Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28
CHRIsTNAs CUSTOMS.



scribing their arrivals in Cape Cod bay,
in December, 1920, refer thus briefly to
the first Christmas spent by them In
America:
Monday, the 25th, being Christmas
day, we began to drink water aboard.
But at night the master caused us to have
some beer and so on board we had di-
yers times now and then some beer; bit
on shore none at all.
What was done in Plymouth village
the next Christmas is more fully described
in the quaint language Of Gov. Bradford :
"On We day called Christmas day, ye
Govr called them out to worke (as was
uscd), but We most of this new company
excused them selves and said it went
against their consciences to work OH ye
day. SO ye Govr told them that if they
made it mater of conscience, he swould
spare them until they were better inform
ed. SO he led tway ye rest and left them,
but when they came home Mt noone from
their worke, he found them in We streete
at play, openly some pitching ye barr,
and some at stoole-ball, and such like
sports so he went to them and took
away their implements, and told them
that was against his conscience, that they
should play and others worke If they
made ye keeping of it matter of devotion,
let them kcpe their houses, but ther
should be no gaming or revelling in ye
streets"
Christmas Carols.
In Shakespeare time carols were sung
in the streets during Christmas by waits
or watches, who expected to receive gifts
for their singing Many writer of olden
times and customs refers to the "wakeful
ketches of Christmas eve 1t was after
the reformation that they ceased to sing
Latin hymns in the churches and substi-
tuted the sweet Christmas carols. For
there were two kinds of carols in vogue
those Of devotional nature, which were
sung not only in the churches but also
through the streets, from house to house
upon Christmas eve, and even after that
morning and evening, until the twelfth
day.
In those times men were able to spare
more than one brief day for the celebra-
ton of Christmas, and kept up the festival
for at least twelve days. Other carols
were of n livelier nature, and were espec-
tally adapted to the revel and the feast
where the lord of misrule had potent sway.
These carols were also called wassail
songs, and probaly originated among the
Anglo Normans, who were of a convival
nature. No Christmas entertainment was
complete without the joyous singing OF
carols, and thence came the motto, "No
song, no supper" for every guest ut the
table was expected to Join in the carol.
One of the rules laid down by the ancient
customs was that "the ancient master OF
the revel is, after dinner and supper, to
sing car0l, n song, and to command
other gentlemen present to sing with him
and the companies"
Christmas In Germany.
In German communities Christmas ID
the most strictly observed of all festivals.
Every household prepares its "Weihn
achts baum" be it n lordly tree, from
whose wide.spreading and garlanded
branches hang trinkets, Freuch bon bons
and ingenious clockwork toys; whose
sturdy stems rises out OF little pyramiC
of cakes, crackers and hothouse flowers
aud whose comely proportions are re-
vcaled Ly the light Of THOUSAND star
like tapcrs or be it but n humble little
shrub boasting but few krcutzers' wortl
of gingerbread and paper cuttings, light
ed by but tallow dip, and rising modest
ly ont of the neck of an exhausted
"schnaps" bottle. Poor indeed, must b,
the "paterfamilias, and sadly desperate
his financial prospects, who cannot scrap'
together the necessary pittance for hi
"Baum" He would sooner 60 withou
his tobacco than have to tell his wife al,
children that there could be no tree thi
year. The whole thing may seem trivial
and the pleasure with which even grown
up people join in what is nothing les
than n household ceremony strikes one n
childish but there is much TO be sui,
for it, 1t serves 10 repair the nlmos
worn-out family ties Of many house
hold, and brings out the wholcsomest nn,
most worthy points in many natures on
has up to then been accustomed to loo
upon Us a compound of dissipation an
scltishncss. Christmas is again the rec
ognized time for reconciliations, vine
old standing quarrels aud tifs can b
healed, and when either party can max
the first advances without the unworth
fear of seeming servile.
The Chri,tma, Thorn,
There is an old story that, one Chris
mas Eve. when Joseph of Arimathea Wi
> wandering over Glastonbury churchyar,
! or, perhaps. over the hill, where it afte
wards stood, he planted his staff. 1t
once took root, it put forth leaves, an
: the next day it was covered with mi
! white blossoms. After this it bloomt
4, every Christmas Day, which in tho
I time came on the 9th Of Janury, aud n