The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-29
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.
TBE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS As A HOLIDAY
THE MANNER OF ITS CELEBRATION
IN INHERENT COUNTRIES.

TBE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS As HOLIDAY.
THE MANNER OF ITS CELEBRATION
IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
The oath of December is the day on
which the sun is near the most southern
point in its apparent annual journey, and
for so long as we have historical record,
it has been celebrated by ceremonies and
rejoicing.
The HindOos on this day decorate their
homes with garlands OF flowers and pa
pers of gold and tinsel, and the custom of
making presents to relatives and friends
is universally observed.
The Egyptians recognized it by their
festival, in honor of the birth of their
god Horus.
shops are shut and the courts closed. No
journey would, under any Circumstances,
be commenced on this day.
The Persians kept IL as the birthday Of
Hithras and Mediator, q spirit of the sun,
with ceremonies OF uncommon splendor.
The old Romans held high festival in
honor of Bacchus, rejoicing with him
that the sun was about to return and re-
yivify the vineyards. They designated
the day the birthday of the invincible
sun.
There are no record that the birthday
of Jesus, the Christ, was observed until
the second century. At the suggestion
of Pope Telephones some Of the eastern
churches recognized the 9th OF January
as the day, while those of the west added
IL to other celebrations in the last week
OF December.
In the fourth century Pope Julius
made an order assembling the chief
theolOgians Of the time, Tor the purpose
OF examining all evidence bearing
upon the date Of the birth OF Christ, that
they should, If possible, nix the day, in
order that its observance might be uni
versal. After due deliberatIOn they de-
clded that it was on December the 25th.
This decision was, ut the time, believed
by many OF the fathers in the church 10
be erroneous, and they went so 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 noted one. Popu-
lar feeling, however, sustained the
council in its decision, which was finally
universally accepted and commemOrated,
although il is now generally believed to
wrong. on the publication of the de-
eision, the Roman church decreed aud
instituted special prayers to priests,
to he on that day, which are known as
Christ masses.
But we find another derivation for the
name. The old SaXons had word
Massa, by which they designated all days
fast days The holidays kept in remem-
brance Of the birth of Christ, were Christ
massa.
The spread of the christian religion
carried with 1t the observance, Of Christ
mas as u religious festival with which be-
came connected other observances vary
ing with the customs and habits of diff
ferent nations.
With the Germans, Christmas is es-
teemed the "Cbildren's Festival" and
with them originated the world-tamous
myth of Saint NichOlas,'' alias "Santa
Claus alias 'Kriss KringIe," the patron
of Yule-tide and the friend of all proper
boys and prettily behaved girls. Happily
the reforms in the observance of the day,
which began in Germany, reached and
were copied in other portions of Europe.
Christmas is also now "Children's Day"
in England and France. In toys and
confections 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 childhood supplant
much of the boisterous carousal which
once tended to render the day rOllicking
and riotous.