The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-12-25

tend to call FORTH realization may almost be found
of the angelic message to the shepherds Of Beth
lcEem-ssGlory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, goodwill toward men,
CHRISTMAS CAROLS
are as old, perhaps, as the event they commemo-
rate-when the morning stars sang together and
tho Of God shouted for JOY. Every poet almost,
sacred and profane, has contributed his mite on
the shrine Of the Saviour The old Latin coloc-
tons arc full of hymns on the Nativity. MmToN's
glorious composition is familiar to our readers
These carols are, OF course Of all kinds and Of
every degree OF literary mcrit to suit the several
classes Of society. very popular one com
mences thus
IT three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, Christmas day;
a# 1 saw throe ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, in the morning." etc.
Those carols are generally sung on Christmas
Eve, though in places the children rise early
on Christmas morning. go from house to house,
accompanied by band of music, bearing sprgs
of evergreens in their hands, and sing this welcome
to the day.
DICKENS Christmas Carols have introduced a
new species Of literature, one which we are
pleased to think, has done much good in dissent
mating principles Of love for our felow-noen, and
sympathy and help for the unfortunate. Charity is
the great keystone, around which al that immortal
writer's stories constructed. This lesson of
charity is SO obvious part Of the very festival
itself, that doom it unnecessary to say anything
further upon it at this time.
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
The decking Of churches houses and shops with
eve, greens at Christmas springs from period far
anterior to the revelation Of Christianity and seems
proximatcly to be derived from the custom preva-
lent during the Saturnalia Of the inhabitants of
Rome, ornamenting their temples and dwellings,
JoIt-
we find several early ecclesiastical councils pro
hibiting the members Of the church to initiate the
pagans in thus ornamenting their houses. But in
process Of time, the pagan custom was, like others
Of a similar origin, introduced into and incorpo-
rated with the ceremonies of the church itself.
The sanction Of Saviour likewise came to be
pleaded for the practice, he having entered Jerusa
lem in triumph amid the shouts Of the people, who
strewed palm branches in his way.
The favorite plants for church decoration at
Christmas arc holly, bay, rosemary, and laurel.
Ivy is rather objectionable, from It's associations,
having snciently beer sacred to Bacchus, and en-
ployed largely in the orgies celebrated in honor Of
the god of wine. Cypress we are informed, has
boen sometimes used, but its funeral relations
render it rather out Of place a5 a festive season
like Christmas. One plant in special, is excluded
tho mystic mistletoc, which, from its antece-
DENTS would be regarded as about as inappropriate
to the interior Of q church, as the celebration Of
the old Druidical rites within the sacred building
The decorations remain in the churches from
Christmas till the end Of january, but the eccle-
siastcal canons req~.ire them to be all cleared
away by the I'd Of February or Candlemas day.
This is the case also in regard to private dwellings,.
F Down with the rosemary, and so
Down with the bales and mis- letoe;
Down with the holly, ivy. al
Wherewith ye drest the Christmas hall;
That SO the superstitious- find
NO one least branch lett there behind:
For look, how many leaves there be
Neglected there, maids trust to me,
So many goblins you shall see.' !: s:; :5z
cHRIsTarAs DINNER. a#
We cannot enter into the multifarious details Of
this, the greatest feast Of the year. Boars head,
which once was the sine qua non now mildly yields
to his more civilized successors-the lordly srlon
the capon, the turkey and the goose. Plum pud-
ding also is too well known to need any further
mention. But we cannot refrain from regaling our
readers with an historical account Of
1nNcE PIES.
These were popular, under the name OF <emutton
pies" as early 1896. Neats-ton afterward
took the place of mutton. They were also called
Shred and Christmas pies. In HERR1cK's time it
was customary to set watch upon the pies on
Christmas Eve.
"Come. guard the Christmas pie,
That the thief though ne'er so sly,
With his tesh-hooks don't come nigh
To catch it,
sFroIn him who all alone sits there.
Having his eyes still in his ear
Ana 2 deal Of nightly Il fear; car, i y,
sELDEN says nince-pies were baked in : coffin
shaped crust intended to represent the manger in
which the Holy Child was laid. The Puritans liked
it not. One Of the rhymsters takes them OF in this
wise: : :'f
seThe high shoe !ords OF Crouweu's making
Were not for dalnHes,-roastfng, baking;
The chiefest food they found most good in
Was rusty bacon and bodybuilding; .T
Plum broth was Popish and mince- pie
= that was fat idolntryl,'
Sir ROGER DE CovERLY thought there was some
hope Of q Dissenter when he saw him enjoy his
Porridge at the hall on Christmas day. This plum
Pottage was always served with the fret course Of
Christmas dinner. It was made by boiling beef or
mutton with BROTH thickened with brown bread;
when half boiled, raisins, currants prunes, cloves,
maco and ginger wore added, and when the mess
had been thoroughly boiled, it was sent to the
table with the best meats
And now we will bring our long, though hasty
sketch, to close. The theme is wide one and
very suggestive, offering much better scope for =
book than for = newspaper article. a merry
Christmas to all our readers, good dinner, and q
rs ~