Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-12-23
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY MORNING. DEC. %, 1876.
Merry Christmas.

moS, 0houSA AsAAAesA e''
words, possess q new interest and
young and old alike find pleasure in
their narration. Like voices of the
past, or the strains of some half-for-
ten song, they revive memories dear
to us all and we live over again the
scenes of long ago. Christmas! what
a world of pleasant memoriesits very
cadence brings! What bright and
joyous pictures it calls to view! How
each incident clings to the memory
awaiting but this season for develop
ment to cheer the heart and tighten
the burdens of life!
Leigh Hunt, in one OF his fras-
mentary pen-pictures, thus discour-
ses: A Christmas-day, to be perfect
should be clear and cold, with holly
branches in berry, blazing fire, a
dinner with mince-pies, and games
and forfeits in the evening. You
cannot have it in perfection if you
are very fine and fashionable. Meth
er, alas, can it be enjoyed by the
very poor; SO that, in fact, a perfect
Christmas is impossible to be had till
the progress of things has distrlou-
ted comfort more equally. But
when we do our best, We are priv
legged to enjoy our utmost; and
charity gives us right to hope
The completest enjoyer of Christmas
next to lover who has to receive
forfeits from his mistress,) is the
holiday school-boy who springs up
early, like bird, darting hither and
thither, out of sheer delight, thinks
of his mince-pies half the morning.
has too much of them when they
come (pardon him this once, } roasts
chestnuts and cuts apples half the
evening, is conscious of his new
silver in his pocket, and laughs At
every piece of mirth with loudness
that rises above every other noise.
1,ext day what peg-top will he not
buy what string, what nuts, what
gingerbread And he will have a
new clasp-kpife, and pay three times
too much for It: Sour oranges also
will be suck, squeezing their cheeks
into his own with staring eyes; and
his mother will tell him they are not
good for him-and let him go on.
In no part of England is Christmas
80 splendidly celebrated as in York
shire. The work of preparation COM
mences for some weeks before, and
it's sports and festivities continue
during the first month OF the new
year. The poor of the parish visit
all the neighboring farmers to beg
corn, which is invariably given them,
to the measure, of a pint each. Poor
old women, called vessel-cup singers,
go about from house to house, with
4 waxen or wooden doll, Enthusiastically
dressed, and sometimes adorned with
an orange or rosy-tinged apple.
With this in their hands, they chant
a carol, invoking blessings upon the
masters, mistresses, and little chill
dren of the houses where they call.
At eight o'clock, on Christmas-eve'
the bells greet "Old Father Christ
mas with merry peal, the children
parade the streets with drums, trum-
pets, bells, kettles, warming-pans,
and shovels, taken from their respec-
tive cottages. The yule-candle is
now lighted. Supper is then served,
Of which one dish is invariably fru-
menty, from the mansion to the cot
tage. Yule-cake, one OF which is
always made for each individual in
the family, and other more substan-
tial viands, are likewise added. The
Christmas-pie is still a regular dish,
and generally consists OF goose,
sometimes two, with the addition OF
half dozen. other fowls.
Christmas-gifts had their origin in
the Roman Paganalia, which was in
stituted by. Servius Tullius, B. G.
$50. On these festivals, celebrated
at the beginning Of the year, an al
tar was erected in every village, and
to the box placed upon it every man,
woman, and child, was expected to
contribute q coin. Aubrey speaks OF
q not in which Roman coins were
found, and supposed to be one OF
these Paganalian vessels. The
Christmas-box, naturally arose from
this pagan New Years box.
It is, moreover, an equally-appro-
pirate customs which makes the sea-
SON one, not only of composing and
forgetting old quarrels, and renewing
and confirming friendships, but for q
universal manifestation of generosity
and charity from the rich to the
poor.
Chr;atmas-dav- observed from an