Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-12-24

"Christmas comes but once year." but
then it is, in the minds eye of the ju1 emile,
coming all the year. Scarcely has one
passed away before the youthful hope
looks forward to next Christmas" with
pleasurable anticipations. Nay, 'man is
but child of larger growth" and where
is there one who does not look forward to
that festival without pleasurable emotion {?
Ii there be one such, he sis fit for treason,
stratagem and spoils," and "may jackasses
trample on his grand fathers grave Then
let us enjoy the season whilst it is with us,
for when the next year rolls around we
may be slumbering beneath the clods of
the valley. 1t is wise for US, thus with
thanksgiving and feast, to celebrate this
joyous season of the birth of the Saviour.
Ever since the christian era it has thus
been celebrated, and probably ever will
be. Its institution as a festival of the
christian church is ascribed to Pope
Telesphorus, who died A. D. 13S At one
time it was one of the most movable of
the festivals and was often COMPOUNDED
with the Epiphany and celebrated by the
Eastern churches in April and May. In
the fourth century Pope Julius list, at the
solicitation of ST. Cyril of Jerusalem, or
dered an inquiry to be made by theolo-
gians as to the true date of the nativity of
Christ. The result of this action was the
selection of the 25th of December, which
day has ever since been celebrated as the
true festival. Though in the opinion of
some, the evidence on which this day was
selected was not considered authentic and
conclusive, yet the decision has been uni
formly acquiesced in. In all nations
where the light of christianity has pene-
trated, it has ever been season of festivi-
ty. Indeed our Anglo-Saxon ancestors
carried their reyels to great excess and
kept them up for very long period. The
revels used to begin On Christmas night
and continued until Candlemas day (Feb.
2nd), every day being holiday until
twelfth night Jan. 6th). In the houses
of the mobiles Lord of Misrule" or
abbot OF Unreason" was appointed whose
office was Ito make the rarest pastimes to
delight the beholder,' and whose domin-
ion lasted from "All-hallow-e Oct
31sD till Candlemas day. In Protestant
Germany the season was celebrated with
more staidness. There the Christmas tree
was erected and filed with manifold pre-
sents, marked with the name of each per-
son for whom intended. But after the
distribution of the presents a more solemn
scene was enacted. For then it was that
the father took the occasion to say pri-
vately to the sons, and the mother to the
daughters, what had been observed most
praiseworthy or most faulty in their con-
duct during the past year. We could
wish that this solemn, but wholesome
custom, still prevailed Though we in
! this count have never carried our revels
to the reme of our ancestors, yet it is
seasonyf great enjoyment and much lati
tude in the way of eating and drinking.
Indeed, we have seen written contract
of that model Of sobriety and propriety,
Gen. Washington, in which he was pleas
ed graciously to accord to his overseer
1.-The privilege of getting drunk at Christ
mas; provided he got sober ut the end of
three days" IF the immaculate Father of
his Country could countenance such
proceeding, is it any wonder that we, his
degenera sons, should at this season take
a little too kindly to apple-toddy and egg
nog? But we hope all will enjoy the
good things which a bounteous Providence
has given them and not show their in
gratitude to Him by abusing His good
gifts. So to all we wish Merry Christ
mas and a Happy New Year, and many
returns of the same.