New-York tribune., 1868-12-25

simpy III lny family festivals ana Christmas E,o the time
which old aud yonng rish oa hoo ooS ydnG 1 y tho
children ont strong Ibe day seems W f n ,r,s
made for tcn and Ia their happlhess cenics ana gDN
the happiness Of all It Is the German Feast oi me ho
J,r GIickiche Abe,,d, the Happy Evening no neW""t
sn benutiiny and simply sung by many OF Germany
hest nOcts Que Of whom wrote The i'lloWlhG Nlcn ~
susg on reci,ed by more than one broadeheS'cd anu
bearded man on the happy evening "h'h "'o '''""s "
the Ch''S' A"'''"'" u thank God and rejoice.
like the child with It's Christ.
Ieh iaule md fsue mich mas g- thut nyo-that
VIE, kiul,ar we9oa lGbs live! and that have thee,
Dan ich bn u9 ,I b,i. hcautiiul face and G"n'
D Ind T sa si 'Sad' S G n saa :sSa onuia the sea- ne
ind ta "a. une serurubeyr leaves aud tie grass and at
Ui lass mir Muibe 'i, stars and the sweet moon;
A. sir Kinder 6aiatn aud thai am thohas happy
B.sc4eeret bate. Amen" and law what the Christ
lChild had seni us. Amen.
Long before Wehnaehi all sorts of preparations are
made for its proper celebration AsrVey poI VI WI @ hoo
present everybody cisc and as i lhgunet uPVn
carl TO surprise other, there u hnch hyH'tI4 ~
every household until the auspcouS day flNG ah to
night comes AMI the grown toihs anu INV @ i.
redv To bcgu the ceremonies For t~D or tren Wtchs
every avaiahlesroi in cYcly ki 0 'ol mas ge'u 'nn %
up with WcihHGof fgcShcnh', or thr,' t.l,S i''
OF every aud shape stare at you from ev'iy WaVN
Horses and DOS. and sheep a"d cow, c i ~; J V,ny
animals known 10 thG German Wolh'E iu N"u'
display their lair proportions under " me 'oots "l e
rainbow, aud meiL' cor "t'V t %, , ,,,, I
ryeu 10 the fossil huutcTc, stand IN l NcN HuPp 'u
by tho time honorcd Nuahs ARR IN green anu g"h WIN
Noalat Tue ho" ia ytly~ nrA, nHr ,' ~; ir or,ug,
and his family g"rGconsy hhbl''a III nlue, Niln "'s %
trimmings Shcm carrying IA laRtF hhy mp h"l'
"a
topboots aud taS7rs' hoIins ~, u'' ,i na,"
u TauchniE copy or sohirthne tHrIt'p 1PF.pn
bucicr illustrated amanacs Of divers Hnd engaVlnS1
aud cheap prints of saints and virgins Narhtlhtr NcF
meat and prcffy thng-, with chubby Cupids Imprint rn
thereon ~ company Win bright red hearts nnAed am
coljoincd NirI CuIids darts. nnd ,nlronndsd WIN ~
maze of thmc sentiment; forest of spruccht ~ every
grade Of altitude, fIom the sX inch spG"t 10 ie tNtHo
foot tree, ai set In square blocks oi Wool ana lVaoI
with knckkBhcks, aud guarded hy angels ana whchrd
lie mas,o,rrd gardens Lid ont under the spreading
~
fur only at this gay sraSou az" ehI"sc "L r'e
among which i'm many paris OF Germany tie most 40
ticabe-brcanse u h m"st abundant AMI every ,ody
Inust buy it's the Pfcgokact0 TIE thrslinasSaho,
sort of sIugctbrcnd hWcetcurd with honey. The ono
thing. however, without which there can hc 10 German
Chri-tma H. the trce Th,rr Is one in every house. hnh
Tor many dlys lbcforo ueHacitis t,o Object OF ne
ufod iibbons, and hung Win gmss bnlls
uf every hue, and from hr brancheS
suspended Tie ordinary chri'tn's tribute. Wh'n
cusrd nnd key lodged IA tue hands 81 lue ono uem
@ Of rhc fam( TO whom the secret, 81 a t"' f.1t n"ye
been rouhdrd lI- province u y io hIT"us' "hu nlla
tr varons presents AZ ushtfill tho family assemble nt
t"h I", ln'"' ~. ..', w ii ~ M - ,b 49, h,,,t ,s,n
The eurapturrd ,irN of tnc old Aud Young FOLKS calls
Win hEl ~ uo t'h,''' ~, 49,, - iI~ I
decorated tAblrs "h which tie hfhnHfh g'A",hAc hr
with ~ numerous ornaments cleaning aud EhueinR IN
Tho hr ght hght The htc garden at is foot .. hr WITH
molding and drying and painting Tor weeks ~ win an
tHe enthusiasm of child Iho clay shrplrIuS arc iauI
49, l.
that have ever bern seen sincc The days oi ihcls
cstuiyorous ancestor that are sad To ba'e
( goi,urd up little BOYS for dessert, or those
others by Nhose sus ho spanish A!mGsa"eT' mega d proi9 E
80, "a, nh gi,isn b,rn. a stag 81 legendary fame
tie elias model of the only earthly creature hat accord
tbr lny Hrth IN Bethlehem. II In iu Germany tho en-
blrm uf g,utcurss aud Ia some ~ ie Christmas gaG
brook bc, oing to tie shepherds tho opposite bank
ON the p,lings Of The grlenfcnec are stuck glicd
almonds aid wants and In tho back ground stands
HOUSE, Intended represent the stable ~ when the
Christ eid born. over this floats an angel bearing
bright star on the end of spans'd wand Al lhesa
sn,ple devices closely examined ahd warmly praised
by the Younger mombcrs of tho family the elder oLes
tonng Ia outo while with word oi assent 10 sone
childish question ittng answer to some tleHh Jiu
cnts Perhaps tho parish priest Is here for hhl thcre
| IL n smoalngcap from one. flom hnother i%nsot %
precious metal. aud from tmrd -solno OIIKhteitl
! maiden with checks sunpscd with modest
useful token Zach child receives hls little gifts with ms
eyes wide open with surprise and delight ana puurs our
s thanks IN words that como ny too fst Tor hs tongue
full NJ love aud pride and joy md gratitude 10 speak
watch with lively interest he excited movements OF their
children they clap their hands aud dance ana hug
Then the parents receive their love tokens from tao
dear their household aud from their friends aud
aud the poor dependent arc remembered. for on Neh
Geht there 4. distinction OF persons In the German
household On that night OF all others, every soul must
he happy for IL tho night when, throughout the whole
Of Germany, tbs Christ child is supposed 10 crown the
Christmas lIeo with garland Of love. and To bestow
equal blessings upon all who stand beneath tho roof Tree
lio watches the little ones aud those who love
them aud on the night of his coming many an magma
two child like Richters Quntus Fixlen," hes In walt
To catch glimpse Of his gttcrDg wings he futtcrs
In with his WeihnaehfS0dbc of affection aud good Will
When the presents have been distributed, and al the
leaked aud all the acknOw gmrnts have
been made, then follows glorious evening IA the dining
hall The youngsters troop of tO bed at an ently hour
aud friends aud neghbOrs drop In one by ono to wish The
family well When tho night grows old thero comes tho
drinking OF hesh aud tho sneng OF some glorious old
German song breathing tho incense Of love and gra
tude Then there Is an hour OF fun aud frollc. the Jolly
wights keeping perpetual popping OF repgrtces
like so many baskets o Cham pngno bonbardmg each
other with alternate mlrhul corks and hilarious foam
spOutsaDd then tbero sober word from tho village
priest and cordial hand shakgs aud hearty good wishes
for another and tho fflonds disperse for WehndcM
| 10 over
| But what OF Santa Clausi
lie 10 tina German Pelsn,csl Kntcht Rupert. or,
he Is generally known throughout Germany Saint Nkids
IIe Is tho drdnf courier Of the Chrst kindehen and
makes his annual visit two weeks before Christmas
Sometimes his approach IA announced To the children In
order that they may prepare for hs coming The follow
Ing old poem gives not only valuable information rcla
tive TO the nativity OF the Christmas herald but also
Insight into the nature VI his office:
This father
Ks -d zsaBsou The papers say that Holy
men az 49,, Nicholas will soon be here
p,n der hs'Ds' hi' verde i'n from Moscow, whore he Is
u.... 80 49, -.,.,., .,,. held IN high esteem, and
iCs Al. ,ts u,,I,,, s,s sssbr hopored saint. He
E IA b.rr, soo FsL ALREADY on his way % visit
~ ,er,uhsa do I tho tender school children
zu ,sh:n die heu'H hssdsho TO 500 what tho girls and
und kusben boys have learned this year
Bsn sehrsben snEss aud and reading and 10 see
ob rss,n oad oaoy hsvs oSsn
n b,t snh u .pe ssh YER into his sack beautiful
seAo.s.n - q '.I ri Tolls TO giya to those who
sh6n. Puppsu zuci gsgo, have behaved themselves
Dss Kipd.n v.leb. babsoh hOmn .'f
wn =, a., n. .Lb,. s.eLsa ,s,.hl .tf