St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-21

myrtle and Ian rustinum, says Sandys,
have very pleasing and cheerful eff
feet.
All men in the olden days appear to
have had good stomachs, and the bal
lads which relate to this period of the
year are redOlent of good things. In
one is found this verse:
The cooks shall be busted by day and by
night,
In roasting and boiling. for taste and de.
Their senses in liquor that's happy they'll
steep,
Though they be afforded to have little
sleep;
They still are employed to dress us, in
brief,
Plum pudding, goose, capon, mined pies
and roast beef.
Another song runs thus:
Now thrice welcome Christmas,
Which brings US good cheer,
Mined pies and plum porridge,
GOOD ale and strong beer;
With Dig, goose and capon,
The best that may be,
SO well doth the weather
And our stomachs agree.
Speaking of the wassail bowl, Harvey
says that all men in all places who
would keep Christmas eve as it should
be kept must set the
Wassail Bowl Allowing
for the occasion. The word "wassaip'
is derived from the Saxon was halle.
which words and drinc-heil theil, health
were the usual ancient phrases of uuaf-
fling among the English, and equivalent
to the Here's to you" and Il pledge
you'' of the present day. The Wassail
BOWL should be composed, by those who
can afford IL, of some rich wine, highly
spiced and sweetened, with roasted ap-
pies floating on its surface. But ale
was more commonly substituted for
VINE, mingled with nutmeg, ginger,
sugar, toast and roasted crabs. 'It is, -
says Leigh Hunt, "a gOod-natured bowl,
and accommodates itself to the means
of all classes, rich and poor. You may
have it of the costliest wine or the hum
blest malt liquor. But in no case must
the roasted apples be forgotten
The grand dish at the feasts of our an
cestorS on Christmas was boar's head,
soused. 1t was carried into the great
dining hall with much ceremony, pre-
ceded by the master of revelS, and fol-
lowed by chOriSterS and MINISTRIES, sing
ing and playing compositions in its
honor. The ancient mode of garnishing
the boar'S head was with Sweet-scented
herbs.
The accompaniment of Christmas
night were the blazing fire, the song,
the dance, the riddle, the jest and many
another merry sport. Among the Christ
mas sports of days gone by, and some of
which still serve to amuSe, were jug
glerS and Jack-puddiHgS, scrambling for
nuts and apples, dancing, the hobby
horse, hunting owls and squirrels. the
fool-plOugh, hOt-cockles, a stick moving
on pivot, with an apple at one end and
candle at the other, so that he who
missed his bite burned his nose; blind
mans buff, forfeits. interludes and mock
plas. Thread my needle, Man." ssHe
can do little that can't do this" feed the
dove. hunt the slipper, shoeing the wild
mare, post and pair, snap-dragon, ETC.,
etc. Many pleasant tale could be
told Of
The BTistIetOe,
which was generally placed. with much
secrecy, over door. 1t was the priYi-
lege OF the SWANS to kiss any maiden
caught under the mistletoe Dough, and,
according to Archdeacon Mares, the
tradition was that the maid who was
not kissed under it at Christmas would
not be married for year. Brand says
the ceremony was not duly performed
unless berry was picked off with each
KISS. This berry, it is stated by other
authorities, was to be presented for
good luck to the maiden kissed, and
Washington Irving adds that 'wIlen
the berries are all plucked the privilege
ceases"
The distribution of that form of gift
known as Christmas boxes was, doubt
less, originally one of the observances
OF Christmas day, and made a portion of
% i,aIr DI II,
of the festival probably caused it to be
postponed till the day following. and
thereby placed the Christmas box under
the patronage of st. Stephen. The title
itself has been derived by some from
the box which was kept on board of
every vessel that sailed upon a distant
voyage for the reception of donations to
the priest, who. III return, was expected
to offer masses for the safety of the ex-
petition, and above all, of the box.
This box was not to be opened till the
return of the vessel; and one can con-
ceIye that, in cases where the mariners
had had perilouS time of it, this casket
would be found to inclose tolera BILE
offering. Probably the state of the box
might be as good an evidence as the log
book Of~-the character of the VOYAGE
which had been achieved. The mass
W vac aO oia1 tiiio calleu CnrlStlDaSS, ana
the boxes kept to pay for it were, of
course, called Christmas boxes. The
poor among those who had all interest
in the fate of these ships. or of those
who sailed in them, were in the habit
of begging money from the rich, that
they might contribute money to the
mass boxes; aud hence the title, which
has descended to our day, giving to the
anniversary of st. Stephen'S MARTYR
dom the title of Christmas boxing dav,
and, by corruption, Boxing day. In
London, Boxing day is still great day,
and postmen, lampligbters and many
other classes expect gifts.