The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-12-20
CHRISTMAS GOOD CHEER.


iel Webster's, says, in alIusion to
Christmas day: "The Christmas
anthem, beginning at Jerusalem,
in the church Of SepuIchre Of our
Lord, travels with the star that
stood above His cradle from re
giOn to region, from communion
to communion, and from tongue
to tongue, till it compasses the
land and the sea, and returns to
melt away upon the sides Of
Mount Zion" Following the sun
and keeping company with the
hours, the song of the angels
which hailed the birth Of our
Lord, is repeated by the myriads
of His followers all round the
globe. The day is set apart by
Christians of every name, sect and
denomination, the Puritan alone
excepted, as one specially dedi-
Gated to religious exercises. de
votional praise and thanksgiving.
and social and conviviaI mirth
and COngratulation 1t cannot
be denied that the foolish eXtrav-
agance and wild excuses which
formerly characterized the annual
celebrations of the Nativity, in a
great measure justified the Puri-
tans in their refusal to unite in
them.
But the principal charm, and
by far the most endearing asso-
Citations which cluster around
'his joyous season, making it the
ctr, ting place" for the memo
ries OF e past, are the private,
indoor family festivities which
attend it Long after tins public
ceren onies and Fleasantnc%
which excite our adnl;ra ton, or
our mirth have been forgotten,
the genial warmth which reaches |
The heart and lights up the coun-
tenance in the glow Of the blaz-
ing and cracking "yule-i0g," Will |
at stated times return unbid-
den, and again impart something
of its first warmth and radiance. |
The English, Of all people, have |
the keenest relish for the festive !
Joys of Christmas. Indeed, the |
peculiar reverence with which
the occasion is regarded, and the |
hearty good cheer with which it
has always been venerated in
England would almost justify
the English in claiming its cele-
bratiOn as a peculiar institution
of their own. 1t was old England
who allotted to Christmas its own
special customs and superstitiOns.
1t was she who told US
THAT ever 'gainst the season comes,
Wherein our Saviour's births celebrated
The bird ofdawning singeth all nightIong"
Ii was from her that we learned
that the oxen in their stalls fall
on their knees in an attitude OF
devotion at midnight on Christ
mas eve; that at this charmed
season men may acquire the pow
or of transforming themselves
into ''Christian wolves" &c, &c
1t was the English who be
queathed to us the "mighty
Christmas ale;" the boar's head
adorned with garlands Of rose
mary; the Drawn of the "tusked
swine" with maImsey and mus
1ard AMI it is to her that we
owe-the greatest debt Of all
1he immemOrial and the immor-
taImince pies and plum buildings.
We commend the old English
idea Of Christmas to our readers
for study or imitation. Our an
cestors considered Christmas in
the double light Of a holy com
memoratiOn and a cheerful fcsti-
val; and accordingly distinguish
ed il by devotion and merriment
and hospitality and beniticence.
BY encouraging every art condu-
Give to mirth and entertainment
they also endeavored to soften
the hardships of those in humber
life and to mitigate the influence
of a rigorous winter b. contribu-
ting to the relief of those upon
whom it had brought want and
suffering.
The South, in its paImy days,
always kept Christmas JOLLY.
Before sunrise the rural youth,
guns in hand, commenced their
round Of visits. \ goodly bowl
of egg-nog, foam-crestcd and
fragrant, was ready for them at
every planters mansion and well
10 do farmers dwelling, and fair
hands filed the goblets and pan
nikins. Much powder was burned,
Tor a fle de joie was fired al every
hospitable door. The +, h plan