Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-12-25
Tne Ever Now Ees,sva,.

For nineteen centuries Christ
mas has been celebrated in all
quarters Of the Christian world.
Ever fresh and interesting are the
associations of this day, whether
considered from secular or reli-
gious point of view. To The de-
vout and to the jovial it is alike
welcome. To the former 1t is preg.
nant with re minders of the grand
drama Of the redemption. The
young Christ in the manger at
Bethlehem, the three Kings in
alteration before the infant
Saviour, the inimitable Virgin
Mother, have been themes for the
poet and painter in all ages, and
the divine story has been wrought
Into wondrous shapes Of unfading
beauty by pen, pencil and brush.
There 10 scarcely nook or corner
In the world in which to-day glad
anthems and swelling chorals will
not ring out In the praise of the
man God whose birth took place
nearly nineteen hundred years ago.
However diverse may be the be-
liefs Of the various Christian sects,
they ell unite In their alteration OF
the prosecuted carpenter of Galilee,
and even those in Christendom
who do not accord to him the
homage due to the Deity, gladly
proclaim him the most perfect and
0od.like of men. The religious
aspect of Christmas will be out
lined with special solemnity and
impressiveness in all the Roman
0atholic and Episcopal churches
Of the globe to-day, most of the
other denominations being nearly
~ demonstrative.
But there Is another feature of
the hoar and venerable but ever
young festival which appeals pow
erfully to those who do not accept
the gospel of Christ. Christmas
has been in all ages season of re-
jsicing and good cheer. It's exem-
plar, Santa Claus, Ia to the moderns
as gladsome a suggestion as was
Bacchus to the ancients. Wassail,
the flowing bowl and the loaded
trencher are coDjured up by the
very name. Not to be extravagant
In providing the good things of life
for that day at least was to be un-
fortunate indeed, or penurious to
the point Of infamy. In no coun-
tries has the festal character of
this august day been more faith
fully observed than in England
and the United States. The roast
beef and plum pudding of the
former. and the turkey. cranberry
ssuce and mince pie of the latter,
have ever been inseparable from
the day. Mighty barnyard slaugh-
ters, to provide the wherewithal
for these fsasts, are regular attend
ants of the week which precedes
the anniversary.
Perhaps of all the exquisite as
sociations which cluster around
this day none are SO touching as
the Innocent and feyerish excite
mont with which the little ones
look forward to its advent. Who
would not trade all the other de-
lights of the day for the privilege
OF surveying, II such thing
might be. the unspeakable Joy
that pervaded the breasts OF the
children of Los Angeles during the
early morning hours What rest-
less slumbers were theirs last
night, and how eagerly the chubby
little hands were stretched out to
clutch the treasure laden stock
ings? No Emperor, pressing the
diadem upon his brow on corona
tien day, knows tithe of the keen
deligAt that sweiled the breast of
every little one in Los Angeles
this morning which was remem-
bered as immemorial tradition
prescribes 1t should have been.
To an Angelefio who halls from
the East 1t 10 hard to reaIizs that
It is Christmas. Instead Of heaped
masses of snow and ice and the
scintillant, frosty air, our people
to-day will wander forth over the
hills and be famed by zephyrs as
genial as the mid-May airs of the
East. Here we have no Jack
Frost, to trace with his Icy fingers,
delicate and fanciful arabesques
on tho window panes, while the
fierce blazs roars and dances up
the chimney. Instead of these
Sude reminders of what a northern
winter is, our people step out into
gardens in which tube.rosss,
camelias and morning glories are
In full bloom, without any protec-
tion from the elements. The con-
tHAst is striking one; but, some-
times, one cannot help yearning to
hear once again the merry jingle
Of the sleigh bells, just as, we sup
BOSE, myriadD who have been