert, chairwoman of the Kibler School Committee, promised that it would be a short program so people could get home before the snow got too deep. The celebration was held on Aug. 16 at the school. It was held outside because the school was not big enough to hold the expected crowd.The tent, set up to protect visitors from the elements, was not large enough for everyone and some had to suffer the cold weather by standing near the door to enjoy the goings-on. Since the punch and cookies were also outside none of them minded too much.The program began with the singing of America the Beautiful. Followed by a Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas story by Norman Burger. Before he began, he suggested everyone sing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," because the reindeer might be bringing a special guest.Bob Thompson, a committee member, knew Belsnickel and asked him to come visit.Burger described Belsnickel as a crotchety relative of St. Nicholas who began helping St. Nick during the period of the Reformation. He carried switches and a bag of goodies.Burger asked if anyone had seen Belsnickel as a child, and one hand was raised. Richard Beers said he did not remember much - just the switches and candy.Some time in the first two weeks of December there was apt to be a knock on the window or door. A raggedy man would come in and ask the children of the family if they had been really good. Those not enthusiastically saying they had been good got a tap with a switch, Burger said. However, even if they said they had been good, that goodness had to last until Christmas.It was a way to have fun as the winter season set in along the Rhine River Valley, and was brought to this country by early German settlers along with Christmas trees.TheBelsnickell talked to the children, and when he was ready to leave he rewarded the children with candy spread on the floor.Those children who were greedy and grabbed a lot of candy felt the touch of the switch. Each child was to take only one piece.The story wound down with the mention of places where theBelsnickell still came: Quiet Valley, south of Stroudsburg; the Troxell Steckel House in Egypt, Whitehall Township; and the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Kutztown. Then a laugh was heard in the distance and seemed to be coming closer.TheBelsnickell himself came out of the woodland trail across from the school and was greeted with cheers.He was asked what he was doing there.He said he was there because Roy Christmas had invited him.As he switched a child he said she could tell her friends that she had been switched by theBelsnickell.Gilbert asked what he did at the end of a visit. He gave the children candy if they had been good.Natassia Patnaik was the first to feel the tap of a birch stick. TheBelsnickell said the children would go home with rosy bottoms.As a truck went by on Pohopoco Drive, Gilbert said, "There goes the snowplow," and added, "A very merry Christmas," as the guests headed for the refreshment tables and some fellowship.