Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-12-03
The Season Of Devotion, Mer-
riment and SOciability.
Origin of Some Of the Customs Connected
with tho Ancient Festival


The custom of singing carols ORR
ginated In the services of the church,
and is to-day the prevailing custom
throughout Germany and England.
The canticle clubs begin their rounds
as the midnight bells chime in the new
born day and continue until the ap-
proach of daylight.
"On Christmas eve, t. G bells were runs;
On Christmas eve the song was sung;
That only night in all the year,
Saw the stolcd priest the chaicc rear,
Then opened wide the parsons hall
To vassal tenant, sef and all;
Power lid his rod oI rule aside,
And ceremony dollcd his pride.
The heir with roses in his shoes,
That night might village partner choose
All hailed, with uncontrolled delight
And general voice the happy night
That to the cottage, Is the crown,
Brought tidings of salvation down,
England was merry England, Whch
Old Christmas brought his sports again,
Twas Christmas broached the mghtirst ale;
'Twas Christmas to- the mcrIicst tale"
The custom of decking our habita-
tions with evergreen has existed from
the very establishment of Christian
ity. Polydore Virgil says: "With
hangings, flowers, boughs and gar
lands, was taken of the heather peo-
ole which dec,,ed their houses and idols
with such array"
The Cells and the Goths we've alike
distinguished for the respectful vener-
alton which they entertained for the
miselto, and for the sOlemnities, with
which they gathered it about that
period of the year, when the sun ap-
preached the winter solsticc. The
Druids, at certain seasons Of the year,
especially at Yuletide, or Christmas,
were accustomed to gather it with
great solemnity, and at the same time
sacrifice two unbrokCn milk-Whlte
bul!ocks 1t was ancicntly the custom
in Yorkshire during the Christmas
HOLIDAYS, to dance in the church after
prayers, crying or singing, lole 1ole,
Yolc, etc, and at Christmas eve to
bring Yule log and set it on fire, lap
their Christmas ale and sing, "Iule'
Yulo, a pacn OF new cards and a
Christmas STOOL
Puttingham, a writer of Queen
Elzabeth's days, speaking of country
customs cf keeping Christmas near
that period, tells us chat supper at
Christmas was succeeded by gambol
of various sorts, and sometimes the
squire and his family would mingle
in the amusemcnts or retire to the
tavc3tried parlor, and lease the hall to
the more boistcrous ones of his house
hold
In Stevenson's Twelve Months y
in the year 1861, the author notices
the Christmas customs of that time.
"Now" says he, "Capons and hens,
besides turkeys and ducks, with beet
and llutton, must all die; for in twelve
days a multitude of people will not be
fed with a little. Now plumbs and
spices, sugar and honey, square it
among pies and broth. Now a jour
neyman cares not a rush for his mas
ter, though ne begs his plumb porridgt
all the twelve days. Now or never
must the music be in tune, for tht
young must dance to get themselves
aheat, while the aged sit by the fir
The country maiden leaves half heI
market and must be sent again if sht
forgets pack of cards on Christmas
even. Great is the contention of holl,
and ivy, whether master or dame wea
the brecches; and if the cook do no
lack wit, he will sweetly lick his fin
gers
"Poor Richard" in his Almanac fo
December 1851, says, pleasant,
enough:
"Now come December, after whicl
January fer New Years gifts; Febru
ary for pancakes and Valentines
March for leeks for Welchmen; Apri
for fools: May for milkmaids and gar
lands; June for green peas; July TO
hay; August for corn; September TO
oysters; October for beer; and Novem
Der for drinking it. After all ther
comes December, with the barns FIJI,
of corn, the larder full of beef an
pork. barrels full of beer, and oven
full of Christmas pies"
Wassull was the salutation Of on
ancestors on occasions of drinking
each other, signlfying, "health be
, you." 1t is a Saxon word, and is no'
. only used at the time of Christmas,
anciently signiied mirth and festivit.
= in this sense it is used in Hamlet an
Macbeth.
In the reign of Henry VII, wassai
= ing took place at the court on tn
:. Twelfth Night, "when the stewar
J, cometh in at the doors with wassail'f +
must cry three times, wassail, wassa'
wassall, and then the chaplain was
answer with good songe.'
!, But we have already given our rea
. ers. a suH,ciency Of the manner