The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-01-02
Saturday, January ?, 1868
Our Christmas Festivities,

been fifty inaugurated in our midst. Al
over Christendom, from the Arctic Ocear
to the purpling waves of the tropical seas
Christmas Eve has been specially appaop&i
ated to the interchange of presents, brought
either by the Christ angel, or that wonder
full tree which at every anniversary bios.
SONS, and bears such various fruits.
We are disposed to trace the origin of the
custom back to that supreme hour when
the Star in the East led the footsteps of the
Wise men with their offerings to the feet of
the Divine Infant. So in every remotc cor
ner Of world are children called upon to
take a prominent part in a festival dedica-
ted to the name of the God-child.
1t was bitter cold here on Christmas Eve.
Something of cross between the frozen
steppes of Russia, and the cutting Bise of
more southern regions. But the Court
House appropriated by the ladies of the
Methodist Sunday school for the occasion,
was warmed to a delightful temperature.
1t was a soft warmth, which restored circu.
lation to the chilled blood, and took US back
in thought to midsummer woodlands. Nav,
was there not a reminder of the forest be-
fore US in a stately arch of magnolia which
spanned the hall on three sides, wi h its
larg, white, creamy blossoms nesting among
the green leaves? We forgot the frozen air
outside, the incongruity of tropical blooms
and winter SHOWS. In short, we surrender
ed ourself to the delusion, and turned a
deaf ear to Madam Malaprop on our left,
who was whispering of "excellent imita-
TONS" *paper flowers" ETC., and were quite
ready to swear that if the blossoms before
us were not the veritable Magnolia Grandi-
flora, perfumed to the very depths of their
velvet ~softnes; they deserved to be, for the
summer glamour they cast over us.
At eight o'clock the curtain back of the
arch was withdrawn, and in all its dazzling
radiance the Christmas Tree stood revealed.
So bright with tapers was it, so glowing
with fruit, and toys, and all manner ofgifts,
that the hearts of the little ones stood still
with delight. We are not given to the emo
tional, but we must acknowledge to a quick
ened neart throb when we saw little hands
clasped tightly together in silent joy, and
innocent eyes fairly dancing and sparkling.
For a moment we found ourself wondering
if the Scandinavian myth of the tree Ygg-
drasil did not lend some color to the man.
ner Of our Christmas celebrations. Like it,
the branches of our tree were laden with
hopes, and among the leaves were woven
ties of human affections. 1t was very
pleasant to watch the faces of the children
as their nameS-Kere colled out and they
walked forward to receive rne..- n-~4ents.
None were overlooked-none disappointed. +.
By ten o'clock the gifts were distributed,
the tapers burned out, the last fruitage of
the wonderful tree had fallen, and the hap
py crowd dispersed to their several homes.
Christmas afternoon at four o'clock, the
children Of the Methodist Sunday school
marched in procession to the Episcopal
to which place they had been spe-
cially invited, to assist in the celebration of
the day.
Very clear and sweet sounded the carols !
sung by young voices. All sectarianism s
was over, and the two Christian churches |
forgetting the dogmas which keep them '
apart united in a comm on worship, which
points to a common hope. The organ T
seemed to ring out the solemn and rounded I
fugue "Peace on earth and good will to l
men," in its every note. Surely at the =,
blessed Christmas tide the angels who hail |
The red dawn of the Nativity lean nearer f
The earth than at commoner seasons. Per- t
haps in plying compassion that the Eternal \
miracle which was wrought in a sleeping r
world still finds it bound in a dead lethargy r
rom which there are few awakenings. d
After the carols, the children of the two .
Sunday schools were marshalled to the Va il
rieties where an entertainment had been O
provided for them by the Rector and ladies S
If the Episcopal church. We have used !.
he word entertainment unadvisedly, for h
here was not one but many. The curtain u
rev up and behold a veritable Santa Clausl c
with snow, hoary with age, genial =
With kindness, he stood the centre of a pic -
ure. A picture with such a back groundl
scene of enchantment so full of light and
that it was some moments before the =,
we could master all the details. Back Of =:
lin was a treasury of toys heaped on illu- F