The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-27
How Our SaYlour's Birth Was Celebrated In
and About the City bythe Sea. 81
AT HOME, IN CHURCH AND ON STREETS
nnImy Weather, Lots of Noise, Abb
scmce of casunItics and neautiilnl
Church Services Nude 1t Dny
Never TO re Forgotten-In the Pub.
lie Institutions.

IL was not conventional Christmas.
the kind portrayed on the stage. with
CHEEKY Wilderness. In field and lime with
jingling seighbells and all thnt sort
of thing.
It was u green Christmas.
rms doesn't mean that leaves were
shooting and blades OF grass pcepinr
from the ground. but that the weather
was OF balmy, autumnal kind, with
an absence OF snow that was Glsap-
pointing to some and quite welcome to
others.
:, There here was a rainy feeling in the at
mosphere, but 10 drops fell, and the
outlook was not promising and kept
these who had deep laid plans for an eX-
ceptional observance of the holiday on
the anxious bench
But ali's we'll that ends we'll and IL
was SO Wednesday.
Now, as to dts Ceebration
II was very generally observed. In
churches carols We're sung for JOY ut
the birth OF the Christ child; at home
the beautiful custom of interchange of
gifts was being carried out: In the
clubs the members extended hospitali-
ties to their friends and everywhere the
spirit of the occasion was made mani
fest.
With the daylight and before, came
the horns that murdered sleep or course
the footing was nothing like that OH
Main street Christmas Eve. but 1t was
bad enough. So at least thought the
citizen whose head was abnormally de-
| Veloped by the good cheer of the pre-
vtous evening, and would lie nbcd
awhile longer Whether he would or
wouldn't he simply couldn't slumber
Now there would be IL weak little loot
like n rooster Growing in II distant barn.
yard. and just as you Were congratulate.
Ing yourself that the greatest din had
ceased. n blast right under your window
calculated to raise the dead would drive
all such hopeful thoughts from your
mind.
Small children having discovered the
inevitable horn among their presents.
/. when they ran downstairs In the gray
| dawn to see what good old Santa had
| brought them, fastened to throw Them
selves into their knickbockers and rush
into the street 10 test their lung power
| y few had decided TO have n sort OF
fourth-of-July time, and exploded fire,
crackers until the citizen who had retir-
! ed the night before with that tired
| feeling had to ponder over whether
the nations birthday or Christmas was
| being celebrated. The racket increase d
MS the day grew, and helped to make
Christmas the merry one 1t was.
/ Christmas Is looked upon by many IA
the proper time to promenade the prin-
cipal downtown thoroughfnres, much
| like the Fashionable procession that
shows Itself on Easter. After church
hours. therefore. the streets were the
IL.
seized upon this opportunity for display
| ing those among her presents which
could be exhibited in her attire. while
the men did the same. The result was
Il pleasing parade Of wealth youth
and beauty" as the society sheets put
IT. Everybody was happy, and laugh
ing, and talking, SO the scene was a
very pleasant one To witness.
1t Is pleasure to he able to record
that the religious meaning of the holi-
Tor In n 1ln
secular observance OF Christmas.
The churches OF every denomination
threw their doors wide open. and ser
mons appropriate to the occasion were
delivered from the pulpitS. Special mu-
steal programmes had been arranged.
and the well trained choirs rendered
the JOYOUS anthems more hcautifully
1t seemed, than ever. The glad strains
issuing frlm the houses of worship
awakened something in the heart of
worldly men who heard them, aud
caused them to pause and enter Gods
tn hcrfa clos. For there is sonnet hing
about Christmas music. especially when
II is sung ON Christmas, that strangely
works upon the feeling of u man of even
an irrcliTiGuS turn. II takes him back
to his childhood days, with a sanity
mothers gentle care. and recalls The
surprises which she had In store for
him on Christmas morn In those glad
old days. Memories are revived that
most die.
And who Will say that better re-
solves are not aroused with such
thoughts?
Flowers were used for decorative
purposes in the churches together with
palms and ported plants.
The work of fair and tasty fingers
had left its mark in the gracefully loop
ed ropes of evergreens and other floral
alornmcnts, making an unusually at
tractive display.
In n social way Christmas was not
sighted
i;ut in the home itself was whore the
ma jority of the population spent the
day. Here was where the most whole
some pleasure was to be found. With
fathers and mothers, brothers and sis
tiers. aunts and cousins and ncphcws
who could help from having q thor
nughly conEenial and joyful time?
There We're the little ones. their pleas
urc at their tops showing in their radl-
ant faces. With childish devotion to
anything that Is new they beat their
Irums. fondled their dolls and ran their
| miniature fire-engines untirirgly
| Those who had gotten bicycles or eX-
press wagons made Rll haste to get them
on the street and exhibit their gifts to
| admiring companions
| And all this went on until the dinner
| bell rang. which was the signal for
an intermission in that particular form
| 0f mcrriment. Bit oh, what time was
had over the Christmas turkey and the
| crar berries and the rich plum p,d-
ding! How they LAUGHED at fathers
! desperate efforts Mt carving. and how
/ an n In, fla c1t 10