The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-12-23
sWisfeHany.
Christmas Customs.

on which the sun is near the mos
southern point in its apparent annu
al journey, and for so long as VI
have historical record, it has beer
celebrated by ceremonies and re-
joicings.
The Hindoos on this day decorate
their homes with garland Of flowers
and papers of gold and tinsel, and
the custom of making presents tc
relatives and friends is universally
observed.
The Egyptians recognized it by
their festival in honor of the birth
of their god Horns.
In China it is general holiday
the shops are shut and the courts
closed. No journey would under
anv circumstances be commenced on
this day.
The Persians kept it as the birth
day of Mithras the Mediator, spir-
it OF the sun, with cerem6nics Of un.
common splcndor.
The old Romans held high fcsti-
val in honor Of Baccus, rejoicing
with him that the sun was about to
return and rcvivify the vineyards.
They designated the day the birth
day of the inyinclbIe sun.
There is no record that the birth.
day of the Jesus the Christ, was oh
served till the second century. At
the suggestion of Pope Tclcsphorus
some Of the Eastern churches reor
ganized the 9th of January as the
day, while those Of the West added
if to other celebrations in the last
week of December.
III the fourth century Pope julius
made an order assembling the chief
theologians Of the time, Tor the pur-
pose of examining al evidence bear
ing upon the date of the birth of
Jesus, that they sbould, if possible
fix the day, in order that It's obser--
vance might be universal. After
due dcliberation they decided that
it was on December the 25th This
decision was, at the time, believed
by many ofthe fathers in the church
TO be erroneous, and they went Sc
far as to assert that the examiners
had been biased in their decision by
the desire to please the public, to
whom this day had already become
to be n noted one. Popular feeling
however, sustained the council in
their decision which was final
ly universally accepted an(
commemorated, although it is now
generally believed to be wrong. On
the publication Of the decision The
Roman Church lccreed and institu
ted special prayers TO priests, to be
said oa that day, which are known
as Christ masses.
But we find another derivation fol
the name. The old Saxons had q
word Mnssa, by which they dcsig-
mated all days freed from labor
whether holidays Or fast days. The
holidays kept in remembrance Of the
birth Of Christ, were Christ Mnssa.
The spread of the Christian Ieli-
gion carried with it the observance
of Christmas as a religious festival
with which became connected other
observances varying with the Gus
toms and habits ofditferent 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 Iule-tide
and the friend OF all proper boys
and prettily behaved girls. Happi-
" the reforms III the observance Of
the day, which began in Germany,
reached and was copied in other
portions Of Europe. Christmas is
also now "Children's day" in Eng
land and France. In toys and con
fections 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 merry
games and innocent glee of child
hood supplant much Of the bois-
trous carousal which once tended tC
render the day rolicking and riot
Gus. 1t was formerly the custom
and is still in practice in some OF
the small villages in North Germa-
ny, to commission the parsonage OF
'krecht Rupert corresponding
with our Santa Claus" to distrib-
ute all the iprescnts made by par
ents and friends to children. Dis
guised by mask, wearing an enor
nous Gaxen beard, clad in long
white robe, and shOd in tai, buck
skins, "Knecht Rupert went from
house to house, was received by the
parents with great ceremony, called
fer the children, aud after the strict
est investigation into their deserv-
ing, dispensed gifts accordingly
Santa Claus" we all know, reports
himself differently.