The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-25

united, they awaited the coming OF NJ
mighty 0din, anticipated w4.h delight the
return Of the Sup, and EorshPed their
God With fesstingp and family ioyS. There
sat the guests At long, wooden tables;
grandparents and grandchildren, fathers
aud mothefs, brothers and sisters, drank
sweet honey-beer (metheglill ate roasted
sWine's Aesh, gave gifts 70 each other, and
played games or told over the events Of
the past year. 81. ~ nj
al The head Of the table, in a chair
raised high above the rest, sal the host,
and by his side in similar one the host.
ess, so that they two could overlook the
whole scene Of fesivity. Fir.bOughs
adorned the hall, pine splinters and
torches gave a brilliant light, and the
guests, teasting on nuts and apples, re-
joiced over their gifts, sang songs In honor
'ot the sun,god, and recOunted the deeds OF
their deities and heroes, All the accom-
panimepts Of the feast were well.chosen
to express its meaning; rejoicing at the
suns return and the termination Of ma.
ture; the torches typifed the sunlight,
the nuts and apples and the fir-treeS the
imperishability Of natures life, retaining
rs they do through all the year, the form.
er their freshness and sweetness, and the
latter its dark-green foliage; and the pig,
that most ancient domestic animal, being
sacred to the sun,god, was most appro.
priately used TO furnish the substantial
part OF tie meal. Those who couldn't
have one baked cake in the shape OF the
creature, and in honor Of the deity, for
this feast was considered one Of sacrifice
as we'll as Of rejoicing,
When, more than allousand years ago,
our foEOlalhers became converts to
Christianity, it, messengers did not for
bid the continuance Of the celebration Of
their feast Of Yule, the season Of which
so conceded with the birth OF Christ, for
in him do we honor the spiritual sun
which gave new life to the nations. There
fore Is Christmas always kept "a our
chief family and children's festival; for
this reason do We deck The Christmas.
tree with its gilded huts and rosy apples,
and illuminate II with ia many lights to
remind us of the ascending sun; give and
receive gifts and shorten the long eyen-
ing with pleasant pastimes. For roasted
pork we have substituted our butter.
cakes, the gift.giving Olin is for us
transformed into our Santa Claus, who
brings all sorts oftreasures TO good and
industrious children, and instead OF the
high seat for the head Of the household,
we have grandiather's comfortable easy:
chair which We offer 10 our most honor.
ed guests.
IEe, then, celebrate Christmas in the
manner Of our ancestors. Nations not Of
Germanic origin, on the contrary, do not
have the Christmas tree. In Hungary,
for example, only the Germans observe
the season according TO our ancient GUS
tom, yet many native HungarianS, hav-
ing acknowledged It's beauty, now light
up trees IN their homes, but on New
Years instead OF Christmas Eve, and
give their gifts at that time, not fully
Comprehendlng the deepest meaning OF
the ancient festival,
With nations Of the same origin as our
own, the Swedes, NOrwegians, Danes,
Dutch, English and North Americans, II
Is different. These keep II in the old
way, and however widely, scattered over
the earth they may dwell, in China or
Australia, Brazil or Lapland, everywhere,
on Christmas Eve, the glittering tree
stands on The home table, This makes
the beautiful festival yet more dear, Us a
gathering Of all the people OF the Ger.
man, or, rather, TeutOniC, race US meIn-
bers Of one family about Tho Christmas.
tree, where they acknowledge their rela.
tionship to each other, Let us rejoice,
then, that we are Germans, and thank.
fully retain In our time the devont ard
thoughtful spirit Of our ancestors
SCR