Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-01-24

I account of how the holidays al
passed in this civilized region {
| country may prove of some interes
to your readers. IL the festivities
incident to the season of the yea
differ from those which, from child
hood, yeu have been accustomed tC
youmust attribute it to the advance
stage Of civilization prevalent here
about. ! ! protest, however, agains
the extreme selfshness of you
/ Northern people. Are we not euti
tled'te portion of the stock asualI
distributed at this season by Sant
Claus? But no You must rob hin
ct all, and send him across the gul
empty handed, or with such hmi
tsd supply as to make the "old fel
low" ashamed OF himself. n,
horses on wheels,-no drums to wax
US up before daylight Christina
Emorning,-no fire crackers for on
ureilns to aerenade us with,-not il
4 horses,-no wordS,-pop-gHns G.
woolly dogs,-no doll babies to glad
den the hearts of coming mcthers,-
no gingerbread menageries that Sc
delighted Hawthorne'5 chubby ur
chinin the " House of seven Gables.
But few things ysu left FOR US; ferc-
ing Santa Claus to come among us
nearly empty handed. You coaxed
his majesty out Of all his best and
prettiest goods, and sadly dissp
pointed the children on the frontier
] tried to make tue urchins believe
that it arose frem the fact of there
being no snow in this locality, there
by preventing his majesty from
using his tandem team of reindecr5
and sledge, but it would not q
down Then / accused you selfish
people Of the North OF pIunderine
all of Santa Claus stock, for y0ui
community OF Juveniles, which
brought down upon your heads the
wrath Of our Youngsters. Do not
be guilty of such an objectionable
act again, l beseech yen. Still, you
did not wholly deprive us Of all on,
joyment,--a party of us went to Gel
ebrate high mass at the Catholic Ca
thedral On the night of the 25th,
which begins precisely at twelve
o o'oloek--midnight. I'he church was
brilliantly lighted by over four hun
dr5d candles, and gaily decorated
with eyergreens and images pertain
lag to the occasion. There W1s :
perfect iam,--the aisle being throng-
ed with Mexican women prostrate
upon the foor, croWding up even to
the front OF the altar The Cere-
m0nY is, to say the least, a curious
one, representing as it does, (that
night, over eighteen hundred years
ago, when tie Virgin Mary gave to
the world the Savior OF men-how
the infant Savior lay in manger
and bow the wise men of the East
came and worshipped at his feet
ell fully represented by images and
acts. The music was good, Of course,
and continued throughout the cere-
mony, lasting over an hour and a half.
The Priests, three III number, were
arrayed in garments of satin and
geld. Incense was offered up TO the
Most High, and the smoke ascended
above the altar. At last the child is
born-and is carefully lifted out OF
the manger and upon being placed in
the hands of the Priests, they show
er kisses upon the infants feet and
give praise to God for the inestima-
bic gift of His own son. The Chief
Priest here changes his robe, and
with the image OF the infant Savior
IN his arms, comes TO the front OF the
platform, when . scene of confusion
ensues that battles description. You
see the Priest, standing erect, hold
ing the feet Of the image towards
the religiously excited crowd, who
press forward to kiss its toe. As each
man, weman and child kiss the tee
of the image, (Which is doll baby
dressed mp TO represent the child
Jesus you hear the ring OF silver
coin as it is dropped into the silver
0ewl. left the church at quarter
of two o'clock in the msrning, and
the crowd pushing their way to the
altar to kiss the toe'of the image had
not diminished in number one ieta.
How long It lasted I know not, Does
this sound like blasphemy9 l have
related in an imperfect manner, only
what witnessed.
In the early part Of the evening
many Of the Mexican houses had 4
colored lantern suspended immedi-
ately above the outside door; all
these houses we're visited by men
dressed as shepherds, with long
stats and little bells fastened to the
end, which they struck upon the
ground, accompanied by prayer,
given in sing song tone. At the
conclusion of the prayer, a Priest
steps forth and blesses the inmates of
the house, together with their prop
erty, for the coming year. After
this ceremony is ended, the lantern IS
and the crowd proceed to
another house to enact the same
thing over again. This occupies the
early part OF the evening, after
which, all repair to the church to
celebrate high mass.
Another festivity prevalent here
about is the performance, at private
houses, of q drama founded upon
the birth of the Savior children are
armed and equipped with wings TO
angels men to represent
attending to their flock
wise men Of the East who come to
pay allegiance to the infant Savior |
in fact the whole thing is represent
ed to the life, while the dialogue is
animated and seemingly well kept
up. It was all spoken in Spanish.
which I ara aot conyersant wislA-E
Sach are Some of tie Ctristmas fes 4
vfties of .tke lever order Of Mexi-
rana. e1,a<.j1.f{ Ii E!,r:si;aa Ar.cf;cal