Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-30

multitude Of little tapers are fixed !
in the Dough, but not 10 az TO burn ii |
till they are nearly consumed, and |
colored paper. &c., hangs anu tlutters
froa the twigs. Under mis- hough the
children lay out, in great order, the
presents they mean for their parents,
still concaaling in their pockets what
they intend for each other, Then the
parents are introduced and each presents
his little gift They then bring out
the remainder, one by ono, from their
pocke Is, and present them with kisses
and embraces. When | witnessed this
scene there we're eight or nine children,
ami the eldest daughter and mother
wept aloud for joy aud tenderness, ard
tho tears ran down the face of the
father and he Glasped all his children
SO tight to hia brsast it seeinea as If he
din it TO stife the sob that was rising
within it, !"
The more usual custom at present in
Germany, as IN America, is for the
parents 10 prepare the tree ana admit
the children wien all is ready. Hut
apart from this, tho touching little
description we havs quotna presents
picture which all will recognize and
it will be observed that all of this, in.
Guiding the gift making, was new aud
strange 10 Coleridge. And even with
us tho Christmas tree is Of recent
growth. But few years ago it WIS
almost unknown outside OF families OF
German origin, and our elder readers,
in their own childhood, knew no such
general observance Of Christmas as wD
Hee now.
SANTA CLAUS.
We have all, however, known some
| thing of, Santa Caus, ana this i'm
protant parsonage, who Inns become 10
intimately and yet 81 strangely cou-
nectad with the festivities of Christ
mastide, demands cur attention. Saint
Nicholas was native of Ilycia, in Asia
| Minor. Having carly embraced the
religious life, he became abbot of tho
monastery of Sion, and afterward arch
bishop of the metropolitan Church of
Myra, exercising the Office for many
years with great renown. Though
escaping actual martyrdom, be lie said
| to have testified tn the faith by many
| sutferiugs in the persecution OF Dio.
| rietian. He died in the year 3i2, and
| his remains were preserved with great
honor OF MyrR until the close Of the
! eleventh century, when they were
!
| Italy, and magnificent church built
| in their honor. Very few Of the minor
| aaints Of the calendar nave enjoyed as
extensive popularity as Saint Nicho-
| las. His anniversary, which occurs on
December 9th, is one of the chief festi-
walls of Southern Italy, and was formerly
| much observed throughout ObristGn-
dom. He is the patron saint of Russia,
1 and in England, as on the Continent,
| many churches have been named in his
| honor.
Two Of the many legends connected
with his name partly explain his popu
| larity. The first relates how noble
| man of Patara had three fair daughters,
for whom he was unable to provide.
The good bishop bearing Of bis dis
4 tress, went to his house by night and
threw purse Of gold in the window.
Thus the eldest daughter was saved
from life of shame. The visit aud
the bounty were repeated second
time. and third, whom the grateful
| father discovered his mysterious noe
turnal visitor, but was commanded by
| him not to divulge the secret. The
other legend, relating the restoration
to life of some murdered hUys, connects
the saint again with Children. lie is
i the patron saint of virgins, of children
ana of sailors. There will ne seen 10
the first story the origin of the tradi-
tion that Saint Nicholas goes about by
night mysteriously distributing gifts.
HIS visits we're formerly supposed to be
made OH the eve of his festival, when
it was customary, in various parts of
Europe, for the elder members of the
family to place little presents in the
shoes or stockings of tile children, vino.
finding them in the morning, we're sup
posed to attribute them to Saint Nicho.
las. In the convents the girls hung
silk hose at the door of the apartment
Of the ahbess, with paper commend
ing themselves to great Saint Niche
las of her chamber and in the morn.
ing they were summoned together ia
witness the liberality OF the saint, who
had bountifully filed the stockings
with sweetmeats. After the Reforma.
tion, when tine observance of saints
days grew into disuse, these popular
traditions, which had become inter,
| woven with the life of the people, were
transferred to tho evo of Christina.
Day
THE CHRIST CHILD.
+ There is, however, another legend oil
Christmas Eve in which the good saint
does not appear. The Christ chile
tder Christ Kindeinl goes about from
house to house, aud wherever he find.
a welcome he enters and hestows hi
3 gifts and blessings This is the swestes
, and tenderest Of all the Christma
myths, aud tina German stories tina
refer the gifts TO the Holy Child, rattle
than to hiH merry confessor, are thoa
that most deeply touch the humal
heart. In some parts OF Germany th
Master is supposed TO send his servant
Klecht Ruprecht, hoy in whit
y robe and iaxen wig, vino inquiries int
Q tho conduct of tho Children, and, &C
cnr1ing as they nave heen good or bad
o he leaves presents for them, or 70,
, which their parents are advised to uss
4 In our own country these legends hav
a become strangely intermingled, and, il
q popular nRrlance, KRIS kringle or Krisl
r kinkle, which is sort Of Pennsylvani
: Dutch for Christ Kindlein," is no
Q always distinguished from Santa Claus
d Then, again, st. Nicholas anpoar
o under the title OF Pelsnichol. u. Nicho
q las with the fur, in alusion 20 tn
! dress Of skins which he is supposed /
D wear, who brings the switches for bal
\ children. while Krish kinklo reward
Il the good, and oven these two character
i are often confused. Tho name of Pels
4 niGbol is bsst known as that of tb
2 merry maakers. who, like the Englis
o mummers, and the Scottish cruisers
p | maintain the maantieratle NJ, the erea r