Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-28
Aitbmono enquirer.
BY RiTcHIE. DUNNAvANT. TYLER WISE
TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER rs.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ouR READERS

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO oUR READERS.
Neither desiring or expecting any man L
consider political. commercial or mone,ar.
affairs On this day Of general holiday. We hav
not chosen 10 ill our editorial column, will
matter so little suited 10 the occasion.
The antiquity Of this festival is very great
and the first alusion TO il we find is in III,
second century. about the time Of the Emperor
Commodus decrcetal orders-indccd, carry il
Up little higher 10 the days Of Antoniu:
Plus. and we have melancholy proof that il
was observed among the followers Of Christ
prior to the time Of Constantine; for. under
Dioclcsian. Christians were prosecuted for OBJ.
srrvin. Christs nativity.
This day, celebrated from an early period
by religious ceremonies. from which the name
; OF the lay is taken. ha, also for very long
/ time been the occasion Of popular festivities OF
the most extravagant kind. But. Tor the last
hundred years, the festivities once appropria.
tel TO this day have very greatly fallen Of
now no yule,og briyhtens on the domestic
hearth, and with lis genial warmth spreads
. contcntment and happiness around the family
circlc-no Christmas carols now enliycn the
festivities Of thi, day. anl Lord, Of misrule
and "ibbots OF unrcason neither rel sn in mcr-
ry England or iuld Scotland.
Times have changed. the festivities Of Christ
mas have changed with them. hut it may not
be unintcrcs;ns at this time /, take short
retrospect Of the festivitie, with which this
day was once celebrated.
In former times. the celebration Of Christ.
mas vas begun in the latter part Of the pre-.
vou, ,lay-Christmas eve The house was first
dcchcd with holly, ivy, and other crergrccnS.
Candles of an enormous size were then lighted,
under the name Of Christmas candles an
enormous log, called the Yulclog. or Christ
mas. block, was laid upon the fire; the people
sat round regaling themselves with bccr--unt
Layer, we hope. Eggnos is modern inno-
vation, and we arc not disposed 10 say. a lie.
neiic;al one Irish whiskcy punch IS decided
improvement upon both. But. To resume the
festivities Of the oldcn times. small parties Of
snng>,crs. in the course Of the night, went
through the city. from house to house, singing
what were called Christmas rarolS--simple.
popular d;ttic>, inl Of joyful illusions to the
great gift from God 10 man in the Rcdeemcr
Lords Of misru!c" were elected in every house.
from the monarch 20 the peasant, and even
among the monaStcries OF Scotland the Abbot
Of Unrcason" presided over the festivities which
sladdencd Christmas holidays. The particular
functions Of the abbot Of Lnrca>on have
been most graphically portrayed by Scott, III
his novel Of THE Abbot Under the sovc-
reign direction Of thi, dsu;tary Christmas
games were carried TO all manner Of extra'a'
gancc At this season license Of al! kind pre-
vailed; dignity was laid aside, and ceremony
forgotten, and 50 grea, was the latitude allowed
that "gcm5lers were permitted to come to the
city and walk about openly for certain num-
her of days" This license for gamblers is not
confined to Christmas in Richmond. We would
permit this license at Christmas. il the Mayor
would see that il vas not exercised on every
other day.
The "MiStlctoe bough' was hung on every
wall. and many lass kissed in the license Of
the Christmas festivities; though now no
Mistlcioc .races the walls. we are not prepared
to say this ancient branch Of the Christmas
festivities has been altogether abandoned in
orr u,ilitarian aye. We arc rather inclined to
believe that y;iet Of the amusement still exists
without the "Mistletoc' inculnbrance.
But all these games and pasttmcs ola former
ayr have passed away; plum pudding,
mince pie. bowl Of esg-nog., few s',', and
batch OF bad smelling fire crackers, make the
Christmas of this enlightened age. But. what
ever the times may make it, We wish all orr
reader, "a merry Christmas and happy New
Year