Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-12-25
CHRISTMAS NOTES.

| The bright Christmas morning
is hailed by all nations.
France discards Christmas trees.
They are of German origin.
"A Christmas tree costs little and
furnishes great enjoyment for the lit
tie ones. Every family should have
one.
In some cities it is the custom of
the husband to receive his friends on
Christmas day and the wife on New
Year.
Girls, have mercy, and don't ell
OF you give your beaux slippers. Re.
member that each fellow has only one
Ipair of feet
/ Above all things, keep in a good
humor on Christmas, fathers and moth>
ers. Let nothing disturb the enjoy.
ment of the day.
The general custom of decorating
the churches and houses with ever.
greens is descended from the Druids.
They believed that sylvan spirits wo'd
dwell in the evergreen boughs and
garlands until spring, and protect the
house from evil spirits.
The Puritans of New England. in
their opposition to all church pastimes
forbade the general observance cF
Christmas, and even to this day tho
Middle, Western, and Southern States
indulge in more unrestrained festivi.
ties than the dwellers in Yankeeland.
There are, sometimes, touches Of
sadness hanging around Christmas,
as well as those of JOY. 1t is the
grand anniversary Of the year. and
the remembrance of friends beloved
and dear, who have gone to the better
land, come to us then with renewed
sharpness.
The first authoritative command
to keep Christmas time holy is attrib.
uted to Clement, . colaborer with st.
Paul, and mentioned by the latter in
the Epistle to the Philippians. Gle.
ment says; "Brethren, keep diligently
tastdays, and truly, in the frs place,
the day Of Christ's birth"
Nearly every country has its own
mode OF celebrating Christmas. In
Italy, teasting and singing is the order
OF the day, and as the shades Of night
fall upon their lovely towns, numbers
Of musicians sc forth to celebrate tho
one who has most merited their es.
TEEN aud appreciation during the past
year
Long before the birth of Christ
the last days CT December were ded.
cated to the Feast of the Sol.o
The Scandinavians watched the de-
clining sun from juno to December.
and as soon as the first shadow of it's
retrograde course was noticed they
danced and sung, and inaugurated a
week Of iestvit es aGd season of
boisterous revelry.
1T was an old English supersti-
ton that at midnight on Christmas
eve every living creature of the ans
mal kingdom involu ntarily bent the
knee, and even at this enlightened
day the idea finds many believers.
1t arose from the MEDIEVAL fancy
that the OK and the ass that were
etabled in tho manger at the birth Of
Christ fell upon their knees before
the Holy Babe in alteration of His
divinity.
christmas is the joyful time for
reunion and resi-. All business and
study being suspended, the family
mansion is filled with youthful life
and freshness; the blooming daugh-
ter home from school, Deaming with
fun and fancy; the youth forgetting
for o time the account book and VII
ions OF future wealth--all throwing
care aside and considering a Christi
mas kiss, under the mistletoe, the
highest Of earthly delights.
1t is not to be wondered at that
poets and artists have devoted many
of their best productions to the honor
of Christmastide and its festivities.
Celebrations, from the penny candle
and sprig of green, in the peasants
hut, to the gorgeous and lavish dis.
play in the palace, have all had their
share OF picturesque represention all
breathing the same spirit of happiness
and Joyous recognition Of the grand
union Of. earth and heaven.
In all the civilized world there is no
spot so secluded, and, perhaps, no
heart so dark that the sound OF
Christmas chimes fails to awaken in
it sense of joy and exaltation.
Round and round the earth rolls the
grand sympathetic melody, calling on
rich and poor alike to put aside for q
day all disputes and jealousies, and
over and above all trouble and per-
plexity swells the sublime, reiterated
strain
Peace aud good will, good will and peace
Peace aud good will to all mankind.
In the Northern countries Christ
mas is a season Of more festiyity than
in those tropical lands where palms
bask in the sun, and gorgeous flowers
are the story of the whole year. Com
ing just as winter has commenced his
icy reign, the inner warmth and glow
and comfort make a deeper impress.
sion on the soul, moving it to thank
fulnessl and rejoicing; and branches
and wreaths Of evergreen form a more
fitting decoration in honor Of our Sa.
viour's birth, than all the wealth Of
tropical flowers, which blossom only
to wither and perish in an hour.
Danish Santa Claus We are
shocked at the very idea. Give up
the legend which made the approach
Of Christmas SO slow, and IFS coming
at last so welcome in our childhood
days? No, indeed The contribu.
tor of the pleasant sketch published
elsewhere surely cannot be in earnest.
Beautiful as is the true origin of the
holiday, we cannot afford 10 lose the