Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-01-26
Letters from England.
KiSaswrsFonD, ourn-SrArroRpsurRE ,
Dec. n, 1884.


Dec. ~ 1884. !
Christmas
TON Editor and Readers of the Free Press.
Christmas Day and Good Friday may be le-
gully claimed as Holidays by every appren-
ticc and laborer in England. On these DAYS
public business is suspended, and "a n general
rule, all manner Of work ceases az complete
ly as on Sunday. Christmas in Old England
is something like Thanksgiving IN New Eng.
land-tho day for family reunions, for good
cheer and fircsile sports, the day when eve
ry one who has a home or friends in the
country, leaves all his carking cares behind
him in the town, and regales himself in the
kindly influences of rural mcrrymaking.
Accordingly Parliament was promptly adj
iourncd on Friday even the exigencics Of the
time would not justify tn, dissertation Of
Christmas week. The Minister'S Peers and
VI. P.'s left Downing Street and the squares
For their country houses. London was de-
serted. Today" said the Times on Satur-
day. " all the world goes down to the coun.
try Everything is arranged for the provin-
clal campaign; the guests are invited the
horses, dogs, keepers, birds. harcs. and foxes
are all at their posts the juvenile parties
and theatricals are in forward preparation ;
everybody of the least Importance Is three
weeks deep in engagements. Griffith went
down with the rest.
But even while Christmas was Il good way
oil, the Lpndoners had begun to make prepa-
rations for receiving it. All last week the
butchers and green grocers dccked their
shops and stalls with evergrcens Covent
Garden was full OF laurel, ivy, holly, and
mistletoe every shop-window had its sprig
and its mistletJs bOugl The markets had
become crowded to Overlooking with the i'm
mense concourse Of good things there was
no prospect Of the Cockneys " keeping Lent
the rest Of the year" according to the i'm
prccation Of the song, on account of the abb
scncc Of cheer ut Christmas.
But Christmas in the country is the proper
English Christmas Here the holly need not
be bougM it grows plentilully in the hedge
rows. noticed while riding to Church on
Christmas Day that the windows Of the
poorest cottages were tricked out with ever
greens, among which the holly and mistletoe
invariably appeared. Both these were con
nected with the Druidical worship, and the
superstition Of the early Brtons, and both
seem still to retain, especially among the
lower classes, something of their old asso-
Citations. The holly is found plentifully on
the continent but the mistletoc grows only in
Great Britain. 1t does not spring from the
ground, but from the bark of the oak and
applc-tree 1t grows in small punches, and
bears at this season small white wax-like
ucrry. Lnere Is an Ola custom sun remaining
in some localities, of placing a histetoe
hough over the middle of the room at Christ
mas, under which if maiden be caught, she
must pay the penalty Of a kiss.
Every one has heard of Christmas Carols
Like many other customs, Carol singing is
now confined to the humber classes, and is
only practised as Il means of getting a penny
or " pot of drink Yet you often hear
verses Of the genuine old Carols One of the
commonest is still the famous old one which
begins -