The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-24

morrow, in accordance with our usual GUS
tom.
Our Christmas Season and it's Celebra-
tiOn.
The oeaseless revolution of time has brought
us again our Christmas season, with all its
gayeties its pleasant reunions, hallowed as
sociatiOns, and family gatherings. 1t may be
that the celebration of the day is not as bois-
ferrous as twas in the olden times, but on that
account the qualification is no less sincere.
We see no cause to lament that the wild bac-
chanal and wassail which marked the season
years ago have given place to the civilized en-
joyments of the present 1t is curious, how
ever, to notice the change. 1t is pro-
baby to Germany that we are indebted
for the greater proportion of our modes
Of celebration. The people of the
fatherland made it study to so acquire the
secret of pleasure as to make the Christmas
time the only bright period of the year. The
Christmas-tree, an ecstatic source of Joy to
the little Ones is an invention of that coun-
try. The liberal distribution of presents, far
more general than we have it here, was also
respected by them. In some parts of Ger
many the custom still continues of giving all
the presents to carrier called the knech ru
pert, who carries them from house to house
with great formality. 1t is to Eng
land, we believe, that we are indebted
for the custom of decorating churches AMI
stores it being the ancient habit to freely
dress the places of worship with rosemary,
bays, laurel, and mistletoe. One enterprising
writer traces the origin of the custom to the
Druids, who considering they did not recog-
nize or know of the Christian religion, were
exceedingly penetrating in observing the
Christmas festival. In these times the widest
revel marked the scene The "Lord of Mis-
rule" and the "Abbot Of Wisdom" were insti-
tutions, and beneath them the scene of turmoil
was perfected. In our time the occasion is
celebrated by gifts, congratulations, and family
gatherings. 1t is the season when the seat
tered households meet together and exchange
tokens of remembrance and affection. Gayety
rules in place of excessive mirth, and great
pleasure is given the children through our
gifts, sweetmeats, and sight-seeings.
The custom of celebrating Christmas eve by
parading the streets dressed as fantastic char
acters, and making night hideous with horns,
is peculiarly Philadelphian, and we do not regret
its general observance. AS long as no crime
or debauchery is caused thereby, it is plea
SAINT recreation. Wedo not sympathize with
the old women who object to this hilarity. 1t
does no harm, and affords a rare opportunity
to strangers to see sight which is excep-
tional to all. We hope that the authorities
will not interfere to prevent, but only to re-
strain the harmless froEc which marks the
eve of Christmas.
The present year, which is now drawing to
its close presents much cause for thanks and
little to dampen the happiness of the day. We
have been blessed with national peace and
prosperity. We have escaped violent business
cOnvulsions, and the dawn of the future is
cheering. While other years have seen war
and tumult, and failures of crops and COM
meroe, 1867 has been marked by none, so far
as the United States are concerned. The Joy,
therefore, will not be restrained by the remem-
brance of the dark clouds of adversely. We
expect, then, to see the celebration as universal
as any of its most joyous predecessors. Al
ready the streets are thronged with purchasers,
fathers laden down with presents for
their children, mothers bearing in their arms
the delicious sweets which are to fill the
stockings of the little ones; brothers and
sisters carefully concealing from their rela-
tives the surprise which they are expected to
feel. Every one we meet, every person who
crowds our thoroughfares, is living witness
Of the occasion, and proof Of the gene
rality of its celebration. The streets of our
city are thronged, and business is brisk, as
usual at this time of the year. Everything
bedeCks itself in holiday attire. Joy beaming
through all the crowd congratulations of
friends resound on every hand, and as the
kindly words echo from every side, we can
but join in the usual courtesy, and extend to
our readers our sincere wishes that they may
all have "Happy Christmas"