The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20

after midnight on Christmas Eve. singing out
tiai. pensioners. They are usually invited in
to the houses they visit, and RECALLED with tea,
Queen Victoria, when rho noun ted. the
British throne. abolished many coarse, Christ
mas practices. which hid been carried ons.for
be. feasting and drunkenness and ~revelry,. not
calculated TO improve the morals of the, working
SisS'i tS,n ny t of the 81 na. sxa% QUEEN VIC Victoria srGs' ho STc
GOOD old ENGLISH fashion. Her, christmas
dinner has for fifty years oonsietod OF q baron
of beef and. woodcock pie-historic ,dishes-
while the bringing in Of tho boar's, head, an
out, with due form and solomnity at the royal
table every Christmas day. This boar's head
iish public schools. Eton. winchester. Rugby,
ford and Cambridge. Il dates, like soyerai
the heathen days OF the Britons' forefathers,
when a. boar, was killed at the winter %solstice
uod of peace and plenty. who was supposed TO
ride upon q boar with golden brietles' The
S con M ~ practice rS IN ENGLAND m AM .o OF sa arisIn sq Tbo
bringing in OF tho boar's head, both at Osborne
House and In the public. schools and uniyersl-
ties Is tho grcnt event of tho Christmas feast
IT. is borne abort stcaminG upon n silver dish
BY tho master cook. and in the case of the edu;
sings shSt.s" The ""iBsSs%s'ii ISad es Sony. Which has has been
sung for centuries. Tho words are as follows;
Caput Apri dorero.
Reddens llndes Domino
The borc's head in handle bring l,
! pray you all synge merely
Quf estis In convivio.
Is the chcfc service in this iaude
Loke wherer IL be fande.
Servite cum Cantico.
Be uladde lords, both moro and iasse
For this hath ~oriayned our stowarde
To cheer you all this christna.se,
The bore's head with mustarde..
the Norsemsn,s custom: to indicate the plenty
they wished their gou to scnd.
Probably the most interesting religious cere-
season Is the alteration Of tho Bambino. which
takes place In the Tran DIST monasteries at Ken
fSlast"ndi T IN kaiHa.f ,n RGTse' R Sns soon m0E as the n;
MIDI igl-: Of Christmas eve has passed and tho
holy day has arrived. tho monastery bells ring
early service in the convent chanel; Mass is
celebrated. and as soon as the Host Is returned
cloth and 'iscloses the Bemhino-a little
swuthed waXen doll. whose wrappings leave
exposed TO 1. q t'py fn Sc. and Sh 2 Pa,s q fs #. pT Is.s
raises the Bambtno AM faces the bowed
monks. The priests and monks circle round
Init for n moment before tho waxcn. image.
Then kneeling down they reverently kiss the
This ceremony is only performed by the Trap
nist monks. and only Mt the Christmas season.
Very few people in England have seen tho
ceremony Of the Bambtno. although IL Is nor
formed In several places. me being in the very
heart OF fashionable KensinEton.
Every year in the crypt beneath ST. Peters
Church. Walworth, London, n 2nrIstmas din
ner is given to 300 poor people of the district.
No one may he invited who Is under 90 years OF
age, md both sexes are eligible for the treat.
The dark. archcd crypt of n London church 10
n curious place for n Christmas feast. but by
means of holly, evergreen. bunting. and n good
supply OF la nps the place is made TO look pleas
ant and CHEEKY. Tables are arranged up and
down under the arches. and on these a plenti-
ful Sunplv NJ rfnGt ipef- mum nuldlnR. and
other Christmas iarc Is placed. The dinner is
unique In that 1t is cooked in the church.