The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-12-21
Christmas Eve.
prayers.

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-
dors 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 prime pal room of the
house, and with the coming of evening
the children are assembled in an adjOin-
ing apartment, when at tagiven signal the
door of the great room is thrown open
and the children rush in eager and hap
DIV. There on a long table in the center
OF the room stands the Christmas tree,
every branch glittering 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. Ii is only within the last twenty
years, and apparently since the mar
| Tiage of Prince Albert and Queen Vic
toria that it has been introduced in'o
Z ngland, previous to which time it was
! unknown.
ST. Coleridge, in letter from Ratze-
burg, in North Germany, published in
the Frie1d, and quoted by Hone, gives
the following description OF Christ
mas eve customs ms 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 the'r pocke'
money What the presents are to be II
cautiously kept secret Then, on Tho
evening before Christmas day, one o
the parlors is lighted up by the children
, into which the parents must not enter
a great -bOugh is fastened on tn
t table at a little distance from the wall
] a multitude of little tapers are fixed ol
t the bOurh but not so as 10 burn it unit
: they are nearly consumed, and coiore'
paper, etc, hangs and flutters from tn
, | twios. Under this bough the childreI
! lay out the presents they intend 70
! their parents. still keeping those intend
f ed for each other in their pockets Thel
J the parents are brought in and cacl
q presents his little gift They thei
e bring out the remainder one by on
; from their pockes and present then
| with kisses and embraces. o.
{ the next day in the great parlor, I'll
4 parents lay out on the table the present
! for the children and a scene Of NOR
t sober 10Y succeeds; as on this day, ate
: an old custom, the mother says private
1 " to her daughters. and the father
s his sons that which he has observe
!, most praiseworthy, and that which wa
+ most faulty. in their conduct" -"
In our own land the Christmas eve
q tho most enjoyable event Of The seaso
+ and the custom of the Christmas tre
still retains its prestige in the create
o splendOr. The little ones are taugl
= 10 remember the festivities are IN con
= memoration Of the birth Of the Savio
:, So far rs can be learned the custol
~ of celebrating the day commonwealth
: the birth of the Savior had its orig
y during the dark ages, OF which time hi
,, tory fails to inform ms Of the complet
M record of events Suffice 1t to say tn
the or gin OF Christmas eve, Kris Kril
gle or Santa Claus, is to be ascrihed
at Germany From that one nation Il
w custom has become widespread uni
10 now every nation in christendom o
We serves the day, and Christmas eve
n considered the day for general rejoicing
--EzchGHge