Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-20
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
nv Mns. nrnNAnn pE1rns.

ny MRS. BERNARD PETERS,
Since the night when lay awake to find
out for myself whether st, Mich. came
down the chimney on Chrlstm as eve |
have never ceased 70 take un Interest In
that annual source Of joy and gladness,
the Christmas tree. Mso0ulay always
profaced any statement of fact that he
made by the phrase, "ENery schoo-boy
knows thus 80 and So aud writer's Oft.
times think It useless To recall any his
torlcal statements for fear they may be
repeating only Whit "evcry school-boy
knowsn ! find, hSwever, that school
boys often forget, so | may be pardoncd
for stating few oi the facts relating TO
my subject. The institution of Christ
mass Is attributed to Pope Tclesphorus,
who died A. ID, 1888. At first IL was the
most movable of the Christian holidays
and was celebrated by the Eastern
churches In the months Of April and May.
In the fourth century 81. Cyril, OF Jcrusa-
LEM obtained AN order from Pope Julius
l. for AN investigation to be made con-
cernng the day of Nativity. The result
was an agreement upon the 2bth of De-
ccmber, and throughout the wcrld,
wherever Christianity Is known, that date
has been accepted The day is consld-
memoration and cheerful festival. Dur
ing the middle ages IL was celebrated by
the gay fantastic spectacle Of dramatic
mysteries aud moralities. The custom of
I singing Christmas carols dates from the
/ time the common people ceased to under
stand Latin. Preparatory to Christmas
| the bells are rung at midnight throughout
| England and the Continent. In the north
| of Europe Christmas Is often called the
/ "Childrcn's Festival and Is devoted to
the giving OF presents by means OF the
Christmas tree The custom OF selecting
large yew bough for the tree, and OF
/ trimming the houses and churches with
evergrecns, is derived from an ancient be-
| lief that sylvan spirits lioCkcd TO the ever
green's Holly and Ivy remain In England
the favorite cvergrcens, though laurel IL
sometimes used
In our own country Christmas was less
generally celebrated In New England than
in the Middle and Southern states, owing
to the influence of tho Puiitans, but the
opposition OF their descendants has been
growing less and less every year, and 1t
may now be claimed that Christmas tree
Is to be found IN almost every house in the
land, and Santa Claus, originally intro
duced by the Dutch settlers OF New York,
now shows his jolly face In every home
and showers gifts broadcast from his
magic beard. which somehow or other
never seems to diminish. have often
| thought his store of gifts Is the crystaliza-
ton of all unselhsh aspirations which
/ rise from the hearts of the mothers and
fathers, sisters and brothers of the land.
! A few directions may not be amiss as
! to the best and most effective way OF deco
rating the tree. 70 those who have
wealth Mt command It need only be limited
| that money must be supplemented by
good taste and an eye Tor artistic effect,
or The result may be a failure. Where
| the parlOr Is large n high tree may be
used. Lctit be as symmetrical in proper
/ tiuns az possible. Then deck tt with the
different udorumentS that can be bought
at our leading establishments, light IL
well either with candles or gas Jets, hang
/ the presents on Il or lay them 1T It's base,
aud II love be at the distribution tho re-
suit viii be 10y But q Chrismns-truo
/ that will fuse the whole household into
one bond OF joyousuess can he secured
/ with very little money and proceed to de-
/ scribe two which are quite effective. Sc
/ cure a tree abOutipur feet inhcight, with its
/ branches equally balanced; have it firmly
/ fixed In common soap box, which should
/ he covered with green paper. Tack any
| thing you may have around the edge of
the table so as to reach the floor, com
/ pletcly hiding the legs of the table This
/ drapeiy forms receptacle for such gifts
as are too large TO huRg upon the tree
1 Take n number of tiny wax candles, and
by holding the end OF each candle in the
flame of lighted one you can soften 1t
enough to enable you to stick 1t firmly to
the table, or you can buy for Il few cents
small tin candlcsticks about an inch In
diameter which have II tack In the bottom,
and the tack can be pressed down into the
table. The more candles you have the
better. When lighted they form gilt
tcring fence, us II were, around the tree
and can be easily cxtinguishGd IL any
candle more ambitious than the
rest should Try 10 get up small
CunilagratlOn on It's own hook. Hang
strings OF pop corn Ia fancifu festoons
from the branches. Buy few cents
worth OF alum and crysteized leaves and
grasses, to be disposed with taste here
and there. Metallic floss or shaylugs
add greatly to the glitter and glow of the
whole affair, Bits of cotton wool can be
used us flakes Of snow. No one can
imagine the amount of happiness to be
obtained In family II all unite their Of
loIlN 10 ucth INC Tree. Inc least OF the
children can string the pop conn., the next
larger ones can fix the candles, still Older
ones who can reach up high can deck the
tree, while the parents can sit quietly by
directing, advising, or assisting In case Of
need. Alter the tree is deckcd, then comes
the happicst time of all, when each one
brings forth his or her gifts and tries to
slip them on the tree or under the table,
so that the person for whom each one Is
Intended may not get n glance at the label
aud 80 anticipate the important hour when
all Is In readiness for the grand distrlbu-
ton
Again, tree may bc selected as high
az the ceiling Of your room will allow;
have II frmly planted aud slrew moss
or place mats under L.; then surround It
by little fence, which can be bought
cheaply or can be made by an ingenious
lad who has taste for carpentry. Let
there be an open gate at the side OF the
ieuco next TO the company, at which YOU
should place figure Of Santa Claus, ~
though he were Inviting company oil
fairies to come into the Enclosure and
climb ihn "A ~