The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-03
Christmas Keeping in the Olden Time.

1ne way children used to keep Christ
mas TWO hundred years ago, before peo-
pie had learned SO many ways of pleas
ing the little ones as they have now.
and the celebration of Christmas was
very different. There were many ems
toms which would amuse and interest
my little readers quite as much as the
Christmas tree. In England, in the
olden time, a few days before Christ
mas, when the hustle of FERMENTATION
was at It's height in the houses of the
rich, some of the serving-men would
be sent out into the woods to cut an
enormous log for the back of the Christ
mas lire. The fireplace was so large
sometimes that the log, which took sew
eral men to lift could be placed in it.
When 1T was selected, it was drawn to
the kitchen door with songs and much
merrlment, and on Christmas Eve it
was placed at the back of the wide
chimney and great roaring fire made
IN front of it. This was called the
"Yule Log" and as long as it burned,
the men and maids were entitled to
keep holiday. Sometimes they were
cunning enough to wet it well in the
brook, so that it might last the longer.
When it was well a-burning, the mer-
ry-makirg of the evening began by a
very curious procession, such as ven
ture to say, our little readers never saw.
First came man dressed in lone
white robe, made generally by pinning
a sheet around him, with white hair
and beard, and crown of holly and mis-
tletoe, representing Father Christmas:
then followed a great many singular
looking figures, each personating some
Christmas dish, such as mince-pie,
boar's head, or plum-pudding; then
followed one dressed in priests
robes, he was called the Abbot
OF Unreason, and after him came a
mixed company, dressed in the most
fantastic way they could devise, and all
with some Christmas decoration. The
actors in this " mumming'' show, as it
was called, were generally servants,
iarm-hands, or poor people who lived
in the neighborhood. The ''mummers''
would go about from house to house,
and everywhere they were made well
come, and after acting out their parts
they were entertained with all manner
OF good cheer, in the great hall, where
fires were kept blazing, and where
finally the evening ended with dance,
which was joined in by all the COM
pany in the house. The walls were
hung with holly and mistletoe, and the
scarlet berries of the one and the pure
white of the other made gay garlands
that reflected the light of the fire
cheerily. A branch of mistletoe hung
in the center of the hall, and if by any
accident a lady happened to stand be-
neath-of course it never happened
except by accident-any gentleman
who caught her there was entitled to a
kiss, and somehow, l do not pretend
to explain how, there were a good many
kisses generally stolen on Christmas
Eve, probably because in dancing the
ladies forgot to look for the mistletoe,
and their partners did not. Many games
were played at Christmas time then
that are now happily almost forgotten.
One was that of sc Snap-dragon,' which
occasioned a great deal of sport. In a
darkened room bowl of blazing
spirits of wine were placed upon the
table, and the party gathered around
it. This bowl was filled with plums,
which were to be snatched from be.
meath the flame without burning the
fingers, and those accustomed to the
sport became very adroit in winning
the plums without gaining any scars.
l think VIC may be glad that we have
plays less rude for our holidays. ID
In Holland, where l think they know
about as well how to please children as
anywhere in the world-for you know
it is there that so many toys are made
they had great many pretty GUS
toms. In the small towns and villages
man dressed as Santa Claus, and
loaded with presents, would 90 about
the town on Christmas Eve, and knock
ing at the door of house would in
quire whether any good children lived
there, and the. parents would call the
children and tell him how they had be-
haved, and whether they deserved any
presents. The little ones were often
very much frightened when they saw
his tall cap, and the large bundle of
switches which he always carries with
him; for some reason, l fancy that the
number of these did not diminish much
as he went along, for think you will
agree with me in wondering how peo-
pie manage to give children such re-
markably good characters about Christ
mas, and that the number of good chill
dren is greater than at any other time
of year. At any rate, the good old
Santa Claus always seems to hope they
will be good in the future, if they have
not been in the past. When this old
man had gone his rounds, and dis
tributed his gifts, mostly among the
younger children, the families would
assemble round the Christmas tree, the
tapers were lighted, and the presents of
the parents to the children were taken
from the tree, and afterwards the chill
dren presented theirs to their parents.
Did you ever think why gifts are
made more at Christmas than at any
other timer You know it is because it
was on Christmas day that God gave
his great gift to the world, the gift of
his son Jesus, the Savior; and | am
sure that every child must delight to
think of Him as having been once lit
tie child, and will not forget that he
was a poor child, born in manger,
and for his sake remember those little
children who have no pleasant home