New-York tribune., 1868-12-25
CHRfSTM1S.

We have CiAnBcu eoou u'Fi !" W. WV
bration of the crowning festival OF the year
since the time when our foreiathers uscu 10
begin tho day at early dawn by running lazy
cooks around the market-place, and boiling
their plum pudding before the sun rose. Inc
chief duty of a good Christian on Christmas
Day, in that sturdy and rather sensuous perlou'
was to eat, drink. and be merry Inc hugo
baron of beef tho muscular brawh' Vho
1avorons boar's head. and tho pungent
woss,,l. if they were not the only essential
;ncredients of Christmas celebration, were
those. at any rate. which left the strongest I'M
nrcss upon the literature of the age and are
those which consequently have come down to
IA in the most vivid light. We think OF an Old
Christmas. especially of an old English CHRIST
mas. as sort of annual sancthcatOn Oh
cluttony when it was thought no shame 10
bend all ones mind and wishes to the pleas
urcs of the table, and rather merit thah
otherwise to go TO bed "a drunk as fool. iet,
for the credit of our ancestry. 1t is pleasant 10
know that there was another side TO all this.
Terrible as they were with the FORK ana
trencher and bold IA they were III their cups
those gallant old people were not altogether
unmindful of the duties and gentler pleasures
of the season While the women OF the house
hold were busy with the pastc-roller ana the
chopping knife, and tho young men were
broaching the ale casks and raising bedam IN
the kitchen, the old English squire stood at his
hospitable gate and scattered aims to all needy
corners There was a bite and sup for the
hungry, and money for the destitute, and 1t
was counted shame for any rich man if he let
Al. ;cLt nf 'br;sf hirlb M head
without helping all tie poor whom his hand or
his purse could reach.
As tho world grows more refined or more
busy. the annual banqueting loses its predon-
nance, and the Characteristic OF the festival Is
no longer the good cheer with which our fore
fathers filed up the day. but the generosity
with which they partially redeemed Their ex-
cesscs. The proud bird OF our country-we
mean. not the eagle, but the turkcy-wlll re-
nose this day, in all the glory Of gravy and
the sweet SAVIOR of stuiiing, upon many groan-
ing board, and the rotund pudding wrapped
in the flames Of its own sauce, viii tempt many
a tired stomach; but the icastlng will not DO
our principal pleasure. The giving OF Christ
mas eifts. filling the stockings Of the little
ones. loading the Christmas tree, exchanging
little mementoes of love and friendship. and
distributing tokens of regard right and lett
among those who arc dearest to us.-theso are
the characteristic features of the modern Amer
lean Christmas and we hope never to see them
supplantcd Nor is our liberality confined
within the circle OF home aud friend
ship. The public poor.-the wards OF the
people IN asylums and hospitals, the hcle
wanderers taken in from the streets, the deSti-
tute. the homeless, the outcast, may nearly all
feel to-day, if they viii, something OF the
warmth Of Christian charity. Ears deaf at
other times TO the appeals of suffering VIII
open on this day of all days in the year to the
voice of the poor Hands that rarely give Will
deposit something in Gods treasury, and hearts
| that are strange to generous warmth wlll be
| kindlcd by the influence OF this holy season to
an unwontcd glow. We pray you all. good
friends. keep your Christmas after this sacred
! fashion. There il more enjoyment IN liberal
| gift than in good dinner; and while hundreds
| Of poor anl hungry souls wait wlstfully upon
| your bounty, you need no words of ours to tel
| how you may secure what we heartily wish you
| all, n Merry Christmas and Happy New ear