The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
OLD CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS.
CELEBRATIONS THAT SURVIVE IN
PARTS OF ENGLAND.

mas customs still survive In Grcat Br'thin.
Tho origin of most OF them lies concealed away
bnck in the middle ages and IA few are traced to
the DAYS OF early Saxon occupation. Those
briefly described In what follows by no means
complete tho list, but they give n fair iden Of
the curious forms OF superstition which still
exist in England.
At Gunner, a village In Herofordshire. about
100 miles from London, n harmless Christmas
custom is still observed. the origin of which
no man con trace. On Christmas morning
after attending service in tho parish church,
all the villagers adjourn to the parsons house
and are there RECALLED with heor and bread and
cheese. This is by no means n Kindness on tho
wears part. The usage ia 90 old that now tho
parlshioners claim the meal rs a right and tho
vicar Is compelled to provide q certain guam
iity of the yiands mentioned. He must have
ready for his visitors when they arrive half n
hundredweight OF cheese, two bushels OF
wheaton flour made into loaves. and a certain
quantity of malt made into two kinds Of home
brewed beer. The villagers proceed straight
from church to the vicarage and remain for
about an hour eating, drinking. and Joking.
II any of the viands are left over these may
not be taken away by the parishioners. Thoy
are kept Mt the vicaraRe until after the ovon-
ing service. when they arc distributed to the
poor and ncedy who may come from the sur
rounding district. This is only an example of
scores of picturesque customs which are OBJ
served In Britain.
In the western counties of England and some
parts of Wales 1t is the regular practice to sa-
luto the apple trees on Christmas morning.
The inhabitants of n village turn out about Z
o'clock. while 1t is yet dark, and gather Mt a
rendezvous previously decided upon. There
they are Joined By the rarson of the village
church, the bcadlo. parish clerk, and school
master. a procession is thon formed and
marches around tho adjacent district visiting
each large orchard In urn. On arriving at an
orchard the people are received by the owner
and admitted. Then they are conducted to
one of the best trees in tho plantation. which
is considered a representative OF oil the others
in the orchard. and around 1t they gather.
The beadlo or a well-known man in tho village
produces n large bottle of cider and sprinkles
the tree with the beverage. Meanwhile all the
other people remain silent and the officiating
villaCer addresses the tree in u quaint fashion
something like this:
20 tree! o tree! o tree! Bear fruit and
flourish. Thy owner nourlsh. Give wealth
and plenty"
The people repeat these words. and then ac-
compauied by the owner. the procession re-
forms and marches to another orchard. where
&. like ceremony is performed. Il is supposed
that every plantation treated in this way will
be a fruitful source OF income to It's owner dur
ing the coming year.
At Glastonbury IN Somerset. where the first
Christian church is said to have been erected
In A. d. 60. the people have a curious obscrv-
auce. Joseph Of Arimathca. who buried the
Saviour after the cruciixion. Is declared by ira
lition to have visited Britain and brought with
him the Holy Grail or chal!ce used at the Last
Supper. He is said to have landed near Glas-
tonbury. and on his journey thithcr from the
! oaaet In cnt spyyn IN rnsf ON n Grpf pny- T. NOUN
as, Weary. at-Hrl. Every Christmas Day this
spot is visited by people who believe in the
miraculous curative properties OF It's assoc!a-
tons and OF the famous Glastonbury thorn
which formerly grew here. y stone slab still
marks the spot. The story connected with the
thorn is ns follows: Joseph. when he sat down
on the hill. fatiGued with his journey. STUCK
his stick, a piece of hawthorn. into the ground.
1t Immediately commenced to sprout. and so it
VS. left there and became IL holy r"lic. 1t is
certain that inr centuries a hawthorn treo id
grow on the h.l at the spot indicated. ard
many attempts We're made TO steal 1t. b-t the
tree was too joalously guarded by the nbhov
authorities. AT the beginning of the present
century the hawthorn tree still tlourishel on
Wearr-nt-Hill and a remarkable thing about
1t was that II only bloomed at Christmas time,
usually o. christmas Dav itself. This fact is
well authenticated. and Mt first, glance seems
manner by botanists. who know of n sDeclcs OF
hawthorn which blooms only Mt this especial
season. On any Christmas morning nowadays
on, W'eary-at-Iiill praying and m"ditatinE.
sc IN many ng nv NV, WIZ, OF Il. tae , nSFth of III, EIS aHsarG and
This really had a heather origin in the ScamGi-
navian rejoicinrs at the winter ~s0lstice. The
w%eaItnier Villagers invite, their poorer brethren
to their homes to keep the Yulrtiic feast. A
huge pie Is made. in form very much like n
mnnEer in which the saviour, was laid. some
times tho pic Is made in t'e form of a pig.
Orlgtr, the pig having Ipsn used rs a sacrifice
in honor of 'he scandinavian dcttiCs. The pie
seated these are lighted bv the master OF the
eouse. Should any one OF the candles cx plre
ed as nm cyil pnrtcnt for tho coming year. and
the persons. sitting opposite tho fntcd candle
are believed to be- very y; u,Sy: ~ from
pie that the British and German custom OF
decorating the Christmas tree with little sol
Contrary to the general belief in the southern
counties. the ceremony OF bringing home the
This custom aran is Borrowed by the British
from their forcfathcrs, the Saxons: Instead
great hall as heretofore. tho iog il now taken
TO the village aud chopped into blocks for distri-
tainod from the lord OF the manor to new down
n Tree usually az elm or AZ any rate to lop
then deck thcmsGiveS out with ribbons, and,
taking ropes with them. proceed to where Tho
log has been clmonped hown and saved to a
and then, amid songs. laughter. ana dancing,
1t. Is dragged to tho VILLAGE. Here a barrel of
cider IL usually provided hv the squire, and all
who have, taken part, IN The bringing homo OF
the Yulc log arc RECALLED with tho beverage.
Pernps In no other part of the British Isl-
aids have 80 many old customs and supersti-
lions fingered as:In thc.HiEhIands Of scotland.
The first person here 20 open Ghs door of
house on Christmas morning is regarded az
particularly lucky and his success In the com
Ing year Is supposed to 10 assured. Many peo-
pie do not retire 10 rest on Christmas eve in
order TO he rhlc TO open the duor as coon as
midnight hIs pnHsed.
Ii Is usual In many purGS IF Scotland IN Dlnre
q table Ia the doorway of II hous" on Christmas
morning. This Is covered With "A clean white
cloth, and upon IL are put plates containing
7 bread and cheese, Those who follow the time
honored custom have not the remotest idea
WHY they do 40: they Simply believe what they
have heard from their fathers. that IL L. lucky.
Students of folk lore, however. trace he GUS
tom back to the time whom sacrifices We're Of
fered on tho Threshold of IA house TO Yulc, q
personiication Of the winter sun.
Another ancient custom %prnctised In tho
Highlands IL that of sending the servant from
the hou'e early on Christmas morning 10 draw
water from the vel, or spring. take corn from
q sack I'm the storchcUso or barn, and gather
kale from the silChon garden. This, II prop