Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-12-24
Christina 8.

10 all, merry C1llStmas vi LIZ oIIs'u
Of the festivities thai usrk the Day, tie follow
irg will b. read with interest
The IS b of December is tho day 90 which
tho sua is GEAR the most southern point IN lis
apparent annual ,urney. and for 8, looR ss We
have bis cr.c 4 r. cord. it has been celebrated
ty ceremonies and ri Jclrgs.
TIL, Hindoos 90 this day decorate their
homes With garlard5 cf h,Wers and papers OF
gold and tinsel aud the custom of making pre-
sen.s to relatives and friends is universally OBJ
served.
in hooor Of the birth Of their god Hotus.
Ia China it is general holiday, the shops
are shut and the c,urts closed. No journey
would under any clroumsarc's be commenced
Cd this day.
Ths Persiaus kept it IS the birthday ct
Mihrss the Mediator. srili: ct the SUD. With
ceremonies Of uncommon sDlepdor.
The old Romans teld high festival 10 honor
of B,cchur, rejoicing with him that the SID
was about to return and reviylfy The vlneyards.
They designated the day tn, birthday Of the
inviecibls SID.
There is no record that tho birthday Of JESUS
the Cbi;t was observed till the second century
At tho suggestion CT Popc TelssphoruG some OF
lhs Eistern cbu:c hes rsccgoiz ID the en- Of
January as tho day, while those of tho West
added it to other lebrati'rs 10 the last week
10 Dacemb Der.
II tho fourth century Pope Julius made 40
order assembling the chief theologians OF The
time, for the purpose of examining ell eViderca
bearing upon the date of the birth of Jesus,
tbst they should, if possible. fix the day, in Or
der that is observarc, might be universal.
After duo deliberaion they decided that it was
on December 25. Tbs DECISION was. o; the
! time, baIiey.d By many Of the fathers 10 the
church to ba erroneou7, and they went 80 lar as
| 70 assert that the examiners had been biased IN
theit decision by the desire to please the pub 10
| 10 whom til, day had already become to be Q
noted Gao. Popular feelings, however, su4'
tsi5cd the couociI lie their decision. which was
6nsIIy universally accepted aud commcmerated,
although i! is now general!y believed to be
yio1p. o. tho publication of the detioon the
Roman Church decreed ard instituted special
prayers to priests to be said % that day. which
aro known as Christ massss.
Bat We 6ud another derivation for the name.
| The cid Saxons had word Noe ;sa. by which
| they dts'gUa.ed sll days freed from labor.
whether holidays or fas. days. The holidays
KEEP! in remenbratc, OF the birth OF Christ.
were Christ c'sa.
| The eproad OF the Chtletlsn religion Carried
with it the observance Of Christmas as a religi'
Gus festival with which became ,nnected other
observsnc:s varying with the customs and habits
! Of different nations.
| With the Germans. Christmas is esteemed the
| "Children's Festival" and with them originated
the world famous myth of Saint Nicholas, alias
Santa CLAUS alias Kris Kringle,' the patron
of Yule.tde and the friend of al proper boys
and prettily behaved girls. Happily the 70.
forms in the observance Of the day, waic began
in Germany, reached and was copied in other
portions of Europep Christmas ID also now
''Chldrsn's Day" ia England and France, In
toys and CONNECTIONS for the period the children
are distinctly remembered in Italy, and in
America the Christmas tree. the stockings hung
by the chimney with care" and the harmless
nj srry games and innocent glee Of childhood
supplant much of the bo!sterous carousal which
once tended 10 render the day rollicsing and
riotous, It was formerly tho custom: and is
still the practice in some of the small villages in
| North Germany, to commission the parsonage
of knecht Rupert" corresponding with our
| Santa Clause" to distribute all the presents
made by parents and friends to children. Dis.
gused by mask wearing an enormous fs1en
| beard, clad ia long white robe, and shod in
tall tuekskins, 'Knecht Rupert went from house
to house was received by the parents with great
c .remony, called for the children. and after the
strc cs. investigation into their deserving, dis.
| pensed gifts accordingly. Santa CLAUS" We
| all know, disports himself differently.