The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-24 00:00:00

A COLUMN FOR CHRISTMAS.

In Swan's " Journal of a Voyage up the Mediterra-
nean, 1826," is the following account of a Greek Christ-
UnS.—" Thursday, January 6th. This being Christmas-
day with the Greek Catholics, their churches are adorned
in the gayest manner. I entered one, in which a sort of
raree-show had been set up, illumed with a multitude
of candles. The subject of it was the birth of Christ,
who was represented in the background by a little waxen
figure wrapped up in embroidery, and reclining upon an
embroidered cushion which rested upon another of pink
satin; this was supposed to be the manger where he
was born. Behind the image two paper bulls' heads
looked unutterable things. On the right of the Virgin
Mary, and on the left of the Eastern Magi, taper clouds,
in which the paper heads of numberless cherubs ap-
peared, enveloped the whole; while from a pasteboard
cottage stalked a wooden monk, with dogs, and sheep,
and camels; goats, lions, and lambs; here walked a
maiden upon a stratum of sods and dried earth, and
there a shepherd flourishing aloft his pastoral staff. The
construction of these august figures was chiefly Dutch:
they were intermixed with china images and miserable
daubs on paper. In the centre a real fountain, in mi-
niature, squirted forth water to the ineffable delight of
crowds of prostrate worshippers."
In Catholic times, at Christmas, people presented
loaves to the Priest on the authority of the direction in
Leviticus 22d—" You shall offer two loaves to the
Priest." At set feasts a whole boar (whence brawn at
this season) was put upon their table, sometimes it was
richly gilded. The custom of bringing in the boar's
head is well known, and to this day it is practised with
much ceremony at Queen's College, Oxford.
At Rouen, after the Te Dewn, in the nocturnal office
of the vigil of Christmas, the ecclesiastics celebrated
the " office of the shepherds in the following manner .
The image of the Virgin Mary was placed in a stable
prepared behind the altar ; a boy from above, before the
choire, in likeness of an angel, announced the nativity
to canons or vicars, who entered, as shepherds, through
the great door of the choir, clothed in tunics and long
robes. Many boys in the vaults of the church, like
angels, then began the " Gloria in Excelcis." The shep-
herds, hearing this, advanced to the stable, singing,
"Peace, good will." As soon as they entered it, two
priests in dalmatics, attired as if women, who were
stationed at the stable, said " Whom seek ye ? " The
shepherds answered, according to the angelic annuncia-
tion " Our Saviour Christ." The women then opening
the curtain exhibited the boy, saying, " The little one is
here, as the prophet Isaiah said." They then showed
the mother, saying, "Behold the Virgin." Upon these
exhibitions, they bowed and worshipped the boy, and
saluted his mother. The office ended by their returning
to the choir, and singing " Hallelujah," &c. &c.
CHRISTMAS PIE.

The following appeared in the Newcastle Chronicle,
6th January, 1770 :—" Monday last was brought from
Howick to Berwick, to be shipped for London, for Sir
Henry Gray, Bart., a pie, the contents whereof are as
follows, viz. : 2 bushels of flour, 20 lbs. of butter, 4
geese, 2 turkeys, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcock.,
6 snipes, and 4 partridges ; 2 neat's tongues, 2 curlews,
7 blackbirds, and six pigeons it is supposed a very
great curiosity, and was made by Mrs. Dorothy Patter-
man, housekeeper, at Howick. It was near nine feet in
circumference at bottom, weighed about 12 stone, took
two men to present it ; was neatly fitted with a case, and
four small wheels to facilitate its use to every guest wbo
felt inclined to partake of its contents at table."

THE CHIIISTMAS DAYS IN LONDON.
(From Hone's " Every Day Book.".

Symptoms of the returning season of Christmas are
approaching, for the rustics are standing at the street
corners with boughs of clustering berry-holly with
pointed leaves, glossy laurel, and the pink-eyed laurii-
tina;—the cheesemonger packs a dandy sprig of ever-
green in the centre of his half butter tub, and hangs the
griskins and chines at his door-posts ; the show of
Christmas beasts is advertised, and graziers and come-
up-to-town farmers loiter here to see the prize cattle
adjudged to the best feeders; butchers begin to clear all
obstructions, and whiten their shambles, and strew saw•
(lust on the pavement, and to the avenues to the scales
and little counting-house box, in which sits the female
accountant " brisk as a bee" and full of the " Ready
Reckoner;" fishmongers are no less active in showing
the large eels and dainty fish that are fresh as a daisy;
sprats arrive in abundance, and are cried up and down
alleys and streets with wondrous competition; pew-
openers now buy yew, laurel, holly, and other ever-
greens to tie in bunches on the sconces and interior parts
of churches; poulterers are early at market, and their
shops hung up to the first story with all the varieties of
ornithology; the greengrocer is decorating his windows
with the best fruits and most attractive spices; and every
one everywhere appears disposed to provide himself with
all reasonable comforts and enjoy himself to the fullest
on Christmas Day.
HOLIDAY CHILDREN, BY LEIGH HUNT.

One of the most pleasing sights at this festive season
is the group of boys and girls returned from school. Go
where you will, a cluster of their joyous chubby faces
present themselves to our notice. In the streets, at the
panorama, or play-house, our elbows are constantly as-
sailed by some eager urchin whose eyes just peep be-
❑eath to get a nearer view. I am more delighted in
watching the vivacious workings of their ingenuous
countenances at these Christmas shows than at the sights
themselves.

From the first joyous huzzas and loud-blown horns
which announce their arrival, to the faint attempts at
similar mirth in their return, I am interested in these
youngsters.
Observe tthe line of chaises with ;their swarm like
loads hurrying to tender and exulting toarents, the sickly
to be cherished, the strong to be amused ; in a few
mornings you shall see them, new clothes, warm gloves,
gathering around their mother at every toy-shop,
claiming the promised bat, hoop, top, or marbles ; mark
her kind smiles at their ecstacies ; her prudent shake of
the head at their multitudinous demands : her gradual
yielding as they coaxingly drag her in her patience with
their whims and clamour, while they turn and toss over
the playthings, as now a sword, and now a hoop is their
choice, and like their elders the possession of one bauble
does but make them sigh for another.
View the fond father, his pet girl by the hand, his
boys walking before, on whom his proud eye rests,
while ambitious views float o'er his mind for them, and
make him but half attentive to their repeated inquiries ;
while at the museum or picture gallery his explanations
are interrupted by the rapture of discovering that his
children are already made acquainted with the different
subjects exhibited. Stretching half o►er the boxes at
the theatre, adorned by maternal love, see their enrap-
tured faces now turned to the galleries, wondering at
their height and at the number of regularly placed heads
contained in them, now directed towards the green
cloud which is so lingeringly kept between them and
their promised bliss. The half-peeled orange laid aside
when the play begins; their anxiety for that which they
understand ; their honest laughter which runs through
the house like a merry peal of sweet bells ; the fear of
the little girl lest they should discover the person hid
behind the screen ; the exultation of the boy when the
hero conquers. But, oh, the rapture when the panto-
mime commences I ready to leap out of the box, they
joy in the mischiefs of the clowns, laugh at the
thwacks he gets for his meddling, and feel no
small portion of contempt for his ignorance in not
knowing that hot water will scald and gunpowder
explode ; while with head aside to give fresh energy
to the strokes, they wring their little palms against each
other in testimony of inherent delight. Who can behold
them without reflecting on the many passions that now
lie dormant in their bosoms, to be in a few years agitat-
ing themselves and the:world. Here the coquette begins
to appear in the attention paid to a lace frock or kid
gloves for the first time displayed, or the domestic tyrant
in the selfish boy, who snatches the largest cake, or
thrusts his younger brother and sister from the best
place. At no season of the year are their holidays so
replete with pleasure; the expected Christmas- box from
grandpapa and grandmamma; plum-pudding and snap•
dragon, with blind man's buff and forfeits; perhaps to
witness a juvenile play rehearsed and ranted; galantea
show and drawing for twelfth-cake; besides Christmas
gambols in abundance, new and old. Even the poor
charity boy at this season feels a transient glow of cheer-
fulness, as with pale blue face, frost-nipped hands, and
ungreatcoated, from door to door, he timidly displays
the unblotted scutchecm of his graphic talent, and feels
that the pains bestowed are his own, and that for once
in his life he may taste the often desired tart, or spin a
top, which no one can snatch from him in capricious
tyranny.
We must nave conclude, our space being exhausted,
but not without wishing heartily to our readers—" A
MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

REDUCTION IN CAB FARES.—Yesterday several
cabs, with placards announcing that they were running
at 6d. a mile, were conveying passengers at that rate in
different parts of the metropolis, much to the chagrin of
the rest of the fraternity, who greeted the drivers of
those vehicles, as they passed the different cab ranks,
with jeers and shouts of derision.