The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-24

OF shops and public houses drive thriving
trade by day, while at night the towns are made
hideous by the revelries of the thOughtless
crowds. Terpsichore and Bacohus then reign
snpreme as they did during the celebration of
the ancient Roman SdIwndlto, when the rela.
ton of master and servant was, for the time, In
like manner effectually dissolved.
AT Manchester they have fashion OF cele-
brating Christmas in way that is highly char
acteTistic of the England of three and four CEN
turies ago. Under the superintendent of the
Directors of the Mechanics Institution, an
annual christmas Party is held each year in
the monstrous Free Trade Hall, winch can
accommodate full FIVE thousand people. The
President OF the Institution takes the char at
the opening OF tue ceremonies, but he is soon
superseded by the. jolly Lord OF Misrule,n
under whose direction masking, mumming, and
singing have full sway. Sometimes there Is
also a procession ol the months, at other times
of the seasons, AMI at all times of the old
fashioned Wassail-Bowl. Nor is the bringing
in of the Boar's Head ever omitted AT one of
these festivals, recently, the great national
drama OF SAINT George dndtte Dragon was repre-
sented in handsome style. The Patron-Saint of
England, after performing prodgtes of valor
the merest mention of which would stagger the
belief OF our readers, at last encountered the
feroclous Dragon whom he slew after hot
and furious contest. The debris of the battle
was then cleared away, when the delighted
spectators beIook themselves to tripping "th
lieht fantastic tCe."
There are many other localities in England in
which interesting local ceremonies are still
practsed, but we must hasten on to
Christmas in Scotland.
As we have already stated, it is only in the
Highlands, and in q few sections of the sou6h.
ern portion of the country, that the festivities
of the winter solstice are conducted at Christmas
In these sections, at early dawn on Christmas
Day, the housemaid proceeds TO make, from mea
which was stepped two weeks before in so1o1nS-
booze, the PTechddchdGTo S0UT or sour SconeS
These flushed the housemaid turns her atten-
ton to the baking OF hard cakes and soft cakes,
and other edlbles among which we lind sucn
outlandish and mprehensible names as
brdndeTed bdnnoctS and pdnptoh perm. The
SOUOnS, a sort of oatmeal porridge, are then
boiled down TO the consistency of molasses; and
by this time the tdgdT teUrtch, or yeast bread"
is ready. These various dishes are then served
up to the whole family while still 10 bed; and
not till old and young have emptied their bscHers
do they condescend to rise.
The time between rising and dinner Is passed
by the old people in. consulting the signs of the
! coming year, and by the young in boisterous
| sports, among which the prominent ones are
swinging, prize shooting, and bali throwing.
| The dinner itself is substantial and tempting.
! One of the tavorIte dishes is termed sonsy or
| s0UGusy hGggiS, which is tumble OF Sleeps
nav, lung, heart, and liver, mixed with suet,
| onions, pepper, and salt; or of the latter and
| oatmeal alone. To the dinner succeeds the
| bowl, and when it has had a free and easy cir
culation, thereby raising the spirits OF the com
psny to the proper pitch, they hasten to the
ballroom or the card.table, and pass the re.
| mander of the day in great good-humor with
themselves and with all the world.
One OF the characteristic features OF
Christmas In Ireland
is the practice of barbarous sport termed
Hunting the Wren" To this diminitiye bird
the Irish people profess a great antipathy,
which had Its origin, according to tradition, in
several different ways. By some authorities it
is said that at the battle of Glinsuly, in county
| Donegal, the Catholics would have surprised
the Protestant atmy sleeping had the latter not
been awakened by some wrens who were dane
ing and picking away on their drums. A similar
incident Is also, by some writers, attributed to
the invasion of Ireland by the Danes. By others
it is said that the supersttlous awe in which
the Drmds held the wren, whom they con-
sidered the King of all the Feathered Tribe,
caused the first Christian missionaries to perse-
cute the 1nofensive bird, and by their COM
mand 1t is hunted to the death with great glee to
the present day.
| most boisterOus and attractive of the Irish holi-
day sports There is, indeed dispute as to
whether the proper day for the hunt is Christ
mas or st. Stephens, although we believe 1t is
at present practised only on the former. On
| this day the wren-or ''the Devils Servant" as
it is called by its mortal loes-is hunted with
unti1ng zeal, and battered TO death wherever
| found
To the hunting of the wren succeeds the cere.
| mony of the "Wren-Bush." In this the slaught-
cred bird is suspended by the leg to bush" OF
holly and ivy, and in this manner is carried
through The village streets, from door to door,
at the head OF merry procession OF men,
women, and children. The ceremony is termI,
dancing, and love-making vie for the mastery.
| In toImer times the procession was attended
| with much greater pomp than at present, the
| royal bird being decked with gay ribbons, and
borne alOit by persons selected for the occasion;
while their followers were arraye0 III grotesque
costumes, aud had in their company the deyices
of hobby horses, fiery dragons, and rampant
seTpents, who frisked their tails about in a
manner that contributed greatly to the edldca-
ton OF the crowd of spectators.
Christmas In France
is not what it is in England or America. In
the first place, a Frenchman abhors a plum
pudding. His Christmas, to English eyes, at
least, is therefore very insignificant affair. 1t
is nevertheless an occasion of great merriment,
and it has become a custom on that day to ap-
pease family quarrels, to settle upon marriages,
and 10 persuade dissatisfied couples again to
risk the sorrows of welded life, for the sake OF
its manifest joys. The most attractive element
in the easting of the day is a rare and paatable
selection OF Southern fruits, which at this season
of the year are brought into Paris in enormous
quantities. Grand ballets are to be seen at the
theatres, and balls and SOapeTS are the entertain
| ments which are provided for such as frequent
the gaming houses. Atmidnight, too on Christ
mas eve, the priests are accustomed to celebrate
mass in an impressive manner, the chdrches
and affairs being profusely and elegantly deco
rated. The singing on these occasions is par
ticularly good, and is listened to by great
crowds Of eager and happy people
| The English custom of burning the Yule-log
| s copied after in some sections OF the country
where large log is placed upon the hearth a
six o'clock on Christmas Eve. This was at one
| time regarded as a sure protection from pesti
| lence during the whole of the ensuing year fol
all who SAT- around its blazing Goals. The legenC
| of Santa Claus likewise fingers in France, tina
| popular individual there passing under th'
name of BonhOmnee Noel. Shoes, instead o