The Morning herald., 1875-12-25

There were little eaithen images, sacre
to Bacchus, and made to his likeness, an
were supposed to afford protection to th
vines, and ensure fertility on every side t
wards which the images impelled by tn
wind turned their faces.
The following translated by Dryden, i
sufficiently close and intelligble to shov
the similarity between pine tree laden
with oscilla and toys and Christmas tree
and many other Of our Christmas pas
times.
Thus Roman youth derived from ruined
Troy,
In rude saturnian rhymes express theil
joy;
With tumult and laughter loud their audi.
ence please;
Defermed with wizards cut from bark OF
trees,
In jolly hymns they praise the god of wine,
When earthen images adorn the pine.
The original idea from which our mod
ern "Christmas tree" is derived, will be
found in Smiths Dictionary of Greek and
Roman antiquities, where there is given
an engraving from an ancient gem repre-
senting tree with four masks hung upon
its branches. Any one who will take the
trouble of looking for himself, into that
Invaluable work, will at once perceive
that it is an exact picture of a Christmas
tree. The annual decking Of the pine
with toys, is a perpetuation of custom
older than Christianity. 1t is strange
however, that the Germans alone should
have preserved the custom, and have in
truth introduced it into every land where
they have emigrated.
So much for Christmas trees.
When and by whom was the festival
fixed for the 25th of December 1t would
seem that in the two first centuries
Of our era, the day was celebrated upon
the 9Th Of January. Pope Julian I, after
careful sitting Of existing traditions and
writings transferred the feast to December
25th. 1t is a noticeable fact that some
persons yet speak Of January 9th, the feast
Of the Epiphany or Twelfth day as "Old
Christmas day"
OF the numerous existing superstitions
and legends relating TO Christmas, some
are beautiful The prevalent English one,
that the hawthorn of Glastonbury blooms
at the midnight hour, which ushers in the
festival, is certainly poetic conception.
Another old one is that domestic animals, |
may be seen kneeling in their stalls upon
early Christmas morning. There is an
Indian (American) legend, tina. deer al.
ways kneel when drinking upon Christ
Space forbds even passing
notice Of many pretty and suggestive le-
sends and superstitions; but as a tribute to
The ancestral home of many of our citizens,
We copy Danish Legend of Christmas.
"Once upon time fisherman wished
IN Christmas day to give the Spirit of the
yaters cake; but when he came 70 the
here, 10! the waters were frozen over.
unwilling to leave his offering upon the
ce, and SO to give the spirit the trouble
f breaking the ice to obtain it, the
sherman took pickaxe and set to work
0 break hole in the ice. In spite of all
lis labor he was only able to make very
mall hole, not nearly large enough for
i'm to put the cake through. Having
aid the cake on the ice, while he thought !
hat was best to be done, suddenly a very !
ny little hand, as white as snow was !
:retched through the hole, while Selling !
re cake and crumbling it up together,
ithdrew with it. Ever since that time
lie cakes have been so small that the
Water Spirits have had no trouble with /
lem. And i'll this legend we have the
rigin of the compliment so often paid to $
Danish lady, "your hand is like a ,
aterspirit's" "
We leave the region Of fancy and for a
rief time treat of facts
New England until within a very few '
ears stood up against the celebration of
hristmas day. The Quaker element in {
ennsylvania in the beginning of this GEN. $
Try, was quite as hostile to Christmas {
stivities as the Puritan. Both have 8
lelded to custom respected by the Cav .
ier in Virginia, and insisted upon by the
ermans, Irish and English emigrants. I
he Scotch still refuse to be merry upon
hristmas day. New Years day is their ;
secial festival. 1t is easy to trace the