Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-12-22

the present century ID fTblu!a. LILO Tree
and the saint are now fortunately part Of
the traditions Of the Virginia Christmas, and
appeal as no other features do to the SYM
pathies Of the young. The fat saint with
his bag of toys and his reindeer sled has be-
come Il real parsonage, and the wondrous
lights and gifts Of the beautiful Christmas
tree are the supreme cnjoyments to which
tho children look forward ut this merry sea-
SON. Without the clattcr OF reindeer hoofs
on the SNOWY root, and the glorious tree, it
is safe to say thai Christmas would be rob-
bed Of half is charm; and long may the
lines recalls many Of these Cheistmas splen-
dors, and, alas soI@a lowing faces no Longer
lit up by them. As lie muses. in the old
apartment OF The country home from which
he writes, memory bring; back the pictures
of the Christmas times cf half a generation.
In those years Whch were so bright that
that they cast their shadow on the present,
a mysterious tree always grew on Christ
mas night near the OLD portrait yondcr. 1t
resembled. it is true, the every day ccdars
or pines growing in the ne;ghboring woods,
but its boughs were laden with finer orna-
ments than the blue berries o' the real
bushes. There were candy c0Tnucopias,
birds Of the brightest plumaSc, golden fish,
variegated eggs, iiligree baskets fall Of ben
bons books, presents of every description,
and silver crosses, and at the summit the
star of Bethlehem. The whole shone III
the light Of myriads of tapors nesting in
the evergreen boughs; and 10 put out
the lamps and illuminate these, after
the late Christmas dinner, was the
supreme delight of all who witnessed The
ceremony Above all, and most charming
of all, was the joy and wonder Of the young
groups All were present down TO "the
baby" held alott in the mammys arms, the
rosy faces flied with delight; all eyes stared
at the miraculous tree, and there wise,
grown persons, who had lost the enthusiasm
of childhood, found something nearly rs
sweet in The children.
In treating of Christraassa writer natural
ly goes back in memory to the Christmases
he has himself enjoyed. As he muses., the
bright lights seem TO shine from another
world, and that world in which they glinl-
mer is the world of his youth. How the
Youths and rosy madcns enjoyed the time
in the old Virginia home! how they chased
the flying hours with gay voices and forgot
ten laughter 1t is dead now, but rang with
much music in those happy days: they were
filled with a thousand attractions. even al
lowing for the fresh young eyes which looked
upon them with great wood Tires blazing
on the brass andirons i'll the wide, old coun-
try freplaces crowds of relations assembled
from far and near TO reunitc the iatnlly TIC
in the family home: with dinners which
were spectacle on the long table illumi-
mated by the silver branches; with the ever
green's above the portraits, the bright faces,
the music and games, and the mistletoe over
~ Il g, f,,,,,.;ps tp liz. IID1nr II
not often that mistetoe could be found
in the Virginia woods, and whom fortunate
ly discovered, the wonderful plant, with its
wax-ike branches Of tender green and its
snow-white berries, grew on the topmost
boyghs of The loftiest oaks, where it was
dangerous to attempt 10 reach it. Expert
youths, inspired by the season, however,
secured the punches ut the risk Of their
nccl<s, and they were duly suspended in
honor Of III usage. As to the cvergrcens
above the pictures, they were almost lnvarla-
bly in the old houses as in church, and re-
NAMED the decoration of the drawing room
until Canllemas. Their effect was truly
charming and the writer recalls the plctur-
esuue appearance Of one Of the old halls OF
his youth at the good season. The house
vas large, with Il wide hall, on the walls of
which hung pictures of race horses once
famous but now forgotten ancient portraits
in ruiles and lace, with high collars and very
low bodiecos: q huge pair Of branching deer's
antleTs serving rs Il support for whips and
fowlng pieces; and = large staircase
which seemed TO echo from morning TO
night with the tripping feet of maidens. At
Christmas the old hall was in its glory with
the magical evergreens brought from the
neighboring hill the fresh green cedar
with blue berries, the pine with delicate
needles, or growing in oval punches resem-
bling the tail of the fox, and woven between
the masses either holly or the brilliant ber-
ries of a creeper common iu the woods, ber-
ries of so deep scarlet that they almost
dazzled the eyes as the amplight fell upon
them. Everywhere tho old portraits were
crowned with evergreen cedar, staid elders
with ruiled breasts, and blooming maidens
with bare shoulders and here and there la
dies Of the manor with sedate smiles. Inc
eyergreens made the old country house
fairy realm, and all day long was heard the
laughter of merry madens and delighted
children, forty four Of whom were sheltered
by the old roof tree, remember at one
time. They filled the hall with uproar, but
nobody seemed to be disturbed by 1t, ana
the growing youths and damsels were nearly
as noisy. Laughter auu luc gay GOV oiuS'!S
mingled with the rattle of the old piano IN
the drawing room, and from without came
the laughter also Of the happy Africans. All
day long they had been full of JOY had
moved on rapid feet with smiling faces !;
had shared the charms of the Christmas dir
ner; and the drumming banJos IN the
frosty winter night said plainly that Christ
mas ought to be welcomed. In the large
old drawing-room the youths and maidens
passed the long evening gin in mirth than and games gEn;
aud "Puss in the Corner" These were ioI,
lowed by ghost stories, told with bated
breath and lights put out and on all TINS
Christmas revelry the faded faces on the
wall looked down smiling, one would have
said, at their gay descendants!
These recollections refer back tn ABOUT
the middle of the present century. Many
changes have taken place in the manner
of celebrating Christmas but little of its Old
attractions seems to have been lost. Emau-
cipation has separated from it the African
feature in measure; great crowds OF lam
ily servants no longer take part 10