Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-12-21
VOLUME XXNIU.-NUMBER 4.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
So.e os THE EARLY CUSTOMS, CEREMONIES
AND FESTIVITIES Or CHaisTmAs.

Gov. ne r.e EARLY CUSTOMS, CEREMONIES
AND FESTIVITIES or CHRIsT"As.
TURKEYS AND OTHER GOOD THINGS.
Everywhere throughout the British
Isles Christmas Eve is marked by an
increased activity about the good things
of this life. "Now," says Stevenson,
an old writer OF Charles the Seconds
time, "capons and hens, besides tur-
KEYS, geese, ducks, with beef and NUT
ton, must all die; for in twelve days a
multitude of people will not be fed
with little" and the preparations in
this respect OF this present period of
of grace are made much after the an
Client prescription of Stevenson. The
abundant displays of every kind of ed
ible in the London markets on Christ
mas Eve, with II view to II twelve days
festival OF which it is the overture,
the blaze of lights amid which they
are exhibited and the evergreen deco
rations by which they are embowered,
together with the crowds of idlers or Of
purchasers that wander through these
well stored magazines, present 4 pic
ture of abundance and congress Of
faces well worthy Of q single visit from
tine stranger, to whom II London mar
ket on the eve of Christmas is yet a
novelty.
The approach of Christmas Eve in
the metropolis is marked by the Smith
| field show of Over-fed cattle; by the
enormous beasts and birds, for the
fattening of which medals cups and
prizes have been awarded by commit
tees of amateur grazers and feeders !;
in honor of which monstrosities, din
ners have been eaten. toas!s drank,
and speeches made. These prodi-
gious specimens of corpulency we be-
hold, after being thus gloritied, led
like victims of antiquity, decked with
ribbons and other tokens OF triumph,
or perhaps instead of led, We should,
as the animals are scarcely able to
waddle, have used the word goadcd, to
Le inundated ON the altar of gluttony
in celebration Of Christmas! To ad-
miring crowds, on the eve itself, are
the result of oil cake and turnip feed
ing displayed in the various butcher
shops of the metropolis and its vicinity /;
and the efficacy of walnut-cramming is
illustrated i'll Leadenhall market,
where Norfolk turkeys and Dorking
fowls appear in numbers unrivalled.
INDOOR FESTIVITIES.
Amid the interior forms to be OBJ
served, on this evening, by those who
would keep Christmas in the ortho-
dox fashion, the first to be noticed is
that of the Yule Log. This huge
block, which, in ancient times, and
consistently with capacity of the vast
receptacle, was frequently the root of
a large tree, it was the pra ctice to in
troduce into the house with great GER
emony and to the sound of musis.
Herrick's direction is -
"Come bring with . noise
My merrie, merrie boys,
The Christmas log to the firing:
While my good dame she
Bids you all be free,
And drink to your hearts desiring"
In Brakes "Winter Nights" men,
ton of the Yule Log, as lying ain
ponderOus majesty on the kitchen
floor" until "each had sung his Yule
song, standing on its centre"-ere it
was consigned to the flames that
went away up the ch imney wide"
This Yule Log, according to Her
rick, was to be lighted with the brand
of the last years log, which had been
carefully laid aside for the purpose,
and music was to be played during
the ceremony of lighting -
with the last yeare's brand
Light the new block, and
For good success in his spending.
On your psaltries play,
That sweet luck may
Come while the log is q tcending.
This log seems to have been con-
sidered as sanctifying the roof tree, and
was probably deemed IL protection
against those evil spirits over whom
this season was in every way a tri-
umph. Accordingly various supersti-
tons mingled with the prescribed GER
emonials in respect of it. From the
authority already quoted on this sub
ject We learn that its virtues were not
to be extracted, unless it were lighted
with clean hands, direction, proba-
bly,, including both useful hint to
the domestics, and it may be, moral
Of higher kind
Wash your hands or else the fire
| Will not tend to your desire;
| Unwash'd hands, ye maidens, know,
| Dead the are though ye blow"
Around this fire when lighted, the
Inequalities Of the evening were dis
pensed; and as the flames played
about it and above it, with a pleasant
song of their own, the song and the
tale and the jest went cheerily round.
In different districts, different omens
attached themselves to circumstances
connected with tins observance, but
generally it was deemed an evil one if
the log went out during the night or,
We suppose during the symposium.
The extinguished brand was of course
to be preserved to furnish its ministry
to the ceremonial of the ensuing year.
The Yule Log is still lighted up, on
Christmas Eve in various parts Of
England, and particularly in the north.
In some places, where block OF suf-
iicient dimensions is not readily come
by, it is usual to lay by a large coal
for the purpose, which, if not quite
orthodox. is an exceedingly good sue