Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-12-29
ing these welcome messages every Christ.

ing these welcome messages every Christ
mas morning.
Leigh Hunt says that volumes can be
written on each of the separate items OF
Christmas association beginning with
''roast beef and plum pudding, - and end.
ing Enthusiastically with Glove, hope,
charity and cndeavor. J."
The popular custom of decorating the
houses and churches at Christmas with
evergreens is very ancient, and 1t is be-
lieved to be derived from Druid practices.
1t was an old belief that sylvan spirits
might look to the evergreens and secure
among them protection from frost until
the spring. The various evergreens in
use from early times are holly, ivy, rose
mary, bays, laurel and mistletoe, which,
excepting the latter, retained their place
in both houses and churches from Christ
mas until Candlemas. Holly and ivy
still remain, in England, the most es-
teemed Christmas evergreens, though nj
the two universities the windows of the
college chapels are decked with laurel.
Many of the rites and symbols attach
ing to the observance of this season may
be traced to period long prior to the
time when Julius Caesar first landed in
Britain. The drawing Of the "yule log
comes from very ancient Scandinavian
custom, when, in the winter solstice,
during certain feast, large bonfres were
kindled in honor of the god Thor The
bringing in and placing of the ponderous
log on the hearth of the baronial hall was
among the most joyous of ceremonies OBJ
served on Christmas eve in feudal times.
LII the charred remains of the log were
preserved to light its successor of the fol-
lowing Christmas, it was considered a
sure safeguard against fires in the in
terim.
A custom among the juvenile portion
of the English people at one time, was
called "The Burial of the Wren !" on St.
Stephens day, December Goth. On that
day parties of boys went from door to
door the leader carrying fresh branch
of evergreen decorated gayly with rib
bons and pieces of colored paper, to
which was attached bird AT the door
OF each house visited, the party joined in
singing the following lines in rhyme
"The wren. the wren the King Of birds
was caught on ST. Stephens day in the lrs
Although he is little. his honor is great,
80 rise up, KIND madam, aud give Us II treat
l p with the Kettle. and down with the pan,
y penny or twOpence to hurry the wren
Your packet full Of money your cellar iul of beer
We wish you merry Christmas and happy New
Year
One of the prettest Christmas Gus
toms is the Norwegian custom of giving.
on Christmas day, dinner to the birds.
On that morning every gable, gateway or
barn-door is decorated with shcaf of
corn attached to the end of II long pole,
from which the birds are invited to make
their Christmas dinner Even the poor
peasants contrive to have handful at
least reserved for this purpose, and what
the birds do not eat ON Christmas day re-
mains for them to finish at their leisure
through the winter.
Christmas gifts had their origin in Pag-
analia, which was instituted by servius
Tullus, b. G. $50. On these festivals. cele-
brated at the beginning of the year, an
altar was erected in every village, and to
the box placed upon it every man, wo-
man and child was expected to contribute
coin. Aubery mentions pot in which
Roman coins We're found, and supposed to
be one Of those Paganalian vessels. The
Christmas-box naturally arose from this
Pagan New Year's-box. There is an i'm
pressive propriety and tender beauty,
however, in thus concentrating the
event thus associated with this season,
eminently in keeping with the spirit of
good will and the renewal of friendships,
as well as universal expression of gen
crosity and charity from the rich to the
poor-in olden times this benevolence
being extended even to the lower animals,
practice to which Burns alludes in
The Auld Farmers Address to his
Mare"
Coleridge, in letter from Ratzeburg,
in North Germany, appears to have been
the first who introduced the Christmas
tree permanently to the notice of the
English people, who soon gave it
place in their Christmas celebrations
about half century ago.