Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-12-25

pleased with the custom of decorating houses
and churches, in fact almost everything, with
evergreens, bu. majority may no. know
the origin of the custom. Among the Ro-
mans, it will be recoIlected, the laurel was
at once the emblem of Joy, peace, and VIC
tory from which it has been copiectured
that we have taken up the custom of deco
ting our houses with laurel on the anniver-
ssry OF the Nativity, as the emblem of that
''peace on earth and good will to men," and
The victory gained over the powers of dark
ness, which were sung by the angels over
the fields of BeIhlahem. Other evergreens
beside the laurel were afterwards added
Another custom is the bestowal of presents.
Every child expects to wake in the morn
ing and find its little box mysteriously filed
by good Saint Nicholas, who has come in
at the chimney top. In olden times the
Christmas box was placed in position to
receive contributions of money, which went
to the priest for masses to be said for the
sins Of the people. Servants were also al
lowed 10 collect money in this manner, 10
pay for paternosters TO wipe out their little
offences. Hence our modern Christmas
box. Anciensly, in the feudal hall, the grea.
feature of the Christmas supper was the
boar's head soused, which was carried to
the table in grand state and with much cere-
mony. And the et-ce,eras Of the feast were
to match, the wassil-bowl circulated, and
gave spirit 10 the feast, and 10 the chanting
of the Christmas carol. But modern times
have substituted the turkey for the boar's
head,-in truth an uncoulh dish for modern
dies,-and perhaps drop of wine in place
Of the huge bowl. The second line we
have quoted a, the head Of this article may
be enigmaical TO some. 1t was once, and
we Think it is now, in England, the custom,
on the vigil preceding Christmas, to light
candles of large size, with much ceremo-
ny, to lay log on the fire, called the yule-
log, which was lit with The brand of the
|yule-log IF !e year before. Irving has
written some beautiful things of this and
other Christmas sports in England. "The
Christmas CAROL" (derlved from caniare, to
sing, and roza, an in,erjeclion Of joy,) says
an author before US, sis Of very ancient date.
Bishop Taylor says the Gloria in Excelsis.
the weil-known hymn sung by the shepherds,
was the earlies. Christmas CAROL" In 9th
er times bishops were accustomed 10 sing
these can,icles to the priests. In 1921 a
a set of these canticles were printed
They were then lestal rather than religious
songs.
The following description Of Christmas
in Burgundy is from NJ. Fertiaul,'s Coup
dell sur les .Noe1s en- Bourgogne, prefxed
to the Paris edition of Les .Noels Bomreui-
gnons de Bernard de la .Monnoye Gm b.
rozaiJ 1912.
every year, at the approach Of Advent
people refresh their memories, clear their
'hroa's, and begin preludng, in the long
evenings by the fireside, those carols whose
inyariable and eternal theme is the coming
of Messiah. They take from old closets
pamphlets, little collections begrimed with
dust and smoke, to which the press, and
sometimes the pen, has assigned these songs;
and as soon as the first Sunday of advent
sounds, they gossip, they CAD about they
sit toghether by the Preside sometimes at
one house, sometimes at another, taking
turns in paying for the white wine, but sing
ing with one common voice the grotesOue
praises of little Jesus. There are few villa
ges even, which at this epoch, -during all
the evenings Of Advent, do not hear some
Of these curious canticles shouted in their
streets to the nasal sound Of the bagpipes.
In this case the minstrel comes as REIN
forcement 10 the singers at the freside :: he
brings and adds his dose of JOY (sponane-
Gus or mercenary. ii matters little which,
TO the Joy which breathes around the hearth
stone and when the voices Vibrate and re-
sound, one voice more is always welcome.
There, lis not the purity of the noes which
makes the concert, but the quan,ty,-non
quaAtas sed qaantitas then, Ito finish a,
once with the minis,rel,) when the Saviour
has at length been born in the manager, and
the beautiful Christmas Eve is past, the rus
tic piper makes his round among the houses,
and moreover, gives him small COIN the
price of the shrilI notes with which he has
enlivened the evening entertainment.
'More or less, until Christmas Eve, all
goes on in this way among our devout sing
els, with the difference of some gallons Of
wine or some hundreds Of ches,nuls. But
this famous Eve once come, the scale is
pitched on higher key; the closing even
ing must be memorable one. The toilet
is begun a, nigh,faIl; then comes The hour
Of supper, admonnishing divers appe,,es;
and groups as numerous as possible are
formed to take together this comfortable
evening repas,. The supper finished, cir
Gle gathering round the hearth, which is ar
ranged and set in order this evening after
a peculiar fashion, and which at late hour
of the night is to become the object of spe-
cial interest to the children. On the burn
ing brands an enormous log has been placed.
This log assuredly does not change its ma
ture, but it changes its name during this
evening, it is called the Suche Che Y ule-log,
Look you," they say to the children "if