The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-12-21
CHRISTMAS AND IT'S CUSTOMS.


As Christmas is close at hand the fol- |
lowing historical and traditional sketch will |
be Of general interest to our readers:
There is something so congenlai to hu- /
man nature, so absolutely necessary to the /
health of mind and body, in the relax !
alton which festivals afford that we do not |
wonder at the unwillingness which Sir |
Isaac Newton tells Us the heathens felt to |
part with their holidays, on the introduce |
ton of Christianity amongst them; so
that, in order to facilitate their conversion, |
by retaining their days of JOY, Gregory, |
bishop Of Nco Cnsarea in Pontus, insti- /
tuted annual festivals to saints and martyrs, |
corresponding as nearly as possible in date, /!
if not in form, with those most popular |
amongst the Greeks and Romans.
The type of Christmas, the most honor |
ed, joyous, and beautiful Of Christian
holidays existed long before Christianity,
in the Saturnalia of the ancients, which
took place about the hyemal solstice.
Nearly century had elapsed from the
birth of its founder, before the followers of
Christianity introduced the observance of
this day in commemOration of that event;
and upon the second anniversary, when
great numbers Of them We're assembled in
the church, Diocletian, the Roman emperor,
who at this time kept his court at income
dia, ordered the doors to be fastened, and
the building to be set Oh fire and thus lii
such Il yuie blaze that the brightness there
of spread throughout incpiene Christen-
dom, and the ashes of the faithful, thus
scattered through the earth, seemed hence
forth TO have carried with them the germs
Of the new creed for for which they suf-
fered.
A this period, and for more than seven
hundred years after, the feast of Epiphany,
Twelfth-day, or the \ loration Of the kings
for SO have the "wise men" of ST.
Matthew, the simple shepherds Of ST.
Luke, 9 keeping watch over their tlocks by
night" been denominated-was regarded
as one and the same festival; and its very
name, which amongst the Pagans signitied
the appearance of the gods upon earth, was
singularly appropriate in reference to him
whom the church regarded as Divinity
made man; at present the calender links
both, by succession Of holidays extending
| from the 25th of December to the 9th of
January.
Iiae.1pres hut Iite iaas;iGatiGn t. c0n
rated into Il prophetic myth of the universal
peace and good will which the divine teach
ing Of the Nazarite was calculated to effect
upon earth.
| During the continuance of this antique
feast, every one interchanged presents with
his neighbcr; their houses were decorated
with eyergrecns and laurel; no criminals
| were punished; no arms taken up; the
slaves were permitted tie sit at the table
with their masters, in allusion to the hap
py equality which was supposed to have
existed during the reign of Saturn; nav,
banqucts were sometimes made for them, at
which their masters served-a custom
| whose shadow still fingers with us in the vule
feast once common in the baronial halls of
England, and not yet quite exploded from
them.
\ friend, whose childhood was spent in
IA frmhouse, tells us that, besides the Gus
tomary mince-pies and plum-puddings.
there was large cake called the yule-cake,
overspread with leaves and ornaments: and
that on Christmas Eve an immense candle,
gally decorated, and for which a candle
stick, used at no other period, was brought
forth was lighted, and a huge block Of
wood, called the yule log, laid on the fire.
both of which burnt till morning.
In Ireland, the custom of burning oigan-
tic candles still prevails amongst the Cath
ohc community on Christmas Eve, and in
the north of England it is also common.
Light at all times appears to have been
used on occasions of fcstivity and rejoicing
from the rude bonfire to the wax-ht
drawing room; but in these candles we
trace another remnant Of the ancient type
OF the seasons rejoicing, for it was the
custom of the Romans, during the festival
OF the Saturnalia, 70 present wax candles
to each other.
In the yule log or huge block of coal,
which in the North answers the same pur-
pose, and is carefully reserved for the occa-
sion, Brand sees the counterpart of the
Midsummer fires, made within doors on
account of the cold weather of the winter
solstice, as those in the hot seasons We're |
Nndled in the open air.
Bede, in speaking of the observances of
Christmas Eve, tells us that this was the |
very night observed in the land before, by |
the heather Saxons. They began their |
year, he says, ION the eighth of calends |
of January, now our Christmas day; and |
the very night before, which is now holy to
US, was by them called on account of its
ceremonies, the Mother of Nights"
The yule log was one of these ceremonies,
and seems to have been used by them as
an emblem of the return of the sun.
Christianity, while clinging to these an
cisnt customs, revised their symbolism to
suit itself, and made the "Feasts of Lights
as Christmas was prlmitively called
IN the church, a type of the Eternal;
1t was also said to represen the
glory that illuminated the fields, and shone
about the shepherds IN their night-watch:
and by Others to refer to John the Baptist,
whose advent was likened to burning and
a shining light, and to the going forth Of
the apostles, and to that light Of the world,
the Son Of Man himself
Bat the old leaven chung to the anniver-
sary under Its new name, and the festive
spirit of the Saturnalia, rather than the
fasting one enioined by Gregory Nazianzen
md the early fathers of the church, con-
tlnued, and even still continues (if it does
not adorn cross -paths) to feed the eve and
delight the ear, to feast and drink, crown
ioors, and encourage dancing. Just as in
hose days when the stern old father
aeuned his exhortation on forbearance
rom them. Only Christianity has tenn
oered excess with moderation, and the re-
inement of its teaching has softened down
he fierce license of Wild JOY which the ;
restoration of merey, peace, and brother
lood to earth but for few short DAYS i'm
parted to the pagans.
Herrick has left US, in his fresh and raev {