Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1849-12-26
nj | S G Il l. J. A N Y.
FROM rETERsoN's MAGAZINE.
CHRISTMAS WAITS.


From the earliest times, the period Of the Naliv
ity has been kept, among all Christian nations as
season of festival. In Engl land, the Wienapemois
oil our Saxon ancestors were held under the solemn
sanction and beneliccnt influence of The time and
the series of high festivities established by the An
glo-SaNOn kings appear 10 have been continued with
yearly increasing spendor and multiplied ceremo-
MES under the monarchs of the Norman race From
the court the spirit Of revary descended by all its
thousand arteries, throughout the universal frame OF
society, visiting It's furthest eXtremilies and most
obscure recesses and everywhere exhibiting its ac
ton, as 10y so many pulses, upon the traditions and
supcrsiilions, and customs which Were common to
all or peculiar 10 EACH The pomp and ceremonial
OF the royal observance inflated in the splen-
did establishments of the more wealthy mobiles. and
far more family reelected from the diminished state
of the petty lord. The reve'ries OF the baronal
castle found echoes in The hall of the old manor-
house and these were again repeated in the tapes-
tired chamber of the country mag stratc, from the
| sanded parlor of The village inn merriment was
everywhere Matter of public concern, and the
! spirit which assemblies men in families now, con .
gregated them by districts then.
| In the oden time Christmas was far more hiIar-
ionsly observed than now. The whole wide coun-
try was then filled with rejoicing: in the hammered
hall the long tables spread on the ancient ar
NOR and line aniers of the wild deer holly and
ivy, and mis,letoe were placed the huge yule log
went roaring up the wide old fashioned chmnies
and cold although might be without, all was warm
and comfortable within. The large wassail bowl
"a load Of itself when fu-was passed round, and
each one before he drank, stirred up the rich spices
with sprg of rosemary Roast goose and roast
beef, minced pies, the famous boar's head, plum
porridge, and plum pudding, together with no end
of sausages, and drinks of every description, but,
chief of all, the "bowl of lambs wool - seemed to
have formed the staple luXuries OF an old Christ
mas dinner
| Among the customs, in the olden time and ap-
prOprlate TO The season. that of parties of must
clans making the tour of the village on Christmas
morning. before day, 10 visit all the principal houses
but especially The manor-h hall. In some parts Of
England the observance is still kept up, under the
appropriate name off, Christmas Waits" Thomas
Mar, the poet, thus describes il 81 Hush hush
Those are the village waits, not your noisy musi-
clans, whose clamor arouses whole neighborhood
bnt those who 90 from hamlet TO hamlet all night
long, chanting such carols as our pios foefathers
loved to listen 10 in those good old days when
Christmas was not only holiday, but holy time
Let upliit the corner Of The white bind gently
Although they hope that all listening, they
would but feel uneasy to know that they were over
looked. We shall Ge very glad TO see them ON
boxing day, when they will come round and simply
announce themselves as the waits then we can re-
ward them for the pleasure they have afforded u.s.
A few old-iashioned doors will be opened, where
they will be cheeTed with elder wine, spccd ale
and PLAN cake they know ihe houses. There are
those who make point Of sitting up 10 receive
them cold although the night may be, they will
not lack bodily comfort. How sweetly the moon
light sleeps upon the uDtrodden snow !; kept fall
ing until twelve O'Clock and !hen the queen o. the
stars came out adorned with more than her usual
brllliancy. 1t is just such Christmas morning as
lover ofold customs would for cold, frosty
and bright How the snow will crunch bcreaih
the feet at daylight! Bat they are gone you can
just hear their voices at intervals, sounding family
over the snDw, when the red cock that crows from
the faroff farm is silent. for they singing
at the lonely grange beside the wood The old far
mer who resides there would never fancy that it
was Christmas unless he heard the waits Rumor,
who is a sanderer, does say that when they have
left his old fashioned parlor they never again sing
in tune--hat bass is heard in place of tenor. and
treble gets his part before the others have well
begun-and that, when complaints are made the
next morning, the only answer is, Christmas comes
but once year"