Connecticut western news., 1871-12-22
Concerning Christmas.

"Yawning for Cheshire cheese" is mentioned in she 6pectator asa Christ mas gambol. 2 N% A
 It 1as customary for the King of France to give preSents to- ktheir soldiers at Chfi6trnas time.
 It was formerly thought that bread baked on Christians Eve would not turn mouldy.
 Within the last hundred years the festivities appropriate to Christmas have much fallen of.
 In the North of England goose is always the dhief ingredient in the com position of asChfistmas pie.
 | In the earlier ages of the churches the bishops were accustomed, on Christmas Day, to sing carols among the clergy,
 "a The young girls in Russia are the her oines of the Christmas festivities which seem invented but for their amusement.
 In the Roman Catholic church three masses are performed at O fChristmas--0ne at midnight. one at daybreak, and one Tn the morning. 9'N"A hAt
 The Christmas festivities celebrated with more or less brilliancy till Candle mas and with great spirit till Twelfth- day. lt 5ic hrt By the Puritan parliament Christmas was abolished altogether, and holly and ivy were made seditious badges.
 Christmas Day, in the Primitive church, was always observed as the sabbath Day, and like that preceded by an eve or vi- gil tact ba.
 "Gloria in Exelsis," the well-known hymn sung by the angelsto the sheparda at the Lords nativity, was the earliest Christmas carol ba.
 Christmas was called the Feast of Lights in the Latin church, because they ased many lights or candles at the feast.
 It is the saying in Lincolnshire, Eng land, that if there is as much ice before Christmas as would bear a goose, there will not be so much after as will bear g duck. Iq Tt2di gag9sse i. A9G .eo Y " ft
 "The mistletoe, g. magical shrub, 3 says the Ge,atlemnp's s Margarine, in 1871, appeafed to be the forbidden tree ih the middle of the trees of Eden.'' The yule- Dough was kind of baby, or little image of paste, which bakers used formerly to bakea Christmas time, and present to their customers. en@ss sMiBtletoe was abolished in the Christ mas decking of churches because it was found to sgt the young ladies, and gen tlemen . reading the marriage service. ., Misletoe was formerly hung in the kitchen or Servant hall, More recently 1t has been raised tothe parior and draw ing-room, without, however, reducing the quantity of kissing in the lower regions. v F ~. ". The Genaensam's Magaxipe for August, 1790, says that at Rippon, in Yorkshire, ton Christmas Eve, the grocers send each of their customers pound or, .half-a- pound of eurrants and raisins to make . Christmas pudding. be. ..d. .,...aI. s,;i In the Sciily Islands they have |. GUS tom of singing carols on Christmas Day lat, church, to, which, the congregation make contributions by dropping money into a hat carried about the chnrch when the performance is over ,,,, ind :, ,ayoI H is the practice in England to GU, ashen lfsgots for Christmas. eve. The ash Is said to be the only wood that will burn green, and it is the policy ,of, the wood cutters to lay on as many, ,bipdsi upon the sfagots as possible, asiit is ar old establ blished custom that, every, bind should rspresent a jug of cider. not ,tha1 this is the limitation, of quantity con sumed on the, occasion, only that this ii part of the, ceremonial, a,icv. ,5fIsta,..