The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-12-24
LOCAL NEWS.
NEW YORK AND THE VICINITY.

tHRIsTMAs-Irs CELEBRATION AMoSG THE
hScIKN1p- How Tns DAY WILL m OnsxnvKp IN
Nav YoRE--CnuHcu sEnvroHs -PrrsrSr. NJ AKIsa,
TuEREy- -EArIs0, RIO Tomorrow viii be Christ
mas DAy-"Merry Christmas"-to which old and
young are 90 eagerly looking forward and
which every Christian nation In the world will CO.
lebrate. The custom Of observing Christmas q
holy day IL common with all Christian denomina-
tons except the Calyinistic Protestauts who claim
that It's celebration is not warranted by Scripture.
In the Catholic Church the ceremonies which usher
In the day are peculiarly solemn and imposing. In
each church ls placed q representation Of tho man
yer in which tho infant Jesus was laid aftcr Ills
birth, and mass ia sung at midnight TO usher In tho
Joyful day. The question ss b. whether Chrirt was
really horn on the 2hth December has long
been agitatod. Tho evidence bolng conflicting aud
conhisod besides Long only tradtionsl In early
times the event was ny some celebrated on the lst
or 9Th ~ January by others on the 9th Of March,
the period Of the Jewish Passover; while others
observed It on the anniversary u the Feast Of tho
Tabernacle t99lh s'p..) Christmas, or the winter
e1lsiico festival, was called Yule by the saxona.
and Ia 40 called 10 the present day. The festival
received It's name from haing the turning point ~
tho year, tho nnrno being derived from the Gothic
gdt or ytut-the origin ~ the modern word wheel,
the sun At this time making revolution in his an
nual circuit and commencing h,s northern jour
neg. Down to the period Of the Reformation this
festival, enRrsfted the PAGAN rites of Yue,
tinuod to he celebrated with every mark of reioic-
ing. when tho new system Of faith adopted,
IN the l6.h century. the Lutheran aud Anglican
Vgla LaV.t Nba alalr Int bKiat
mas aud oiher festivals were denounced by
the Calyinistp, as suIers,iuous and uuscrip-
turn, Sunday only being retained. In the Low
lands OF Scotland, tho celebration of Christmas is
comparatively unknown, and the reioicings gcnor-
lilly take place on New Years Day, but In the High
lands and the County Of Fairfax, and one or two
other Districts the great Annu al merry making is
At Christmas. In England II considered luck y
for the festival 70 fsll Sunday, while u was con.
sidered tho reverse " 1t fell on Saturday, and to
| tus day in Doyonshlro II - believed that for The
snu to shine bright at noon on Christmas day, Is a
SURE sign of .ood crop Of apples in the following
! ycsr. In Bingham, too, no matter how famil ef
usY be separated during the year. they all endeavor
t. eat their Chrstnas dinner together Just as II Ia
with our "llauksgivlng" day.
nc llai lcf OF 'tltITAtlus Nnilftnhf NJ inc pres
| ent Jay ~ OF course widely different from thA
shove mentioned, and ia in this country nmos
entirely d.ves,cd Il superstition. The taimminF
Of churches with cyergreens IL st \ in vogue VIII
Catholic aud Ep scopal Denominations. In TIN
city tie churches beautifully decorated, snd Ap
proprac scnptnral notices put up in oil. Trini
| ~ Church, Trinity Chapel, 81, Johns and 81
PAuls Chapel, n. Anne's tdeai mutes, and other
are like little torests. Rev. DR.. Osgood's Church
up town, is really beautifully ornamented. Tn
Rov. gentleman, whose eoquence In worldwide
viii preach an appropriate sermon on the occasion
Among the Catholics st stephou's Church is beau
tifIlly decorated with flowers and evergreens, an
81. Mlry's, In Grand street, is Also handsomel
sforned. The services at Trinity Church will b
very interesting indeed New Christmas carol
viii be sung in tho morning, and st the regulA
service anthems appropriate 10 the day will b
sung. Dr Cutler viii preside Ut the organ, an
Mr George weaks, the principal tenor, will lea
the choir.
The secular observance Of Christmas will occu
on Monday, the merchants and manufacturer
having generally azreod TO suspend business o
all the departments connected with the city govern
mont will be closed on that day, This will be
cspitAl arrangement giving an opportunity
attend to the religious part II the celebration O
sundsy, and the secular part on Monday. To-ds
| Us hs crest day Of preparation, aud tho time &