Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-12-24
MERRY CHRISTMAS,
SOME OF THE OLD METHODS or
OBsERvING THE FEsTIVALIN
THIS COUNTRY.

THIS COUNTRY.
Another year is drawing to close, and
1t needs no reminder, further than the
gayly decked store windows, and streets
lined with people bearing mysterious
looking packages, to assure all that
Christmas, the bright and joyous season
ofthe year,is at hand. The signs of festivity
and JOY are in every household that Is
blessed with plenty, and the little ones,
In whose minds has been instilled the le-
gend of Kriss Kringle, are eagerly look
Ing for tonight, when he Is supposed TO
make his annual visit.
Christmas has been and In all proba-
bility will always be celebrated as the
most joyous season of the year. Its orr
gin was proclaimed In the angelic words
spoken to the shepherds on Bethlehem's 3
plain, and received by them as "good It'd
ings Of great JOY" and from then until
the present 1t has been observed as the
day on which the Son of Man" was
born In the manger.
Many and various have been the means
adopted in different lands and In dif-
ferent ages for the celebration of
this festival, but the custom OF
decorating churches and houses with trees
and evergreens is as old as history, and
the practice OF using trees or plants that
remain green through the winter needs
no explanation. The mistletoe has been
used In festivals from time imme mortal,
and the ancient Druids gathered it at the
festival of the winter solstice with great
solemnity, the prince of the Druids cut
ting 1t himself with golden sickle.
The use Of mistletoe at Christmas was
general in England, where the tradition
prevailed that the maid who was not
kissed underits boughs during the Christ
mas season would not be married during
the ensuing year. The ceremony OF
Kissing under the mistletoe" was not
considered complete, unless berry was
picked with each kiss, consequently the
number of kisses depended in q great
measure on the supply Of berries, and
there is 10 doubt but good care was
taken, when the mistletoe was gathered
to select that which WAS well filed with
berries.
The use of the Christmas tree, laden
with its presents, originated In Germany,
to which country the world is also In
debtcd for the beautiful tradition oil
Santa Claus, and the visitation of the
Christ-child. From Germany the custom
of yearly erecting the Christmas tree
spread to England, where the rooms
were also festooned with evergreens, and
Christmas carols sung.
Many of these English customs were
introduced in this country In the colo
nial days, but for more than seventy
years after the settlement of Pennsyl'
vania, Christmas In that state was of no
more importance than any other day, as
the Quakers, by whom 1t was settled, de-
clared that they could not..' conscientious.
ly unite In the observance OF fasts, and
feasts and holy days, set up by the will OF
man, and that there is no inherent holi-
ness in any one day above another, bu,
every day is to be kept alike holy" The
Presbyteriaps took the same view of the
subject, and the Episcopal church had &C
few members in those days that the cele'
bration, even with them, was only formal
The Catholics, also few in number,
observed the day, but not sufficient to
establish the custom. The customs of the
old country were for time allowed tC
die out.and the children OF that day knew
| nothing of the roasted bears head, tht
garlands of mistletoe, nor OF the bringing
| in OF the great back log, nor of the wan
dering minstrels and their carols, only III
they were told OF them by their sires
None of the beautiful customs of tht
mother country were observed until tht
number OF German settlers increased.
When the Moravians and Lutherant
commenced to arrive and settle In Penn
sylvania, they brought their peculiar Gus
toms with them, and it is probable thai
the general observance of hristmai
spread from them, and ere many years
| the day was spent In feasting, Christina.
hymns were sung, and presents exchang
ed among friends. Year by year the oh
servance of the day became more general
and now there is scarcely family in tn,
lsnd but what looks forward to the day
with keen .aDticipations of JOY and plea
sure.
1t is indeed the day above all others il
| the entire year that should be season o
festivity and it is but right that all SHOULD
enjoy it. Those who have passed the
meridian of life, and realize that theil
years on earth are numbered, should fol
the time being renew their youth, whil'
the middle aged should feel thankful fol
the happy present, and rejoice in the prom
ise of future filed with hope, and the
efforts of all should unite in giving the
young an abundance of pleasure.
1t has been truly said that one grea
source of pleasure consists in making
Others happy, and there are hundreds o
hearts in his city that can be rendered
happy tomorrow by very small outlay
on the part OF those that can afford 1t
This will not only bring happiness ant
pleasure to some who are in want, bu
also increase the pleasure Of the donors
by the consciousness of having done
L aie..I 1arih hxt.l ll,f