The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-01-01
Christmas.

American Cyclopedia
Christmas (Christ and mass) festival of
tho Christian church, observed on Dec. 25,
as tho anniversary of the birth Of tho Sa.
yiour. Its institution ia attributed by tho
decrotal lotters to Popo Toesphorus, who
died A. ID. 1873, and throughout tho subse-
qnent history of tho church It has bcon one
of the most noted Of Christian solemnilies.
Al first it was tho most movable of Chris.
tian days, often confounded with the Epph-
any and celebrated by tho eastern churches
in tho months of April and May. In tho
4tb century tho urgency of St. Cyril of Je
rusalcm obtained from Popo Julius l, an or
dor for an investigation to DO made con.
cerning the day of Christ's nativity. The
result of the inquiry by the theologians of
the East and the West was an agreement
upon tho 25lh of December. The chief
grounds lot the decision wero the tables of
the ccnsors in the archives of Rome and
although, in the opinion of some of the
fathers, there was not authentic proof OF
tho Identification of tho day, yet tho decision
was uniformly accepted, and from thar time
the nativity has beon celebrated throughout
| tho church on the Same day. 1t has also
been common tradition that Christ was born
about the middle of the night. Tho custom
in Roman Catholic countries of ushcriug in
Christmas day by the celebration o. mass
es, one at midnight, the I'd at early dawn,
and the Sd in the morning, dates from the
9th century. The day was considered in
the double light of holy commcmoration
and cheerful festival, and was accordingly
distinguished By devotion, by vacation from
| business, aud by merrmont. During the
middle ages, it was Gel ebtatcd by tho gay,
| fantastic spectacle of dramatic mysteries
and moralities. performed by personages in
grotcsque mask and singular costumes. The
scenery usually represented an infant in a
cradle, surrounded by the Virgin Mary und
ST. Joseph, by bulls heads, cherubs, eastern
magi, and manifold ornaments, The Gus
tom of singing canticles at Christmas, called
carols, which recalled tho songs of shepards
at tho birth of Christ. dates from the time
wnen the common people ceased to under
stand Latin. The bishops and lower clergy
often joined with the populace in caroling,
and tho songs were onivened by dances
and by the music Of tambours, guitars, vio-
lips. and organs. Fathers. m others, sons
and daughters mingled together in the
dance; if in tho night, each bearing in his
hand a lighted wax taper.
Among the reves of tho Christmas sea
son were the so called feass of fools and
of asses groiesque saturnalia, which were
sometimes termed December liberties" ir
which ovory thing was burlesqucd, inioriori
personiiying tho superors. groat men be
coming frolicsome, and which illustrate tbt
pronenoss of man to occasionally reverse th'
order of society and ridcule its dozen ces
In tho Protestant districts of Germany anC
the north of Europe, Christmas is offer
called toe "children's festival" and Christ
mas eve is devoted to giving presents, es
pecially between parents and children, nnt
brothers and sisters, by means of the 80
called Christmas tree. A large yew bougl
is erected in tho parlors, lighted with taPers
and hung with manifold gifts .sweetneats
apples, nuts, playthings, and ornaments
Each of these is marked with tho namo o
, the person for whom it is intended, but no
with name of tho donor, and when the who'll
family party is assembled, the presents are
distributed around tho room according tt
. their labels, amid joyful acclamations ant
ceeds, for tho mother takes this occasion t.
say privately to tho daughters, and the faith
or to the sons. what has been Observed mos
praiseworthy and what most faulty in ,hei
> conduct.
:, Christmas has always been at once re
: ligious, domestic, and merry making festi
- val in England, equally for every rank ant
, every age. Tho reyels used to begin o.
= Christmas eve, and continued oflon I'll
:, Candlemas (Feb 81 every day being hol
day till twelftb-night (Jan) In the house
, of tho mobiles "lord of misrule, or 'abbo
of unreason." was appointed, whose ofiic
. was ''to make the rarest pastimos, to deligh
-. the beholder," and whose dominion Taste
from "Ail hallow eve" tOct 3D till Can
: dlemas day. The larder was filled with ca
n pons, hens. turkeys, geese, ducks, beef, mu
o ton, pork, pies, puddings, nuts, plums, 81
y gar and honey. The Italians have the TO
!, lowing proverb: "lIe has more busine'
/. than English ovens at Christmas Til
tenants wore entertained at the hall; an
- the lord of the manor and his family ever
art conducive to mirth.
"A On Christmas eve the bells were rung;
"A On Christmas eyo tho mass was sung
=, That only night in all the year,
40 Saw the stolid priest the chaice rear,
of Then opened wide the baron's ba Il,
Lo To vassal, tenant. serf, and all
b. Power laid his rod of rule aside,
70 And ceremony doifed his pride.
- Tho heir, with roses in his shoes,
That night might village partner choos
All hailed, with uncomfortable delight
is And general voice, the happy night
or That to the cottage, as the crown
u Brought tldiugs of salvation down.