National Republican., 1873-12-25
FESTIVAL OF CHRISTIANS.
1rs oHIcIs. LsorSDs, rIExsUREs,
AND oJsERrANCE.

fIS OhIGINf IEGFSDs, pLEksURfs,
AND oLsERrAScE.
now THE JOYOUS ASSivrRsARY fs os-
sNRvpp hMoNe ritH CHRISTIAN NATIONS
-rHt eRorEseUE AND TIM BEAUTIFUL
rnr PRoFANE hNp TIr ukirowRD--
TN sPoRTs Ann MsrRsy-MAkiNGs.
q, fkca hlcssedcsi.
o. Nou gfart -udcn Christmas time
Ssssfs ~ Hlr,n, ra,,S., SsndS',as' s1,s'
Ming out, r,,e, s,ll., yeur Shri.i,na, sninc
n 20 curious what q variety OF customs tho
bssrtlhll ttalyal " festivals has given rlse 70 in
all lsndr. what strange comminslnr Of .cbsIi.
Isllh . volume Of Chrlstns. lore would show
The groirsaue and tbs exquisite, the proiano and
ths hailoved. the hidecus and the charming, Tho
slstnguish the day. d.arst Of 81 ths sear ia
ssssy eys ,s % Sh.Ih The s'sr e Be'hsssm hs,
wildly the elcvatrp influence VI Christianity.
Doc q the inalsrtrsa bio a,,iupe,. NJ CLrislmAs
rHr In LOO.
This rtlie Of heathcnisn. says an an scat ctron.
irieI, was huge piece Of wool. trSpgAt indoors
viii great ccfemony. and deposii"d "a the Ia
sipni nteflaec ai he house. As il wa brought
In, chorus was sung amer ~ is hitl!oii
NY merry. mrrTy hoys-
nets5li,ips, ai,, =, iss 81 2 isStti,s, u.
a ANA dink 10 sosr beart. ashinr.
The lee being properly placed, ,he hrinrers-n
sat on u 70 turn. 70 sing ttave % the yulc song
aud wish The ma,ter and iamlly merry, Christ.
iSon lighted Win ihe ii,i years brsS for every
yenr fragment of the log was carenilly put BY
Uhfstsas' xnciher chorus was Justify sahs
while the lighting was going on;
ttI Miih the l,i ycsr's brand #
yo, d so5d .asS... S'S s' il ?'iVs; x. ,gtnfins, NH
f ~ s",l, l,A'i' ri,. pay,
ccn, Viii While ~ n.e 'iss iSs |. ID'T S.t,ndinF.
The etrsmcny closed with az; r.iu,iIR ynlc
'ssp@sssd ssmsii@t they were sV ,4,e ,'n 10 T ss
Rrt there were more preciou. n,merie, con.
ssis as % in,@aisS @ ~ poas @ vIiSe,, % Who GI shSs
:lsscr.bcs how chr.stmas Eve was spcntin county
sXi,er the ccaa,ion. which they take together
about seven u'eieck IN the evening, the watching
- prolonged In Mn hslL where, for once, no pro.
tsunh " an immense oak or beech tree has been
carried 10 and sL. on the hearth. This log, eslied
NE s csIi.s..s L log bas been laid spars and kep,
sitnruahedi When once the enormous block
when the people will return nom the midnirht
nass ior the repasi. and whom they 10 again TO
thc hAss o the GAVIN rhe hfe VIII still De AllEEt"
wiTca SPILLS.
Tho "jmmortal WIN Shakcspearc who 90
elevsriy cnshrines ali sorts Of odds and ends of
ie3endhry lore In his plays. records tho popular
tslef that no spirit dafes stir abroad during the
Christmas season;
sss. ssd ass sss ssis RSTin to
as s Ss ss sas.ss Fss sS aSS
deem the midnieh b. hour Of Christmas eve the -.
sori,s time Tor witches and hebyeblns generally
ing the cattle mu,t b fed, else they will die Of
else theis VIII be nothing but leaves the next
sanmor. These wNch. fearing FOLKS, however.
% hat he es.s @ on shsr snss. 70 al S
uAered hour.
SONGS AND aIrrs
In Do~thsrn England this is a fayorIte plee;
st The merry, merry tinc,
@ Biess lie i mcilf ,i..is,iuas time. =.
The wa.safl Bowl had number of ruoo d.t.
ties Of which the following il not bad sample,
with its odd minglmg VI eoDipiimeDts binss and
Wishes good and badi
wa-.aIi, wassali, all over the town,
OaI toast IL IL wLite. oar air u 10 crown:
w sH goa nsas s;iSSs 81 TsRs SlRas Sce
H.rs's % Branch, the hor.s. ans TO his rsn, ears
rs. s,rr, ,sn Nov esr Y,s, nS,.,sr siTrS N.Y. Year
With ny wsssai'ina bowl drink 10 thee.
Psrs. 70 Broad, ne pony, sgd e. p. risat,ys'
Win my wassaiiiSg bowl diias to i,se.
Ises send ont nisi.ier u neveS NAV fsii iiNS '4''
M ns good sSp x hesr, pray pray you draw near,
BE here any malis-I suppose there Re so'ne--
BUR- they'll not let youhB men stand the ey}G
aa-
Aud The isir, Il mrid IL The nouse let Us H.
Gone, butler. bring US a bowl Of the best,
Ihopr your 5, ui in MeIvrn will rest,
gath you do DrpE Us e,wi Of IN. small,
Then down tninble butler, bowl and all.
The evergreen decorations Of the festive season
were not sirhted by the sorg-rasksrr:
IIclly and Ivy inadea yre>i party,
who should h.ye ihe inns:vty r.,
rssy spste noGs. GR'f r% my TEtSs. So and ,oa,,
-,.' In .hds where We 90. -.a. ....
The doss,rei SUNG by children mostly isc'udcd
q petill on for Chrislnias boxes OF goodies In
some places II was customary for the .st,s band
TO rap loudly at the amt DOR, s.rsias .: tho
same time IN grafi tono:
Ances, knock. hnosk. lthanh ye fss som, o.cad-
Wh"cy,r Won give IL, III break hia head.
On beiug admitted. they sang In r'esssnsr
hnock, hs miner, taoekl
s,,sa 3a, rosl iasrsssSSSi a",,. sS sss lsst ,,rov
6rtS 6r,'sr SSm@s ~ 5ifPr' e.. "''"'
Ny master an and MISTRESS, now I lo",i, ~ :aSt. .a'
Another Of these duties ran;
An angel sits bshind ihe door,
y, has apple. and psars IN sto'rI
Three pears upon ope stsia.
came, rooa nan, give a, .a.m; ...#
And thou shalt Rays good iues, ,row.
In ireland the ehildren's songs were copSpsd
70 wishing good wishes, leaving these wGo weir
honored with visit to give the present according
a lsl Kvi.lT mad IN hst
poppiar. perhaps ~ Is yet, In the south OF Irclan
The he; rsn: ins yrSn, the King .s e ~ Y,sis
brinS mi wr.n to Sisit you hsr,,"
And M:irs SSs n ih@sHSs HsT Year
NJ. ,oHRisIxAs IN TnE UNITED srATRS
Chrstmas In the United states mas not given
rise e much lesendsry lore but y not less " .ed
sppos,is shades Of political SsiisJs and religious
In one way or another the great Christian tcast
Very snietiy,ih her swn wondrous style, Religion
has Infused comet hing Of the spirit ofher iovessl
allan li1enso. Into the solemn honesteads. where
the ldea Of Religion is associated only with gloon,
,est ns
ed and ysans that 'tiop Is CaARl,I."
slry she casis'a CLEAN from Bethiche Is star 20
that sven. the niost thseshtless revelcr takes
ssssy sss .ss
net been made mesry,who else would not know
the nsAnisg Of merry ChTistmas." All, Il 10
beautiful tOeee how the Babe Of Bethlehem has
sade Himssaf Welcome thrsuSh the whole length
and breadth Of anr country! We may reverently
apply the sords, Of the PsAlsnist, "He has not
brought TO Sod In anew way Through family ties
and cares and Joy sAnd 70 little chld" Is iesdlnx
the families toyensly lo,hir. and their father N
We have nst spSssas end antlsans, legend and pas
ynss, there b no sssrth o;Iwhpt suits us better.
Our hoos laensriss and bosrsholl traditions are
fshed ioys sf .onr hearts echo ITS giad musical
chimes, our meet precious souvenirs arc embaimed
IN its fragrance.
RELIdIous oBsERyAsCEs.
To-day, In nortof the ehnrches Of the District,
the festival Of christmas will be cos, m eniorated
40 an unrsally Impressive and inter- sting man.
Iner. In the Catholic and Episcopal churches
especially the oenamoniss will be very brilliant
and attractive, and the music, both vocal aud
Of moro than ordinary excellence.