The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-25
IN MANY LANDS.
How Different Nations Observe the Happy
Time,

Christmas customs and traditions!
What pleasant associations cluster round
the words. What memories OF bygone
Measures, mellowed by time and delight
fuI to look back upon in after years, they
bring to the recollection. In every land
where the king of festivals is observed
the records of the past, away back to the
time where the mists of paganism first
gave way to the dawning light OF Chris
tianity, TEEN with Christmas myth and
legend.
Tn some of these can be traced the
remnants of pagan observances which
became blended with the customs OF the
Christian age at time when paganism
was succeeded by the nebulous gloom
that foretold the dawn of the new dis
nensation, and which in some form or
other have survived till the present day.
The traditions and legends connected
with Christmas have an interest peculiar
" their own, and it is worth noting that
the shirt of charity and good will, which
is the leading characteristic OF the happy
time, pervades them all. Some OF the
most interesting of these customs we will
endeavor to briefly describe.
In England the custom of staying
up to midnight to hear the Christmas
"waits" is still observed, although many
good people, if asked the question would
find il difficult to give a reason for doing
90. The tradition that Christ was born
at midnight originated this custom. At
one time bands of singers used to go about
from house to house singing Christmas
carols. These we're the "waits, and by
degrees the quantity beautiful carols
which they sang degenerated into mere
dogeerel and the custom for time fell
into disuse. Latterly, however, 1t has
been revived somewhat, as also the GUS
tom of singing Christmas carols IN Prot
estant Episcopal churches.
Tn America the custom of hanging up
the stocking is now as heartily observed
as ever. The North German custom
of the Christmas tree has been large
ly revived of late years, and In many
households has become regular OBJ
seryance every year. Both the Christ
mas tree and the Santa Claus customs
are the relics of the days when Thor,
Wooden and Erica we're worshiped, but
modified by Christianity till they are now
emblematic of the charitable feelings OF
the day of gladness.
In France, many years ago, it was the
habit of the people to go through pro-
fame parodies of the Christmas mass.
These have been abandoned by common
consent. 1t was the practice for people
to stop all kinds of labor at noon on the
day before Christmas, and masters kept
open house and feasted their employees.
1t was also the fashion for the people to
assemble on the outside of churches and
cathedrals long before midnight, and the
time was passed away by the singing of
Christmas carols, the monks teaching
them how to sing the carols as well as
the Latin canticles of the Church. AS
the Saturnalian element began to come
uppermost, the carols became scurrilous,
and no regret was felt when the custom
was done away with.
In sunny Italy the most visible char
asteristic is the excessive love and devo-
ton felt for the Virgin, which shows itself
in many quaint ways. The whole scope
of the teaching of the Church tends to
make the people realize the birth OF
Christ as an actual yearly occurrence.
This has led to the manifestation of the
pifferari, the bagpipe players, who are all
from the mountains of Calabria. The
pifferari divide themselves into three
bands, which march down the streets,
stopping at every shrine and pouring out |
wild music characterized rather by loud
ness than melody. This is one of the
sights Of Rome at Christmas time.
In Germany Christmas is observed
with peculiar heartiness. There the
Christmas tree, with it's cheerful light, is