Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-25
Christmas-Its History.

This day was celebrated at an early
period, and was.at first very changeable.
DR.. Adam Clark says the birthday of
Christ has been held by Christian sects
in every month in the year.
Luke says: ''And there were shep-
herds in the same country keeping watch
over their focks by night" Now, un-
less it was much warmer in Palestine
formerly than it is now, or in this coun-
try in the same latitude, the shepherds
must have had cold time to watch.
The question rises, why do we cele-
brate this day instead of day In the
summer time, which is more likely to
have been the true day? There was no
uniformity in time from. the year 88 till
about the year $50. About this time st.
Cyrill, Archbishop of Jerusalem, petit
toned the Pope of Rome, Julius l, to
order an investigation concerning the
dav, and the council of the theologians
decided on December 25th as the day OF
Christ's nativity, and ever since it has
been uniformly kept by Christians,
period of some 1920 years. The reason
the council determined on this day was
that it was the day on which the ancient
Pagans and Romans celebrated the NATL
witty of their god Sol, or Sun. They sup
posed the sun to be born December "a,
as that is the time the sun always begins
to return from its winter solstlce. We
see December 25th to have been origin
ally heather festival day.
The habit OF fashion of decorating at
Christmas is said to have come from the
Druids. who used evergreens to attract
their gods to their houses and churches
to keep them from freezing In the winter
time, through superstitious kindness to
the gods of the woods. We use it to
beautify our churches and houses, and
to keep in memory the time-honored
customs handed down from the ancient
Celtic races or Northern nations.
There is another custom, which Is
making presents to children and friends
at Christmas time. This custom origin
ated in Germany about the year 800 or
325, A. D.-previous to its being estab-
ished on December 25th.
At this time lived the good man Saint
Nicholas, who devoted his whole life to
doing good to others-was q friend to
the sailor, prisoner and traveller. and In
special manner did he devote his time
and means in relieving and pleasing
the youth. So great was his reputation
in life that he was considered a patron
saint, and canonized at his death. It
socn became a fiction that he visited
children at Christmas time with his
presents. At first Saint Nicholas, now,
for short or for English, Santa Claus.
A legend is told of Saint Nicholas IN
his life time, that he was invited to an
entertainment by man who was in the
habit of stealing children and sailing
them, to be eaten by his guests. When
the dish was placed before the saint, he
detected the horrible crime, went to the
barrel where the remains of the children
were, made over it the sign of the cross,
and they all arose to life. This, with
other similar stories, were told OF him,
and believed by many.
Great reverence was paid to Saint
Nicholas for many centuries, but he Is
now not only an ideal being with Pro-
testants, but real distributor of gifts to
the children on Christmas eve.
Many superstitions have been attached
to Christmas. One was that witches
were harmless-no ghosts were out. In
Hamlet, Shakespeare says:
No spirit dares to stir abroad
The nights are wholesome then
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to CHARM
So hallowed and so gracious is the time.
It used to be believed that animals
present at the birth of Christ, which oc-
CURED December 9th, about midnight,
knelt down and continued to do so at
that hour ever since, but looking into
the matter proved to be fallacious.
There are many other stories told OF
the wonderful developments of Almighty
power to the human family at Christmas
time. One more must suffice for this
article. Near Raleigh is valley said to
have been caused by an earthquake CEN
turies ago, which swallowed the village
and church. The people used to gather
on Christmas morning to hear the church
bells ring beneath them.
The old Puritans set themselves
against Christmas observances OF all
kinds. In the blue laws of Connecticut
all celebrations of Christmas are prohib-
tied. There are still those in England
who think it sin to celebrate Christ
mas, have Christmas trees or make
Christmas presents, but this prejudice
is fast wearing away with them.