The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMES.

Christina, j, festival that seems to
DC more particularly the property Of
more than any other: not
that everybody does not join IN the
with all their hearts. but
that children, in honor, perhaps, Of
Him who became a child, are given .
the chief part in It's pleasures
In Cornwall, on Christmas eve, the .
are allowed to sit up till mid .
night, and to have a taste Of cider.
too; and in Dcvonahirc they 20, with
their father and the whole family and
friends, out into the orchard with cider
and a cake, placing the latter in d
crotch Of one Of the branches, and
tcrowlng the other over the tree
This IS cvid emily the relic Of an old
pagan rite, bearing every appearance
of the ancient sacrifice, a sacrifice to
propltlatc the tree to continue its fruit
fulncss, although why it should be Of
tered on Christmas eve IS not ex-
planned
Indeed, there are many heather
customs that have been grated upon
our way Of keeping Christmas This
Will be understood when it is rcmcm-
Dcrcd that the carly Christian fathers
found It hare to keep their nocks
from joining in the pagan cercmo-
mes at times Of good feeling and jolli-
ty. They therefore wisely made their
| own ceremonies conform to the same
occasion, 50 tbs. if their people must
celebrate, they could be celebrating
Christmas facts. Thus the old Roman
9aturnalla, a, time Of great merry
making, to speaking mildly, coming
at this season of the year, the early
| fathers thought best to harmonic it
with their Christian festivities.
from the Saturnalia are descended
the "Nlummcrs, band of people who
80 abou: IN masks in England, and en-
act some rude play before the doors
Whatever this play was in the days OF
the SaturnaIla, in the Christian days il
has usually been the story otct Gcorge
and the Dragon, old Father Christmas,
crowned with holly and carving a
WaSSall bowl, introducing St. George,
a Turkish knight, huge scaly dragon,
and adoctor to bind up the wounds, to
all OF whom the children at the window
are dclirhted 70 throw their half non.
MES
Aoain IN Croot pr;.o;,, h,,,.;au... -,
the new rclj9jon borrowed from, ,bc
Druids. for their Cb,;c,,,oe,,e a tho ok.
scryance Of the winter so1st;cn viii,
ercatsolempjtv and allowed aIso coml
of the customs of tbc ancient c,vons f.
he absorbed Thus from, No Du,;d- 49,,
have the mjstIefoc and from, the c,xop,
the YuIe loo
There IS 2 chccrand generous hoc,,i.
taljtv abOut 7 NnIc loo which warm,
ono =, tb;nl, ,hort = I, five ,,loco.
where snch tbino is rc,IIv bnrned
when i IS cntond dr,oord oiono to bf
,J,ccd an the hearth and liohted from
the cmbers of last wears Loo mt ava,
for that r,,rnose cycrv wavfarer raise,
his hat TO il Z, it GOES along. if mean.
50 much
From what the ..waifs y another nc.
commitment of Christmas dear to En-
olish children have descended is no
Certainly asccrtajncd. buf there was
comnanv of ..waif' rs early rs the yea
100. and it is understood that the,
were then stroIIing DIavcrs on hautboy
an other wind Instruments. and th3
i all they are TODAY
The only purely Christian Observance
IN all these Glad cav ceremonies is IN
.CaroIs" The sinners have pictur
csoucncss IS fine alimmer Of their Ian
terms ilIumjnes them bv fits and start
IN tbe darkness ON the snow and tbei
) r,;cos h,,o o,suoo+r.s.b ,1f., o,en fra,
their SONGS The ..Corols'' ar, SIM
now all over fine Errorcan continen