Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-12-23

whence come the phrases " to kiss under the
rose, &" to whisper under the misletoe" But Pa
risian taste, every where respected, does not now
conhne the prctext for such procedure TO Christ
mas time, for every dressed lady, at oil seasons
Of the year, carries upon her neat little hat
the signals for a recurrence to the time-honorcd
Christmas privilege. The custom Of decorating
was more general and carried to greater extent
in iorrhor days thanat the present time. At least
this might be inferred from a complaint made by
a hir parishioner, upou the subject as recorded
in The Spectator Of January 23j, l7l2 Itrun-
meth thus
" Ma. SrEcTAToR.-i am n young woman, aud
have my fortune to make for which rcaSl N |
come constantly to church to hear divine service
and make cOnquests bu. one great hndrnuce In
this, my design, is, that our clerk, who Is gard
ener, has this Christmas 50 overlooked the church
with greens, that he has quite spoiled my PROF.
pect. insomuch that | hayo scarce seen the young
barOnet dress at, for three weeks, though. we
have both been very constant mt our devOti0ns,
and do not sit above three pews or The church,
as it Is now equipped, looks more like a greens
house than place Of worship The middle aisle is
a very pretty, shady walk, and the pews look like
80 many arbOurs on each side Of it, The pulpit,
ITSELF has such clusters Of ivy, holly and rOsema-
ry, about it, that light fellow in our pew took
occasion to say, that the congregation heard the
word out Of a bush, like Moses. Sir Anthony
Love = pew, in particular, is so well hedged that
all my batteries have no effect am Obliged to
shoot at random among the boughs, without
taking any manner Of aim. Mr.. SPECTATOR, un-
less you'll give orders for removing these greens,
shall grow q very awkward creature at church,
and soon have little else to do there but 10 say
prayers. ] am in haste dear sir, your ohedient
servant JENNY SHIPPER
But, for all this objection, the custom of deck
ing with green, when cJld-handed but warm
hearted winter is upon us, is cheerful and CRATE
full to the occasion, and long may it be continued,
even though the batteries of all the Misses Sim
pers in Christendom are masked for period
provided, always, that the can ions Of the church
are not INSTRUCTED in traverse and range.
The ancient custom Of commencing the ceebra-
ton of Christmas day in the latter part Of the
previous day, still prevails religious services
IN many of the churches, especially those Of the
Catholics and EpiscopNlans being holden. 1t
is true the Yule Clog or Christmas Block finds lit
tie room to glow with brilinncy in the narrow
compartments Of modern stoves, but the ever
greens Of our native hills give an expression Of
cheerful warmth 10 many household
AT one period, the people had custom Of was
sailing the fruit trees on this evening taking
wassal bowl and throwing toast from it to the
tree, singing song at the same time, expecting
thus to secure good crop of fruit the next year.
We have frequently seen juvenile =" adopted cit
liens Of Catholic persuasion, icdssailag our soli
tary " sour apple tree but it was with clubs
and stones, and soon after bossoming time. No
increase Of fruit has ever resulted therelrom, and
we presume the ceremony and incantation of the
primitive Christmas carolers produced a similar
result, analogous in influence to chilling pork, >"
"making soap and weaving babies by the moon.
Though, as before stated, the origin of Christ
mas was religious, it is now more generally
known and observed for its social and domestic
customs and associations
In England it receives the most vigorous OBJ
servance, both by the church aud the masses of
the people. Our Puritan Fathers-whose solem-
nifty in their daily walk comported with their
sombre views Of the relation Of man to his Maker,
and who looked with distrust upon almost every
species Of mery-making, relaxed a little Of their
austerity in the season Of general joyousness,
when old Christmas brought his sports again, Is"
and the rigid severity which for time placed it
under n ban, with May poles, Maid Marion and
Saint George and his dragon, gradually yielded to
the great enemy of osceticism and bigotry-en-
lightened education--until by common consent it
now stands as the most hon,red Of New England's
holidays.
And it is well that it should be universally OBJ
served Its tendencies are to iberaize and cul-
tiyate the generous impulses, 10 unbend the ever
exacting demands Of acqusitiyeness, and to prac-
tically recognise that fundamental principle in
Christianity" good will to man. proclaimed
and incucated in the birth Of a Saviour As
vacation from care and business, day to practi-
colly renhmher the poor and needy, to add 30 ,l,s
comforts Of age and the joyousness Of childhood,
let II be observed; and thus, in every condition
in life, it may be rendered Merry Christmas "
to all