The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-25
Christmas.

When, as festival, Christmas was
first kept in commemoration of the
birth of the Savior is not known. There
is, however, melancholy proof that it
was observed in the time of the En-
perOr Diocletian, who reigned from
A. ID. 284 to 394, for history records
that the tyrant, when at NiComedla,
finding a number of Christians assem-
bled in the churches to celebrate the
nativity, ordered the doors to be sud-
denly closed and the churches and
those within them to be burned. But
there does not seem to be any uni
formity in the period of observing
the day until Pope Julius l., in the
fourth century, ordered it to de kept
on the 25th of December. 1t is, how
ever, almost certain that the birth of
Christ did not occur in December,
as that is the rainy season in Judea,
when shepherds do not watch the flocks
by nights in the pastures. Perhaps the
reason why this festival was fixed near
the winter solstice was that almost all
the ancient nations regarded that pc
Rod as an important one in the year.
This probably rose from its being the
time at which the days begin to length
en- and when nature seems to renew
her energies for the production OF the
warmth and fruit of the seasons.
Christmas Christ Mass is observed
with solemnity by certain denoni-
nations of Christians, while others re-
ject its religious aspects, but keep it as
social holiday. The custom of deck
ing houses and churches at Christmas
with evergreens is derived from the
Druids-priests or minister of the an
Gent Gauls, Britons and Germans
who believe that the sylvan deities-
gOddesses of the wordsworth come
and dwell among the trees which re-
tanned their leaves when the other por-
tons of the forest were deprived of
their foliage. The planting of tree
covered with presents for the ''llttle
ones" the names Of the person tor
whom the gift is intended being given,
but the name cf the donor concealed.
has been customary in many parts of
Germany and in the northern districts
of Europe from time unknown. The
Puritan Parliament of England abol-
ished Christmas, and it was for long
time regarded with but little favor by
their descendants in New England.
Christmas carols and music on that
day can be traced to an early period
in Saxon annals Under the Iudors,
in England, singing merry carols on
Christmas was common. But they
gradually became ribald and proiane
and the custom was to a great extent
Abandoned The Oldest collection OF
Christmas carols in English bears the
date of 1921. Santa Claus (St. Mich
olas,) whose supposed decent in the
chimney on Christmas night and whose
lberality has been for ages the wonder
and delight of many juvenile possessors
OF toys, ginger bread and mint-stick
was first introduced under the name Of
Kris kringle to the inhabitants OF the
Western Continent by the Dutch resi-
dents of the State Of New York
Christmas has been made legal holt
day in the greater part, if not in all OF
the States, and is generally observed
either by religious services, social gath
erings or suspension of business.
The custom of spending the last day:
of the year either in devotional exercise:
or in a withdrawal from every-da,
pursuits appears to be of very h'gt
antiquity. The Romans devoted the
latter part of February, then the las
month of the year, to the Februtla o
expiatory sacrifices which have glvel
the name to the month, and the Greek
employed portion OF June, the end o
their year for a similar purpose. IL
all Christian countries the interval be
tween the nativity and the first da,
of the wear has been set apart tor socIa
endowment, the interchange OF acts
kindness, and a relaxation from tn
pursuits and employments which hav
REQUIRED attention during the year.
!, any wonder, then, that young ant
old. the grave and the gay, hail christ
mas the first of those holidays, wit
pleasure and gladness?
A-Sa