Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-12-25
Christmas.

As each succeeding year rolls by there to be
more and more desire on the part Of New England
people, to conquer the prejndces" with which Our
puritan ancestors regarded the leputed anniversary
Of the birth OF Christ and make it, nearly all other
Christian communities for centuries have done,
season Of religious devotion and social enjoyment
The peculiar spite which the Pilgrim Fathers oil
New England had against the observance of the
day, seems to have arisen from their contempt and
hatred Of every thing savorng Of the Institutions
papacy, and as Christmas had ever been regarded
by the mother Church as the chief among holy-days
il fell under the ban Of their displease along with
all the other institutions Of prelacy.
In all the States Of the Union, except in New
England, the day is regarded as Of the bright
est in the calendar, and young and old look orwar,
its coming, with joyful anticpations, Cor its retur
has become associated with the spirit OF kindnes
and charity, and all The gladstone pleasures, and en-
dearments (which circle about the home and Preside
For our part, we do not regret this growing de-
sire, manifested on the part Of our people, to
another day from the care and hustle of bushes
life, and devote its hours to relaxation and enjoy
between and when we have so many and valid rea-
sons, for uniting with the rest Of mankind in 9Th,
almost universal observance ofttis dayas holy.dav
we cannot feel sorry tn the good Fold customs OF
Anglo Saxon ancestors, connected with its obser
vance, dating further back than the purilans, ar
in some degree revived among us, their descendants
What those customs were, has been handed dow
TO Us upon many historic page, and in the sweetes
and most melIifuous verse. AS far back as 1858
an English poet, George Withers, gives a beautiful
description Of the Christmas holy day in his time
He describes the and door posts as beng dec
GRATED with sprigs of holly, and the brows of reve
lers as being bound with wreaths ofevergreeo Th,
fires blazing with the Christmas block Of wood;
the ovens were smoking with the Christmas joint
and the splits turning with the Christmas fowl
All the young folks were fixed up in their handsom-
est atres, and went through the towns and villages
making merry music behind the pipe and tabor
1a1e s0as general cessation from litigation, dis
traa, and all other social and legal e,ils ON this day.
and those ,OO, all the gear. he'd scarcely bread to cal
clothes to avear, had both clothes and dainty fair on
Christmas.
And who shall say that such customs as those we
have Italicsed, are not honorable and eleyating in
their observance. day of''general cessation from
litigation" day. in which The spirit Of Brother.
hood voluntarily prompts all men to provide for the
enjoyment of the poor and needy;-surely if such
deeds and such sentiments the offspring Of Christ
mas observance, and we know they have been. then
let US have merry Christmas year, and make
the most Of it. 1t not whether the day that
we observe is the precise anniversary of the day on
whch the Savior born, or Motif its obsee-
vance can in any way be made instrumental in i'm.
parting to our lives, of His spirit than we now
possess, if shall serve The means Of enkindIing
in hearts better and more kindly feelings, lift
shall remind us more forciby Of the great inherit
ance we have received from God, in the gift of his
Son our Savior, or il il only draw us aside for a
.iays from the turmoil of busy life, to the contempa-
sion Of other and less temporal concerns, then will
the end Of its observance be well answered and ours
will be indeed, merry Christmas.