Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-12-18
Christmas in Texas.
SAN DIEGO, Texas,
nac eth 1890


SAN DIEGO, Texas, /
Dec. 5tb, 1889. !
Editor Spectator:-It is not my inten-
ton in this letter to show that the custom
of observing Christmas before the year 161
A. D. during the reign of Antoninus
Pius) or before the year 1872 A. D. (daring
the reign of the Emperor COmmodus) for
all concede that the custom started during
the second century, bnt to tell you few
facts about the.way Christmas is observed
in Southwest Texas. Your readers all
know that
CHRIST MEANS ANOINTED
and in the Now Testament Christ is used
as equivalent to Messiah, and that Mass
means feast, hence we have Christnaas. -
Your readers all have read Of the burning
of the great Yule logs by the Celts and
Germans, and other tribes as far back as
the eighth century, and of the fiery SUM-
wheel, in which they seemed to be able to
trace the personal movements and inter
ferences on earth of their great deities,
Odin, Berchta. Sc. All these things can
be found in books and Encyclopedias.
The origin Of Yule logs, the Christmas
box, the Christmas Carols and other
CuBLOmS
IN GOOD BOOKS,
perusal of which might teach many of rs
things we do not already know, but my
letter is to write you some customs of these
people out here so near the border. Some
of your readers who have been in Augusta
county all their lives, have never read
about, much less saw a rooster mass. 1t
;o ,of tba iptaDti0p
TO RIDICULE THE CUSTOMS
of these people, for they mean well, but
some of their actions not only appear
ridiculous, but according to the light before
US, are wicked, and whether done under
the cloak of Christmas Carols or not, like
the Church deacon who pays his yearly
Church contribution by charging the
minister ten per cent Of what be collects
from other members, it is wrong, never
theless. This can hardly be wondered at
among people made up of all nations, for
here on the border, every nation il repre-
sented, the majority however being
IGNORANT MExICANs.
Even during the 18th century, the Christ.
mas Carols had unhappily lapsed into
what would now be considered profanity,
and in England, and in France during the
17th century the customs were much less
sacred than gay.
THE MExIcANs
call Christmas dia de nOche buend, or
literally translated. day of night good. and
it is great day among that race, among
all classes high and low, and they certainly
follow the customs, as far as doing no
work, handed down to them for ages. For
two or three weeks before Christmas they
begin to race horses, or at least train them,
and nightly their faudangos are kept up
On the night of the gath of December they
have what is commonly called in English
THE ROOSTER MASS.
In Spanish it is called by them, naiss del
gallo, mass of the cock. and is held at
midnight of the oath and 25sh of Decem-
Der when the cocks crow most. The town
people and many in the country gather at
the Churches, tho High Mass is said, with
the usual form of prayer, which is the 41st
Psalm together with the Confession. and
the Introit, which is followed by the thrice
repeated petition, Lord have mercy. Christ
have mercy, aud the hymn "Glory to God
on high"
IN FRONT OF THE ALTAR
is toe life-sizs body of newborn baby,
supposed to be of wax, in basket, and
looks like child sleeping, intended to
represent Christ, just born. This ia the
main feature of the midnight mass, and
many go on this night from curiosity, and
then 90 off and carouse around. Frequent
IL this child in the basket is carried
around through the audience for the pur-
pose of allowing those who desire to con-
tribute to the priest to do 50. and but few
fail to SO contribute, and the writer has
seen the pretended body of our Saviour
literally covered With money.
Then follows the public and joint prayers
Of priest and people, and lesson from the
Old Testament, and by the Gradual. this is
followed by the creed. Then the Oferto-
ry, the Canon, the Communion, the post
the joint prayer OF the priest
and people, which is sung or chanted and
then the dismissal with the benediction.
The people, at least the Mexican part of
the congregation,
DO NOT SLEEP
any that night; in fact, the lower class of
this race do their sleeping in the day time
and frequently are up all night during the
holidays. Ga Christmas day, if you go on
the street, you are met on all hands by
parties
ASKING PILoNs
which among them means gifts, though the
real and better name for gift is don. The
word pilon is no doubt coined from pilon
c,llo. the crust of sugar that remains in the
boiler. This custom perhaps has come
down to them from Spaiu, and even in this
century can be found in England. The
Christmas poem which contains the follow
ing lines shows this fact
"Gladly, the boy. with Christmas Box in hand,
the town his devious route pur-
sues;
And, of his masters customers, implores
The yearly mite"
All day the supposed beggar, (and not
always one who is really in need), comes to
will you give me-and insists on you to
comprdlcs algo-to buy them something.
THE MERCHANTS
here, however, have made it rule to give
with each bill of goods bought, no matter
how small, pilon or gift, and some mer-
chants here buy cheap candy by the box
and case, just for pilons, and some Mexicans
only buy one article at time in order to
get pilon extra. This rule is carried on
all the year round.
THE PROTESTANTS,
of course, follow the same customs, and
observe Christmas as near like the good
people of the older states as near as possi-
BILE. They slaughter the turkey and kill
the fatted calf. Weeks before they prepare
1 l.: onlro nd nan ninnr tha