The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-12-25
CHRISTMAS SUGGESTIONS.
The Associations Clustering Around
the Happy Holiday Time-A Few
Hints OF Value TO Every Gift-Giver.


A merry, beautiful Christmas tide,
good friends, crowded with loves sun
shine, and made musical with the laughter
of children; & grateful, happy Christmas,
and sensible, courageous one. Coura-
geous, Tor it requires u high order OF
moral courage TO go straight through
the holidays, avoiding the weakness OF
debt. L! does not require any greater
amount OF courage for the "Com-
mittee on Church Erection to hrm
ly adhere to their determination
not to build higher or deeper than their
finances will allow, than 1t does for u
mother, with the precious, expectant,
childish eyes in constant remembrance,
TO make her exit from fancy bazaar
without having been entangled In debt,
or Tor lover to stOlcsliy push back to-
ward the clerk the beautiful set OF coral
that would so enhance her style OF beau
ty; ave, can imagine how the apprecla-
tive young husband is tempted to be as
extravagant us in those days, when his
income was larger and his expenses less,
but any such yielding to temptation l.
followed by such compensatory anXletles
as to show the bill shall be paid?' tnal
the genuine Christmas enjoyed 10 nial-
red.
AT no time of the year do the AmerI-
can characteristics stand out III as bold
relief rs during the holiday season.
The national love OF getting "the
worth OF ones money" apparent when
some mother Gays 10 her daughter: Find
out, If you caE, about how much your
Aunt Mara's present to me will cost, 50
that | can give her something worth
about the same amount While the
national weakness of striving "to keep
up appearances" exhibits another phase,
wnen the toys placed on the Chris mas
trees 1T the Sunday School festivals
by parents (who actually do not know
where the money is coming from to pay
the grocer's billy are as expensive as those
gwen by wealthy fathers and mothers.
And lust here we cannot refrain from
protesting against the custom so unlver'
sally observed in the small towns OF al
lowing parents to provlCe special giits
.or their children, while the poor little
waits who never owned doll, are eX-
pected to be perfectly happy and salts
fed with bag OF pop corn and fe"
bon bOus.
Our whole system of Christmas pre-
sertations has changed since the time IN
Merry England when
"On Christmas eve the bells were rang;
ON Christmas eve the mass was sung
That ONLY night of all the year,
Saw the StOled priesi his challce rear.
Then open wide the baron 5 nah,
70 yaSSal, tenant, serf and all
Power laid his rod OF rule aside,
And ceremony DOTTED his pride.
The cir with roses in his shoes,
That l. ght might village partner choose
All hailed with uncontrolled delight
And general voice, the happy night,
That TO the cottage, as the crown,
brought tidingS OF salvation down
England was merry England when
Ola Christmas brought his sports again,
A Christmas gambol oft would cheer
Auoor mans heart through hall the year.
We also read that in the Protestant
districts of Germany and the north OF
Europe, where the family Christmas tree
WAS so prominent teatare Of the iestiv-
tiles, the gifts were marked with the
name of the person for whom they were
Intended, but never with the name OF the
donor. When the whole family party was
assembled the presents were distributed
around the room, according to their Ia
bells. amid joyful acclamatlons and con-
yrt,ulations. A more sober scene sue
ceeds, for the mother takes this occasion
to SAY privately to the daughters and the
! ta,hGr TO the sons what hiss been observed
AS prsisewoythy and what as faulty In
their conduct.
The common custom Of decorating
houses and churches was derived from
the ancient practices OF the Druids, as ii
was an old tradition that sylvan spriteS
and spirits might flock to the eyergreens
and remain unnipped by frost until the
coming Of spring. The holly, ivy rose
mar BAYS, laurel and mist!etoe fur
nisb,d the iavorite decorations, which
were not removed Until Candlemas
/ CbspIels of these were also worn about
the head, q practice to which the phrases
to "klss under the rose" to whisper un
dor the mistletoe, are illusions. In ole
church calendars, Christmas eve l:
marked: TempIa exornatur (adorn the
temples) Holly and ivy still remain IN
ENGLAND the favorite decorations, though
the two great universities are deckec
! with laurel.