The Nevada journal., 1860-12-28
FRIDAY moRNING, DEC. %, 1860.
CHRrsrAAs.-The annual Christmas me,,

CHRrsrMAs.-The annual Christmas mer.
fy-making is just passed. Old and young,
high and low, grave and gar, al partake of
the festivities of the tiase as their progeni-
tors have doae before them in the unnum-
be.ed cycles Of ages that are gone. The
memory of rnan runneth not back to the
origin of the custom. It is a good and
pleasant observance of day consecrated
to JOY and gladness by immemorial usage.
and let the custom remain to give delight
10 generations yet unborn, even to the end
OF time. Nevertheless it mag not be i'm
proper to examine the pepular belief rela-
tive to the origin of Christmas as a chris
'ian holiday. We have been taught to re-
gard it as the auspicious morn on which
Christ first opened his eyes on this sin
cursed earth. Happy as may be all the as
sociations connected with such teachings, it
is probably fiction. The precise day on
which the Savior frst.saw light, is in OBJ
security. The 25th of December was Fixed
by the Romans who had no reliable infor-
nation on the question, and certainly are
no better authority On the point than the
christian churches of olden time. Gibbon
observes that the churches of Egypt, Asia,
and perhaps Gaul, celebrated on the same
day (the sixth of january the nativity and
baptism of their Savior. From this it
would appear that Christmas and Epiphany
by these churches were formerly observed
as one
1t is probable the Romans placed the
event of the birth of Christ on the 25th of
December to make it conform to the festi-
val Of the birth of the sun observed by the
Pagan world at the Winter Solstice, and in
some respects the Saturnalia and Christmas
rites much resemble each other The Pa
gan festival was the most noted of any in
the Roman calendar, and was at first cee-
brated on the 10Th of December, but by
order of Caligula and Claudius it was ex-
tended to seven days ending on the 25th.-
This was holy or happy week, preceding
nHa SdNNCCOluS INC pOlSllCc7
which presents were exchanged, slaves sat
at the table with, and were even waited
upon by, their masters, peace reigned and
all was mirth and happiness.
Among the ScandinaYians the feast of
Thor, corresponding with the feast of the
Romans in honor of Saturn, occurred at the
animal cuttinr of ti.a m ;o+1atoo nv, +bo c;v h
day of the moon nearest the new year
The Druids heldan annual festival at about
the same time. 1t seems, therefore, proba-
BILE that day of 'peace on earth and good
will to men corresponding in great de-
gree to our Christmas both in point of time
and nature of its observances, was celebra-
ted by the inhabitants of Europe, and per-
haps the whole world before the introduc-
tion of christianity, and it is not at all un-
likely that the primitive christians in cele-
Grating Christmas, or the day of the nativ-
lty OF Christ, were but continuing custom
received from their pagan progenitors only
ascribing to it a character in consonance
with the new faith.
How it may be matters not Christmas
is season of happy reunions, of innocent
delights, of pleasant memories. May it be
so forever. May tables be loaded and more
Punches write impromptus after Christmas
dinners-as did Punch the Great,
e 1t may not be--go mridons, go,
Nor tempt me to the mistetee;
I once could dance beneath its bough
But must not, win not, can not now
weight--a load within l bear;
1t is not madness nor despair;
But l require to be at rest,
So that ,ny burden may-digest."