The Portland daily press., 1872-12-25
Christm in the United States.

ChriStm in the United States.
In the last number of Harperss Ndgdzine
is profuseiy illustrated article in which the
methods of celebrating the Christmas festi-
val in different countries are set forth with
great minuteness of detail. Enjoyment is
the distinctive characteristic of the festival
always and everywhere, and the happiness OF
children is ever the central idea. Ir other
times, and now in other lands, every quaint
device, every effort of fancy and the imagina-
ton, every extravaganza Of song and story
are employed in frightening the joys of the
greatest Of the holidays. So much every one
quickly deduces from the summary OF Christ
mas observances given in the article to which
we have referred. But there intrudes itself
the further reflection that Americans, true
t. the utilitarian spirit that influences them
in other matters, have stripped Christmas of
all its superstitions and imaginative elements
as thoroughly as the fourth of July ITSELF
St. Nicholas alias Santa Claus alias Kriss
Kringle, who still holds precarious domin-
ion over the infant mind in connection with
the sticking hung in the chimney corner, is
the Sole survivor Of all The old mystic powers
that formerly held undisputed sway. And
the American baby is so much of a ''positv-
ist' and skeptc from his very cradle that he
merely affects respect for this last long line
Of deposed monarchs. Bless YOU, the little
chubby man who peeps out from his blanke
at late hour, and sees the stealthy parent
u urping the Office of childhood's patron
8 lint in most realistic way, understands the
alegorical nature Of Kriss Kringle as well as
his elders. But for the purpose of INDUCING
the fancies of the old people and encouraging
the lavish bestowal of toys and bonbons, the
snug little diplomatist affects credulity, peers
curiously up the chimney to discover traces
of the jolly saints descent, and only pri-
vately puts the infant thumb derisively on
the infant nose.
In America Christmas has fallen off from
the old time elaborateness of revelry much
more than in England. In Great Britain the
spirit of tradition is still strong en- ugh to keep
the yule-log burning, to clothe the mistletce
with its peculiar virtues, and to popularize
the Christmas CAROL There the Lord of Mis-
rdle is still familiar pres ,nce, and the boar $
head is brought in with due observance OF
the ancient rites. The graceful pages OF
Irving have made us all familiar with the
poetic atmosphere that gives such charm to
the Christmas season across the water. But
zoe are practical people, The central
idea of Christmas being the comforting OF
happiness, the American reaches the goal by
the shortest cut. He eliminates everything
in life that lawyer might call surplusage
Accordingly he sweeps all the old Christmas
''rul bish" away and replaces it by three
grand observances-the Christmas greeting
for the morning, the Christmas dinner for
the day and the Christmas tree for the even
ing. The first of these answers for an ex-
preston of general good will, while the
second and third offer the means of confer
ring benefits in the most direct and practical
manner. Christmas thus becomes to great
extent carnival of practical benevolence.
Gifts are often ill bestowed or given too Law
ishly as tokens of regard to those who need
them not, instead of to those whose hard
fate might be little relieved by even one
days indulgence in ease and luxury But
the tendency is good, and it is safe to claim
that in the genuine philanthropy of our
Christmas, as in other respec S, we are enti-
ted to indulgence in the great ma ional boast
"We whip the Universe" Even the inmates
o. prisons are remembered. Instead of the
meaning mummeries, born half in super
slit on aud half in "reminiscences of t. .e Roman
saturnalia and other heather rites-instead
OF celebrating the details ofmystic symbolism
and puerile mystery plays-instead of booz ne
over inebriating wassail bowls and
incoming forth to see the cattle kneel
at midni 7ht-the American sees to
it that the Beg ar teasts as royalty
as pr nee for on, day, at | asst. He makes
it his care that the widows bin is full of coal.
and thath her ragged boy has new suit OF
war clot hing, a i'd es ,ecially that all the
poor are made to feel the cheer
ing influences of human sympathy and
respect. The new christmas is as
much an improvement on the old, as
the steam car is on the stage coach, and if i S
humanziug infu nee coul be extended to the
rest of the year without any Elimination of its
war 18th, we need look no ION Ter Tor the mil
leunium.