The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-12-24
weather was so uncommonly mild
that on the 22d July flower was
full blown in a garden, and the mag
pies laid eggs aud Matched them"

! tnat on the I'd July hover WAS
full blown in a garden, and the mag
pies laid eggs aud Matched them"
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.
"All eatable, cookahle things
That e'er tripped upon trotters or
Scared upon wings
The origin of Christmas customs
soon becomes obscured, but the GUS
toms continue, in certain localities,
from century to century.
In Norway the day begins with
divine service. The churches are
destitute of architectural ornament,
which accords we'll with the sim
plicity of the Lutheran form Of wor-
ship. After the return from church,
refreshments are served. They con-
sist Of variety OF viands, cordials,
and confectionery. After luncheon,
dinner is at once announced. The
dinner consists of "all eatable, cook
able things" National songs are in
order between the courses, also toasts
and speeches, the burden Of all being
the prosperity and happiness of all.
In the evening five boys, attired
in white mantles, enter, the tallest
holding colored lantern shaped like
star, and another bearing an illu-
minated glass box containing two
wax dolls, one of which represents
the Virgin and the other the infant
Jesus in cradle. A bit Of candle is
moved by machinery from side to
side over the cradle, signifying the
Star in the East which guided the
Magi to the feet of the young Child.
During this exhibition, carol is
chanted explanatory of the mystery.
A band of masked performers then
appears, dressed in military attire
their uniforms are generally tattered
from long service, and are covered
with tinsel. These maskers perform
a pantomime, and go from house to
house, finding a welcome at every
one. Then follows the supper, after
which the usual social smoking by
the men and chatting by the women
takes place until the hour comes for
all to get into their furs and go home.
In England, under William Rufus,
Henry l.. John, and Queen Eliza
beth, the holiday was kept with royal
splendors at Windsor Castle.
Concerning the eatable, cook
able things" incident to the feasting,
we find the following:
cat Queens College, Oxford, on
the shoulders of two men, preceded
by the scholars and taberders,
boar's head was borne into the hall.
1t was decorated with wreath OF
bays and rosemary, and lemon was
placed in its mouth. The taberder
who was supposed to have the finest
voice sang carol, all the members
of the college assembled at dinner
joining in the chorus
"The boar's head in hand bear,
Bedecked with bays and rosemary;
And | pray you, my masters, be
merry"
The peacock was roasted and the
feathers replaced. Here is the for
mula for its preparation: Let hym
the peacock coole awhile, and take
and sowe hym in hys skyn and glide
hys combe and SO serve hymn for the
last cours."
In regard to our mince pie, we
learn that this dish of fable "has
been supposed, from the spicy ingre-
dents of which it is composed, to
have reference to the wise men of
the East" and that it was condemned
by the Puritans as idolatrous, be-
cause it was anciently made in the
form Of the manger of Christ.
Before the reign of Charles III.
there was no plum pudding by name
that delectable concoction being
known as the hackin'" Its name
probably arose from the chopping
necessary to its being. The direc-
tons include penalty for not Civ
ing sufficient time for the cooking.
- The hackin' must be in boiling by
daybreak, or else the cook must be
run around the market place by two
: young men, until she is ashamed OF
laziness."
The wassail bowl was garlanded
with holly and drivers colored rib
bons, and duly honored by the
goodly company. The evergreens
which decked the groined roof OF
, the hammered hall looked down while
, pledging draughts were poured Of
metheglin and hippocras,s piced wine
; The old walls were wainscoted
with black oak, which was almost
hidden by the garniture of the
/ scarlet-berried holly and pearly mis-
: letoe. A large piece of the latter
t was always suspended from the mid
2 die beam.
After the feast entered morris dan
GERS, and the Lord of Misrule, with
: his attendants gorgeously attired ,ex
hiblted their mimic disports amids
4 minstrelsy and mirthful sounds.
/ Then followed the dance, In which
S moved 10 measured steps the statel
e dame and knightly cavalier. Figur
dances called brawls were much il
;. fashion during the reign of Quee
d Elizabeth.
7, The origin of the box calle
t Christmas box is thus accounted fol
IS The Romish priests had masses sal
it for almost everything. Ii a shi
', went out to the Indies, the priest
it had box in her under the protet
u ton of some saint, and, for masses
+. be said for the seamen to that sain
D, the poor people put money in. Th
n box was not opened until the ship
! - %tat xr,r