The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-25 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS IN PARIS.

Christmas in France appears to be another
thing from Christmas in England, and, in fact,
without referring to the Alma►►ac, it would not
be known from any other by the appearance of
the capital. Though set down as a jour de fete,
all the ordinary business of life is transacted, and
at the churches nothing extraordinary is going
fbrward, a thing smprizing in a Catholic country.
On Christmas-eve, indeed, there is some bustle
for a. midnight mass, to, which immense num-
bers flock, as.the priests on this occasion get up
a showy spectacle, which rivals the theatres.
The altars are "dressed with flowers, and the
churches decorated profusely ; but there is little
in all this to men who have been accustomed to
the John Bull mode of spending the evening.
The good English habit of meeting together to
forgive offences and injuries, and to cement re-
conciliations is here unknown. The French
listen to the Church music, and to the singing of
their choirs, which is generally excellent. The
English residents in Paris, however, do not
forget our mode of celebrating the day, and if
there be a plum-pudding or turkey in France it
is certainly for them.
CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY.

At ICatzeberg, in the North of Germany, there
is a most pleasing custom observed, common
also to many other parts of the country. The
children make little presents to their parents,
and to each other, and the parents to their chil-
dren. For three or four months before Christ-
etas the girls are all busy, and the boys save up
their pocket-money to buy these presents. What
the present is to be is cautiously kept secret ; and
the girls have a world of contrivances to conceal
it—such as working when they are out on visits,
and the others are not with them—getting up in
the morning before daylight, &c. Then, on the
evening before Christmas-day, one of the par-
lours is lighted up by the children, into which the
parents must not go: a great yew bough is fastened
on the table at a little distance fro the wall a,
multitude of little tapers are fixed in the bough,a
but not so as to burn it till they are neatiinliye
con-
sumed, and coloured paper, &c., ng
flut-
ters from the twigs. Under this bough.
chil-
dren lay out in great order the -presents they
mean for their parents, still concealing in their
pockets what they mean for each other. Then
the parents are introduced, and each presents his
little gift;
e,ioftn;ltfireonmthir theye bring out the remainder
one
pockets, and present them
with kisses and embraces.
and the mother, upon such occasions
known to weep aloud for joy enhades
tenderness;ioeldse s th
ad
va
eu gbhe.teenr
the tears to run down the face of the father,a.sal.nileed
clasped his children tight to his breast, as if
.1
endeavoured to stifle the sob that was
in him. T 1
last
ahset
tcheei ling rising
The shadow of the bough and the
appendages on the wall, and arching on
makes a pretty picture, and
the rapture of the very little ones ;hen at
is excessive. twigs
snap,and toillieL eeexatl edsa
day take kceh
rfii
srtemaansd.
day) in the great parlour, the parents lay out
on the table the presents for the children ; a
scene of more sober joy succeeds, as on this day,
after an old custom, the mother says privately to
each of her daughters, and the father to his sons,
that which he has observed most praiseworthy,
and that which was most faulty in their conduct.
Formerly, and still in all the smaller towns and
villages throughout North Germany, these pre-
sents were sent by all the parents to some one
fellow who in high buskins, a white robe, a mask,
and an enormous flax-wig, personates Knecht
Rupert, i. e., the servant Rupert. On Christ-
mas-night lie goes round to every house, and
says, that Jesus Christ, his Master, sent him
thither. The parents and elder children receive
him with great pomp and reverence, while the
little ones are most terribly frightened. He then
inquires for the children, and according to the

On Christmas-eve, according to Waldron, all
the servants in general have a holiday. They do
not go to bed all night, but ramble about till th«
bells ring in all the churches, which is at twelve
o'clock. Prayers being over they go to hunt the
wren, and after having found out one of these
poor birds taey kill her, and lay her on a bier
with the utmost solemnity, bringing her to the
parish church, and burying her with a whimsical
kind of solemnity, singing dirges over her in the
Manx language, which they call her knell, after
which Christmas begins.
CH RISTM AS AT ROME.
When the Pope celebrates Divine Servke on
Christmas-day, the great or middle doors yr St.
Peter's are thrown open at ten, and the grand
procession, preceded by a beadle carrying the
papal cross, and two others bearing lighted
torches, advances slowly in two long fines
between two ranks of soldiers up the nave. This
majestic procession is closed by the Pontiff him-
self; seated in a chair of state, supported by 20
valets, half concealed in the drapery that falls in
loose folds from the throne : he is crowned with
his tiara, and bestows his benediction on the
crowds that kneel on all sides as he is borne
along. When arrived at the foot of the altar he
descends, resigns his tiara, kneelS, and as-
suming the common mitre, seats himself
in the episcopal chair on the right of
the altar, and joins in the psalms and
prayers that precede the solemn service. To-
wards the conclusion of these preparatory devo-
tions, his immediate attendants form a circle
around him, clothe him in his pontifical robes,
and place the tiara on his head, after which, ac-
companied by two deacons and two sub deacons,
he advances to the foot of the altar, and, bowing
reverently, makes the usual confession. He
then proceeds in great pomp through the chancel,
and ascends the pontifical throne, while the
choir -sings the:lntl-41ns, or psalm ot-entrance,
the Kyrie Eleison and Gloria in Eseelsis, 'when
the Pontiff lays aside his tiara, and after having
saluted the congregation in the usual form, the
Lord be with you, reads the collect, the epistle,
and verses from the psalms, intermingled with
hallelujahs. The Pontiff then rises, gives his
benediction to the two deacons, who kneel, with
the book of gospels at his feet, and, resigning
his tiara, stands while the gospel is sung in Latin
and Greek. When the Nicene Creed, and the
psalm following it are over, he descends
front his throne ; and, approaching the
altar with the same attendants, and the same
pomp as in the commencement of the service,
receives and offers up his usual oblations, fumes
the altar with frankincense from a golden censer,
and then washes his hands, a ceremony imply-
ing purity of mind and body. He then turns to
the people, and in an humble and affectionate ad-
dress begs their prayers, and shortly after com-
mences that sublime form of adoration and
praise, called " The Preface," because it is an
introduction to the most solemn part of the Li-
turgy, and he chaunts in a tone supposed to be
borrowed from the ancient tragic declamation,
and very noble and impressive. The last words,
" Holy, holy holy," &c., are uttered in a pos-
ture of deep adoration,'C and sung by the choir in
notes of deep and solemn intonation. All mu-
sic then ceases, and an awful silence reigns
around, while in- a low tone the Pontiff recites
that most ancient and venerable invocation which
precedes the consecration. - After saluting the
people in the ancient form, the Pope returns to
his throne, and then offers up his devotions on his
knees at the foot of the altar, and, borne along in
the same state as when he entered, passes down the
nave of the church, and ascends by the Scala
Regia to the grand gallery in the middle of the
front of St. Peter's. His immediate attendants
surround his person ; the rest of the procession
draws up on each side ; the immense area and
colonnade before the church are lined with
troops and crowded with thousands of spectators ;
all eyes. are fixed on the gallery ; the chaunt of
the choir is :heard at a distance ; the blaze of
numberless torches plays round the columns ;
and the Pontiff appears elevated on his chair of
state under. the middle arch. Instantly the
whole multitude below frill on their knees,' the
cannons of St. Angelo give a general discharge,
while rising slowly from his throne, he lifts his
hands to heaven, stretches forth his arm, and
thrice gives his benediction to the crowd, to the
city, and to all mankind : a solemn pause fol-
lows, another discharge is heard, the crowd rises,
and the pomp gradually disappears.
CHRISTMAS IN THE SCILLY ISLANDS.
In these islands they have a custom of sing-
ing carols on a Christmas-day at church, to which
the congregation make contribution by dropping
money into a bat carried about the church when
the performance is over.
CHRISTMAS IN FRANCONIA.
J. Bcemus Aubanus tells us that in Franconia,
on the, three Thursday -nights preceding the na-
tivity of our Lord, it is customary for the youth
of both sexes to go from house to house, knock-
ing at the doors, singing their Christmas carols,
and wishing a happy new year. They get, in
return, at the houses they stop at, pears, apples,
nuts, and money. Little troops of boys and girls
still go about in this very manner at Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, and other places in the north of Eng.
land on the eve of Christmass-day, and on that
day itself.

CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND.

England is merry England when
Old Christmas brings his sports again,
'Tis Christmas broaches mightiest art,
'Tis Christmas tells the merriest tale.
A Christmas gambol oft will cheer .
A poor man's heart through half the year.
SIR WALTER SCOTT.

natus
by s:
t a' r
tee on
CHRISTMAS CAROLS.—CaroI is said to be Ale-
riv.ed from Cantailex, to sing,
of t
andle angels' an
was h
°la
inter-
jection of joy.
first 'carol, and anciently bishops carollod among
their clergy ,nt Christmas. An old sheet, of
Christmas Carols headed, CC ChriSt US
" Christ is born," has a picture of, the nativity:
with our Saviour at Bethlehem, surrounded
sheep bleating, an ox lowing, a raven croaking,
a crow cawing, a cock crowing, and angels shy,.
betweenin,yin the
ti
lsky.eni.
TTheiie followingco ek
ecolloquy
c
oIN-etli 'hprairtteiss
natus est, Christ is born.
crow replieth,
Quando? When ? The The raven asks,
noete, This night. The ox crieth out, ULU
übi? Where? where ?
The sheep bleated out,
Bethlehem, Bethlehe
join in full chorus.
m.
sounds "Gloria in exe '
and the angels this," Glory be on high,
Yule-log is that
THE YULE-LOG OR A voice from heaven
CHRISTMAS-BLocK.—The
immense to of wood which
%V HS G put upon the fire on '
Christmas-day, a
custom which is still observed in the county of
Lincoln. The
The yule-log seems as old as the
Cyclops of Euripides. -The size of these logs of
wood, which were in fact great trees, may be
collected from the fact that in the time of the
civil 'wars of the last century, Captain Hosier of
the Berwick family, burnt the house of Mr.
Barker, of Haghmond Abbey, near Shrewsbury,
by setting fire to the yule-log.
THE FEAST OF LlGHTS.—Christmas, says
Blount, was called the Feast of Lights in the
Western 'or Latin Church, because they used
because Christ, the Light of all lights, flea
many lights or candles at the feast, or rather
came into the world. Hence the Christmas
candle, and what was its succedaneuni, the yule-
block, before candles were in general use. A
large
for the same purpose.
coal is often set aside at present in the
North
HUMMING.—This is another Christmas custom.
This festive sport consists in changing clothes
bet Ween men and women, who when dressed in
each others' habits, go from one neighbour's
house to another, partaking of Christmas cheer,
and making merry with them in disguise.
HAGMENA.—It is ordinary in some parts of
Scotland to go about from door to door at
Christmas, crying out Hagmena, a 'corrupted
word from the Greek ayta ,a,r,..)), i. e. the 1-10iy
Month. John Dixon, holdiii.• forth against this
custom once in a sermon at Kelso, says, " Sirs
do you know what, Hagmane signifies? It
the Devil be in the house !' that's the meaningis,
of its Hebrew original."
Another Presbyter preaching against the ob-
servance of Christmas, said, " Ye will Say, Sirq,
good old Yule-day : 1 tell you, good old Fool-
day. You will say, it is a brave holiday : I ten
you, it is a brave belly-day."
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.—The number of baskets
that enter London at this season is astonishing:
exclusive of those for sale, the number and
weight of turkies only would surpass belief.
From an historical account of Norwich it appears
that between Saturday morning and the nht of
Snnda
Dec.
22ei 1793, one thousand seven hun-
dred 9 tom, 2 cwt. 21bs., value
t uy ,
kDi
es, V
6801., were sent from Norwich to London ; and
two days after, half as many more.
DEVOUT OXEN.—According to Mr. Brand " a
superstitious notion prevails in the western parts