Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-02-05
From the Philadelphia Bulletin
Christmas.

An English writer has entered with
some learning and care lnto the history
or traditions of Christmas and It's observ-
ances. He says that December, which
was named by the Romans because it was
the tenth month from March. with which
their year begun. WAS called by our An
! Clio forefalhers ChriStn>ouot- because in
this IN nth Christ WAS born D|mtcr-
nontb, or KiduinteymonM, or Girl kro,
meaning the first or former Giul I was
the fast Of Thor. and was celebrated il.
/ the -Uohern;ght. that is to say, at the sum
MGR soils ice.
In he p I'M I've church Chris ms day
WAS awl.s Observed us Il Slb1l.h, al
hence. lihe o.hcr Lori's days, it was pr
cr led hy an eve If Vi il as an occ.,si -
.f prep Mig fr The d,y f,i,win-s No
rs ivaI f ,hc church WIS at en led by
more p,pa!ar sap,rs;ii ion AM "bse. y
aaccs, the cc.cm ,3.s of the Sa urn..i1
! tom which it MAS Ie.ivel bang imprpyel
upon by Chiio ian al Drul ,,.l Il !! ii Ions
TIE day of this vigil WAS pssscI il the
ordi larv manner, ba, il tie evcains the
sport begun; abou 7 or 9o'ci1rk ho cakes
were ti.tAn from tie oven: ale c ler AMI
spill 5 went freely rom |; AMI the carol
singing commenced. which WIS continued
through he greater para OF the nj sht
The connexion Of the festival with the
Slturm,la has never been disputed by
those competent To form Il ia lsmrnt. an
in some exis ing go5 55ervanc,', il trancohii
| the traces of il are unirti .be. In the
nights Of the three Thursdays piece Ing
tie Nativity. the young OF either sex -
about ben ins at the doors OF The houses,
singing the near birth of oar Savior, and
wishin.; the inhabi ants happy new year,
/ for which in re urn they a.e p.esea.e vi h
pears, apples, NUS ami money. VIII
what j.. in the churches not Only the
priests. but the people also. receive the
bir hday Of Chiist. may be nierlel from
this Shat the image of Il new born child
being placed upon the altar, they dance
ana chant as they circle rounl il, w"ile
the elders sing.
In aldi,ion TO what has been here al
vanceI. we have the unques ionabe au ho-
rily of Be1e for asserting that i; had been
observed in England lon5 b fore The heath
en Saxens. They called 1t, he says, the
Nother-n;yht, or Nfgh Of -uotterS, and
probably on account of the ceremonies
used by them during their vigil. But, in
fact. though particular portions of this ies
1 tiyal may be traced to the Romans or to
the aDcicnt SaXons, the root of the whole
affair lies much deeper, and it is to be
sought in far more remoter periods. II
was clearly in lis origin Astronomical
observance to celebrate the winter sols Ice
and the consequently approaching prnlon-
CATION of tie days, is IS demonstrated by
the emblema;ic Christmas candles and
Yule-lcgs. the symbols of increasing light
and heat. These Christmas canlles, tho
now out of date were of immense size.
and not a few in number, the houses being
very generally Illuminated with them. The
! Church, too, al"pteJ the same custom.
but have especial reasons of lis own for
such observance; the Apostles as they
explained il, were the i,ht of the world;
and rs our Savior was also called tie t.gAt
So his coming was typihei by these en-
bems. In the butIery OF ST. Johns Col
lese OXf rd. there is Yet TO be seen IN
"anci.nt candle socket of stone, ornament
ed with he pictures of the Hoty Loneb.-
1t WAS formerly used TO burn the Chit
mas candle in. OH the high table, during
h, twelve nj shis of that festival
/ For similar reasons they lighted tie
luie lag or Iute tag. f,r The words are
E svnonomous. o. iheSe occasions he pg
WAS usunily aS l,r.r as he lcarth woull
Il Inn. If, or h. mcais # thc lcl 'ircrs
coal supp'v, ~ in some # the nor hcsn
c'un is il Elslmi, 80 org AS tie lpg
la> el ia" servan ) were on i.ieI to ale IL
their meals \ one time custom nrs-
Sc i5"l that it shoull be lish el with n
branl "f las years block. which hal hren
carefully pa. by and preserved for tha.
purpose
! A ous'om no less general is the dress
+ Ing ap ot houses, par irulalIy ia he balls
an II ki.chcus, vi h brauc.,,-s of holly, Ky.
bays. aud rosemary, the two lass men