Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-12-27
A German Christmas
BY REV. EDWARD D. EATON.

which ne was calleQ, MS mission was
everywhere the same. Known in
Rhineland as Sanct Nicolous, in
Pomerania and on the Baltic as Jul
Clap, in the cities in the interior as
Knecht Ruprecht, and in the noun
tains as Pslymeatel, he was recognized
by all alike as the messenger of the
Christ-child, sent to inquire into the
conduct of the German children. The
nuts and apples that he distributed
were tokens of the coming feast. The
huge stick of candy and the whip
which he carried, were symbols of
the rewards to be meted out for good
and bad behavior; and every well
instructed child stood promptly be-
fore him, and repeated its verse of
poetry, that it might secure a favora-
BILE report when the messenger re-
turned to his master. Some days ago
the woods came into town and took
possession of the open square, left
empty since the great Fair closed.
The air was filled with the fragrance
of the pine trees, that stood crowded
more closely together than they had
in the forest from which they came.
The Pldts was thronged with fathers
and mothers, and each selected and
carried away tree for Holy Night,
until the square was stripped of its
borrowed green, and looked as bare
as ever.
Now everywhere Christmas songs
are sung. Especially beautiful is the
singing of the boy choir in the old St.
Thomas Church. 1t is not strange if,
like the Village Blacksmith, one
thinks of the saints in Paradise, as
the quaint, sweet music of the old
Bohemian Christmas songs floats
down from the high choir-loft, the
boyish voices now whispering the
praises of the Virgin Mother, now
ringing through the arches in adora-
ton of the infant King, one voice
soaring far above the rest as if in ire
pressible rapture.
1t is the day before Christmas; SO
warm and bright day that every
body shakes hands with his neighbor
and says, "This is not Christmas, this
is Easter But the children know
that it is Christmas. How slowly the
short day passes! But at last it is
gone; and as evening thickens the
Christbaum that has stood ready dur
ing the day, is lighted for the eve.
nlng's festivities. In every dwelling
in the land there is lighted Christ
mas tree tonight. There is no howell
in the city, there is no hut upon the
mountain, whose tenants are too mis-
cradle to rejoice tonight, or too pow
erty-stricken to provide little tree,
and hang upon it few apples and
nuts, and light it with bit of taper.
This night belongs equally to rich and
poor; it is universal festival.
The household are all assembled,
and the children gather about their
mother and sing few verses OF a
little Christmas song Then the door
is thrown open, and they rush into
the room where the Christmas tree
stands upon the table, its lighted
branches reaching to the ceiling, and
hung with fruits and bonbons. Each
is assigned his own place around the
table, which is covered with gifts of
every description, and each finds be-
fore him remembrances from each OF
the circle, and from absent friends.
For brains and fingers have been at
work for weeks, devising ways of CIV
ing pleasure tonight. Even the little
ones have been busy with knitting
and carving fancy work, that they
might have something for Mother and
Anntie that should be their own to
| give After tie first look at the pres
ents there is a great deal of hand
shaking and kissing all around then
further Investigations and more kiss
ing as new surprises are discovered ;
then everybody must see what every
body else has, and congratulate them.
What confusion of dolls and skates
and portfolios and books and dresses
and candies and ribbons and ink
stands and pictures The faithful
servants Ca noble institution is this
| German servant) is generally remem-
bered. Her presents are mostly table,
ware and other household articles
that she will especially need when
she comes to have home of her own.
Whatever else they may have, each
one alike must receive Stole, an odd
cake baked only at Christmas time,
not less than foot in length and
about third of that in breadth, with
a seam running the entire length of
one side, as if the whole cake had
been snuggly tucked in. This cake
is a curious imitation Of the little bed
in which German babies are wrapped,
and is designed by it's form to call to
mind the Christ child as he lay in the
manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.
But it is probable that there are many
who do not heed this association, just
as there are many who regard the
| Christmas tree merely as incident to
a merry time, while others look upon
it with reverent eyes as intended
to symbolic the tree of life, and its
tapers the Light that shineth in dark
ness, and it's presents the bounty of
him who gave gifts 20 men.
When all the new treasures have
been sufficiently admired, the compa.
ny adjourn to the supper table; and
the rest of the evening is spent in
games and general conversation.
After all, Christmas Eve in Germany
is very much what Christmas Eve, or
Christmas morning, is in America. 1t
is the same joyous festival of peace
and good will, in which the glee of
the children blends harmoniously with
the soberer rejoicings of their elders ;
only the surroundings are somewhat
different; the presents have of course
foreign look and to hear the little
children talking so fuently and IN
consciously in German, makes an i'm
preston of alarming precocity, much
as it would if their conversation were
all in verse.
Christmas morning, at half-past
eight o'clock, the great Nlcolai church
is full of worshipers, the choir, sup
ported by organ and orchestra, sing