The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-12-22
Christmas Eve.


The origin of the celebration Of Christ
mas eve is hidden behind the misty veil
which obscures the dark ages and its
history from the gaze of the people Of
the present day. In Germany Christ
mas eve is for children the most joyous
night in the year on that evening. Then
they feast their eyes on the splen-
doris of the Christmas tree and enjoy the
presents it bears for them. The tree is
arranged by the senior members of the
family in the principal room of the
house, and with the coming of evening
the children are assembled in an adjoin-
ing apartment, when at q given signal the
door of the great room Is thrown open
and the children rush in eager and hap
by. There on long table in the center
of the room stands the Christmas tree,
every branch differing with the little
lighted tapers, while all sorts of gifts
and ornaments are suspended from the
branches, and sometimes other presents,
too cumbersome and heavy for the
slender boughs, are lying on the table,
properly labeled with the names
of the respective recipients. The
Christmas tree is very ancient
custom in Germany, and is prob
ably . heritage of the luminous and
fanciful pageants of the dark or middle
ages. 1t is only within the last twenty
years, and apparently since the mar
rage of Prince Albert and Queen Vic
toria. that it has been introduced into
England. previous to which time it was
unknown.
S. T. Coleridge, in letter from Ratze-
burg, in North Germany, published in
the Friend, and quoted by Hone, gives
the following description of Christ
mas eve customs as practiced there:
There is Christmas custom here
which pleased and interested me. The
children make little presents to theirpar-
rents and each other and the parents to
the children. For three or four months
before Christmas the girls are busy
and the boys save up their pocket
money. What the presents are to be is
cautiously kept secret Then, on the
evening before Christmas-day, one of
the parlors is lighted up by the children
into which the parents must not enter;
a great yew-bough is fastened on the
table at a littlesiistance from the wall,
a multitude of little tapers are fixed on
the bough but not so as to burn it until
they are nearly consumed, and eolored
paper, etc, hangs and fiutters from the
twigs. Under this bough the children
lay out the presents they intend for
their parents, still keeping those intend
ed for each other in their pockets. Then
the parents are brought in and each
presents his little gift They then
bring out the remainder one by one
from their pockets and present them
with kisses and embraces. On
the next day in the great parlor, the
parents lay out on the table the presents
for the children and a scene of more
sober Joy succeeds; as on this day, after
an old custom, the mother says private
ly to her daughters. and the father to
his sons, that which he has observed
most praiseworthy, and that which was
most faulty. in their conduct"
In our own land the Christmas eve is
the most ENJOYABLE event of the season
and the custom of the Christmas tree
still retains its prestige in the greatest
splehdor. The little ones are taught
to remember the festivities are in COM
memoration of the birth of the Savior.
So far as can be learned the custom
of celebrating the day concentrating
the birth of the Savior had its origin
during the dark ages, of which time his
tory fails to inform us OF the complete
record of events. Suffice it to say that
the origin OF Christmas eve, Kris Krin-
gle or Santa Claus, is to be ascribed to
Germany. From that one nation the
custom has become widespread until
now every nation in christendom OBJ
serves the day, and Christmas eve is
considered the day for general rejoicing.
Exchange.