Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-12-21
CHRIS MAS.
The Day, and How il is Observed.


Leigh Hunt says: A Christmas day
10 be perfect, should be clear and cold,
with holly branches in berry, blaz-
ing fire, dinner with mince pie, and
games and forfeits in the evening.
You cannot have it in perfection If you
are very fine and fashionable Neither,
alas! can it be enjoyed by the very
poor; SO that, in fact, perfect Christ
mas is impossible to be had till the
progress of things has distributed COM
fort more equally. But, when we do
our best, we are privileged to enjoy
our utmost; an charity gives us
right TO hope. The completest enjoy
er OF Christmas (neXt TO n lover who
has to receive forfeits from his mis-
tress) is the holiday school boy who
springs up early like a bird darling
hither and thither out of
sheer delight, thinks OF his mince pies
half the morning, has too much OF
them when they come (pardon him
this once, roasts chestnuts and cuts
apples half the evening, is conscious
OF his new silver in his pocket, and
laughs at every piece of mirth with a
loudness that rises above every other
noise. Next day what a peg-top will
he not buy! what strings, what nuts,
what gingerbread! And he will have
new clasp-knife, and pay three times
too much for it. Sour oranges also
will he suck, squeezing their checks
into his own with staring eyes; and
his mother will tell him they are not
good for hln-and let him 20 on.
A Christmas evening should, if pos
sible, finish with music. 1t carries off
the excitement without abruptness,
and sheds a repo9e over the conclusion
OF enjoyment.
Every nation has its own peculiar
way of celebrating this suspicious day.
Not the least iovial is the way the day
is enjoyed in Merry England.
CHRISTMAS CEREMONIES IN ENGLAND.
II some parts Of the English Christ
mas ceremonies were derived from
Saturnalia, another was evidently of
northern origin. In the evening the
yule-log, a Christmas stock. was burnt
in the principal apartments, and the
company gathered around the fire.
What remains TO modern times of
Christmas ganbols then commenced;
and ancient Christian plays are still to
be traced among them. Blind-man's s.
buff, hunt the slipper, the game Of the
goose, snap-dragon, push-pin, robins
alive, etc, etc, together with forfeits,
dancing, ETC., form the amusements OF
the younger part Of the assemblage.
In our land, also, appropriate festivi-
ties will not be wanting; and in many
a household this night blind-man's buff
and other festive games will speed the
evening-while the grandsire, seated
in his great armchair, with his grown
up sons and daughters around him,
will gaze with delight upon the spark
ling eyes and merry faces OF the young
er groups-until the amusements OF
the young, and the colloquies of the
old are brought TO aclose by the clock,
with its iron tongue and brazen voice
proclaiming the hour of retiring. We
are not aware, however, that anything
is know among our country people OF
the yule-log or yule-soug, but we can
hook back with pleasure upon many a
Christmas festive scene, when the
largest log and the best maple and
hickory were selected for the Christ
mas fire, which, when the evening
came,
"Went roaring up the chimney wide"
while the lads and lasses were trip
ping about with joyous faces, and the
tale, the dance, and the game, the
mince pie and the spice-bowl, render
ed doubly sweet by the approving
smiles of delighted parents, completed
the general satisfaction.
CHRISTMAS IN YORKSHIRE.
The festivities in Yorkshire nave a
decided English aspect. The nourish-
ment of the inner man is popularity
always prominent in an Englishman's
view of enjoyment. They are not so
far wrong in this, for where happiness
consists mainly of material things,
what can as well promote it as plenty
of generous viands?
In Yorkshire the work OF prepare
ton commences some weeks before,
and its sports and festivities continue
during the first month of the new year.
The poor of the parish visit all the
neighboring farmers to beg corn,
which is invariably given them, to the
measure of a pint each. Poor old
women, called vessel-cup singers, go
about from house to house, with
waxen or wooden doll. Enthusiastically
dressed, and sometimes adorned with
an orange or rosy-tinged apple. With
this in their hands, they chant a carol,
invoke blessings upon the masters,
mistresses, and little children of
houses where they call. At eight
o'clock on Christmas eve, the bells