The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-12-25

Few ceremonies of modern times have
so remote an original as the keeping of
Christmas. In many instances it has
parted wide from the object of its estab-
lishment, but in all instances it has had
many pleasing features. Christmas fa-
BILE has become as frequent and unique
as the story of mythology. Poetry has
been evoked to add to the zest and i'm
portance of the solemnity, until all
Christian nations have their volumes of
Christmas carols. The most amusing
and quaint lore that can be found, refers
to the celebration of Christmas. 1t is
not to be regretted that the conceits re-
specting the day have been so numerous,
that the occasion has proven so prolific
a source of humors. They only serve
to establish the importance of holiday
of some kind, and prove that relaxation
from toll conduces to play of the fancy.
The Mass of Christ (Christ-mas) is
attributed to Pope Telesphorus who died
A. D. 1873. 1t was not only a movable
festival when first instituted but the
most movable of all the festivals, so that
among Eastern churches especially, it
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that of Epiphany, and was celebrated
as late as the month of April.
On account of this uncertainty, Pope
Julius I. at the solicitation of St. Cyril
of Jerusalem, appointed commission
sometime during the fourth century to
ascertain the precise day of Christ's
birth, with view of fixing the festival
of Christmas, as we'll as that of Epiphany
which was designed to be on the twelfth
day after Christmas in conformity with
the legend that the star of Magi on the
twelfth day after Christ's birth.
After full investigation of all the ac-
cessible authorities, the twenty-fifth of
December was agreed upon as the prob
able date of our Saviour's birth, though
the necessity for an agreement of some
kind had perhaps more to do with fixing
a precise date, than any direct evidence
to the effect that December twenty-fifth
was without doubt the right time.
After this determination of the birth
day, the festival took higher rank, and
by the sixth century the custom, which
still appertains, was instituted, of cele-
brating three masses, one at midnight,
in accordance with the legend that the
birth took place at that hour, one at
dawn, and the third at an after hour in
the morning. The day was to be re-
garded as one of holy commemoration
and cheerful festival. Business was sus-
pended and merriment was licensed.
The sanction of the church once given
to holiday cheer, we can readily con-
ceive how productive the crop of Christ
mas fancies and humors would be,
among peoples as prone to license as
those of medieval times. Gaiety ran
into all sorts of extravagances. Solemn
professions became fantastic spectacles,
strange, inharmonious and oftentimes
revolving blendings of mysteries and
moralities. Representation became car
feature, and the dramattS berSOn9 were
masked characters as grotesque as those
who participate in the orgies of Bacchus'
When the common people ceased to
understand Latin, and the light of learn.
ing was confnd to the cloister, we fino
Christmas literature spring up in the
shape of carols, which bore fancied
resemblance to the supposed songs o.
the shepherds as chanted on the might
of Christ's birth. The clergy fervently
Joined in these carolings of the popu
lace, and they were accompanied will
dances and the music of cymbal, tam
bour and guitar.
Many collections of these carols nave
been made, the most celebrated OF which
are those of the Welsh. 1t is still the
custom of Calabrian minstrels to come
down to the Holy City from their noun
tain Businesses, on the eve OF Christmas
and to salute the shrines of the Virgin
Mother with their wild chants, under
the poetic notion that they cheer hel
until the birth-hour of her sacred son.
Throughout England, and the Cont
nent, it is the custom to ring church
bells at the hour of midnight, and aftel
the celebration of mass in the churches
of France and Italy, which are magnifi
Gently adorned for the occasion, a re
past is partaken of in order that th'
watchers may be better able to endure
the fatigues of the night.
What were called December liber
ties in the countries of southern Europe
became so frolicsome, ridiculous ant
positively indecent as to lead to revul
sion in popular sentiment. At the ad
vent of Professionalism, we, accordingly
find especially in Germany, almost
discontinuance of the Christmas feStivi
ties so far as adults were concerned
though after being remodeled they wer
conducted by, or on behalf of the chill
dren.
This was the dawn of the era of pres
ent-making, the intended gifts bein
| h,,no ,,pon the Christmas free marke