Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-12-29
CHRISTMAS.

As the season is upon us We pluck from an old
book on our shelves some extracts bearing upon the
holiday of tho Nativity. The thoughts are English
but will not come nmiss to American readers:
"Drcary would December be, did it not bring with
it merry Christmas, with its holly and ivy. aud mis-
tetoe through the leaves Of which peep the scarlet
and purple. and dull white berries, giving green
and Summon appearance to our rooms, and throwing
| cheerfuness around our hearts. We see the laden
coach rolling past our window, piled high with game,
haros, and pheasants, and grea: white geete, and
bluck turkeys, whose pluinage the wind blows back
they swing suspended from the roof; conjurng up
visions of huge comfortable fires, widespread table,
and happy aces all congregated to do honour to good
Old Christmas. whom Suutbey has beautifully drawn
seated beside the -heaped hearth in his greut
armed-chair watching the children ut their sports, or
pausing ut times to stir the hugo fire, and every
mud then slipping the bright brown nls For nights
before the hnppy arrives, we hear the village
BELLS awakening the surrounding silence by their sill
music, and throwing cheerful sound the
Wild winry landscape. When the morning of that
Old and huly day arrives we hear the rustic wsits
chanting some simple Christmas carol, as they stand
in the grey moonlight at the front Of the picturesque
parsonage house, telling how Christ WAS on that day
born and that while shepherds attending their
focks by night the Angel Of the Lord descended, aud
proclaimed tidnss OF peace and good will to nll man
kind. How plaiutive and tremulous do those old
peacefully into the heart, and filling the soul with
holy and rcverontal awe; and, whils the cock from
the ne shb1urng farm makes answer to the csrol of
the village waits, recSl that exquisite passage Of
Shakspere. in which, allulug to old supersti-
ton, he Gays:
"Some say, that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein SavourS birth is celebrated,
This bird Of dawniny sngcth all night long,"
"Fron the first Introduction Of Christianity into
these islands," says the Book of Christmas, "the
period Of the Nativity seems to have been kept as
season Of festival and its observance recognized az
matter Of state. The Witenagemots of our Saxon
ancestors were held under thu solemn sanction and
beneiccnt influence Of the time and the series Of
high festivities established hy the Anglo Saxon kings
appear o have been continued with yearly ucrea sing
spendour and multiplied ceremonies under tue mnn-
archs of the Norman From the Court the spirit
of rev-lry descended, y NIL its Thousands of srtere.
throughout the universal frame uf socuty, Writing its
furthest extremities and obscure rerossos and
every where exhibiting it, action by 20 many pull
ses upon the traditions, and supcrstitons, and Gus
toms which were common to all or peculiar tu EACH
The pomp and ceremonial Of the Royal observance
we're initiated in the splendid establishments of the
more wealthy mobiles, and fur family reflected
from tue diminished state Of the petty baron. The
reverics of the GlrOnia castle found echoes in the
hall of the old manor house, and those were again
repeated in tho tapestried chamber of the country
magistrate. from tho sauded parlour Of the village
inn merrment every where matter of public
cOucernmeut, and the spirit which assemblies men in
families now congregatcd them by districts then.
Such. indeed, the merry Christmas of the ol,len
time. The whole wide country was then filled with
reioicng in the hammered hall the long tabes were
spresd on tho ancient anl the antlcrs of the
wild deer, holly, and ivy, and misetoe were placed
the huge yue log went roaring UP the wide old fash
oned chinneys. and cold although it might be With
out all was anl comfortable within. The largo
wassail. bowl load Of itself when full-was passed
round and each one before he drank, stirred up the
rich spices with sprg of rosemary, whilo the cooks
(says un old writcr) "uoked us black and grensy
3 Wolsh porrdge-pot" Ruast gooso and ruast beef,
minced pies. the famous hoars head, plum pOrridge,
and plum pudding, together with end uf sausages,
aud drinks Of every description, but chief Of ull
the bowl of lambs wool" seem to have formed the
staple luxuries Of old Christmas dinner. But even
more than two hundred years ago the cry raised,
as DID, good old Christmas gone ?-nothing but tho
hair of his good, grave, old head and heard lsft"
Or VIC turn to those by-gone times, 20 beautifully
and f.elingy described by Irving, who says -
"Christmas seemcd to throw open every door, and
unlock every heart 1t brought the peasant and the
pcor together, and blended ull ranks in ono warm
Generous flow of joy and kindness. The old halls of
ca.tlcs and manor houses res0unded with the harp
and the Christmas carol, and their ample bUards
prosned with the weight Of hospitality. Even tho
noor,st cottage welcomed the festive senson with
rrocn decorations Of hay and holly; the cheerful FIRE
enucsd its rays through the lattice, inviting the pas
seprcr to raise the latch and join the gossip knot
huddlu round the hearth, beguiing the long evening
with Legendary jokes and ofttold Christmas tales."
In our eye, Christmas never looks so beautiful as
when it has been ushered in by snow, and frost, AMI
rims; wLsu the thatched roofs of the cottages
vbitene over and the branches Of the trees laden
with feathery flakes; when tho ivy that covers the
grey and beaten church porch s half buried
beneath the weight of accumulated snow, If
Nature, In awe to Him,
Had doff u her gaudy trim,