St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-02-18
THE LORE OF YULE- TIDE.
CHRISTMAS MANNERS AND GUS
TOMS IN MANY LANDS.

u y AIN IN AN ~ w NJ
TOMS IN MANY LANDS.
Origin of the Christ mas Carol-Mis-
tletoe and Christmas Trce-S@nta
Clans and Prescnt-Naking.
TTHE Christmas caro!-"Song Of
Joy"-is of almost universal
use and very ancient date,
cThe earliest Christmas carol, :"
observes Bishop Taylor, "sas the
'Gloria in Excelsis' which the choir of
angels sung to the congregation Of shen
herds on the Iudcan hillside" In
France the songs of "Noel" were com.
mon many centuries ago. Henry VIII.
of England and his family were fond of
singing carols at the splendid feasts with
which they marked the Christmas sea-
son. In the days of Shakespeare sing
ing formed a conspicuous part of the
Christmas celebration. There were two
kinds of carols. One was sung in the
open cir, from house to house, early Oh
the morning Of Christmas Day-a prac.
tice still popular in England. These
carols were devotional in tone. Tlc
other kind was convivial in character,
and was used at the fcasts which &C.
CURED later in the day. Oae of the car
lest, probably the very first, printed
collections Of Christmas carols appeared
in 1921. The ringing of church bells
and chimes has also for ages been pop
ular Christmas custom in England. 1t is
to this that the spleudid stanzas refer,
in Tcnnyson's "In Memoriam," begin
ming with
''Riny out wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud. the frosty light
The year is dying in the night:
Ring out wild bells, and let him diel"
Christmas trees are another ancient
feature of the day; older, indeed, some
have declared, than the day itself-if
the bull be permissible. 1t had its
origin in Germany, and German tradi.
ton traces it back to the very Garden of
Eden and makes it a symbol of the Tree
OF knowledge. 1t is probablya heather
custom, engrafted. as innumerab,c
heather customs have been, upon the
ceremonials of Christendom. Long be-
fore the beginning of the Christian era
the Romans in certain festivities made
use of pine trees, the branches of which
were laden with little earthenware images
sacred to the gods. Among the ancient
Germans, Goths and Scandinavians the
advent of the winter solstice was cele-
brated with great interest, and the
chief feature of the occasion was
the erection in every house of a fir
tree adorned with burning tapers. The
tree was first made part Of the Christ
mas ceremonial by Gregory the Great,
doubtless with view to making the
Northern Nations feel more at home in
the Christian Church.
The niStietoe, which plays SO import
ant part in Christmas festivities, was
selected for this honor many centuries
ago, before the Christian era. The
northern people found it growing on toe
holy oaks, and remaining green in winter
time. 50 they supposed its seeds had
fallen from heaven, and they held it
sacred to Baldur, the Sun-god. They
decorated their homes aud their affairs
with it at Yuletide, and every greeting
beneath it was inspired with love ana
friendship in the name Of A!lfather
OGin's pure and righteous son. BaldHr
had been put 10 death through the trcach-
cry OF dark hearted Hoedur. But he had
arisen to life, again. And so the mis-
tlctoe, green and full of life when all the
trees of the forest seemed dead, was
fitting emblem of HIM.
Feasting has always been q Christmas
custom, almost the world over. In Eng
land the Yule log, the boav's head and
the wa5sail bowl were in olden times the
features of the festival. The first named
was a huge log of oak, decked with
holly WreatAs and mistletoe. At Christ
mas it was dragged into the great hall
by all the members Of the household,
the nerriest Of them, dubbed the Lord
Of MisruIe, seated upon it singing songs
and making jcsts. 1t was rolled into the
fireplace, and made a mighty blaze all
cay and night. This was survival Of
the Scandinavian custom of kindling
great fires at Yuo-tide-thc winter
solstice. Tlc boar's head was the dish
of honor on the Christmas table, and
was brought in on huge platter, gar
nished with leaves and fruit. It was a
German custom, and down to the present |
day the German Emperor has sent each
Cdristnus boar's head as Il present to
the Queen CT EDglG 1. This also is
relic Of the scandinavian myths. Treyr,
the god OF peace and plenty, used to
ride upon the back of q boar, and fcs-
'ival was held in his honor at Yule- tide.
)f course the wassai! bowl - "Was
lIael !'-cane down from the hard
headed old Norsemen who could
light all day and drink ale and
mead all night. Its contents were
mixture OF ale, roasted apples, cloves,
ginger, nutmegs and sugar, and it was
frank smoking hot. Peacock pie was
amous Christmas dish in Shakespeare's {
line. So was opium porridge," in {
which may be disccrned the antelope Of
be plum pudding OF our day. An in ,
itatlon to Christmas dinner in 1867 l
dvertises the cheer to be as follows: "A 6
Jesse Of Plum POttage, sirloyne of j
'oastod Beefe, Minced Pye, aad q '
Jerry Cup or Sacke." s
In Suabia there is a Christmas Dav S
lstom corresponding to All Hallow I
en- tricks here. Maldeus inquisitive of a
Re future 60 blindfodcd to the wood q
lie, and each draws out stick to de- r
rmne what her husband will be like s.
long or short, thin or stout, straight S
crooked, rough or smooth. They also
ten gander, blindfold it, and dance
circle around it. The GIRL arainst