Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-25
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS
Many of Them Are Derived From the
Remote Past.
ANCIENT FORMS OF CELEBRATION
An Interesting Description Of Old.
Time Usages.
CAROLS, FOOD AND GAMES

Written for The Evening Star.
1t is becoming more and more the fash
ion to climb back down into the past and
delve among the archaic and the antique
in search of the genesis and customs that
prevail today, and consequently it will be
interesting to consider the customs of the
Christmas season followed by our ances-
tors. from which many of our customs are
derived. From a very early period Chris
tan nations have celebrated Christmas
about the time of the shortest day in the
year but the origin of the custom must be
looked for even earlier than this. for it
must be remembered that the church did
not as a general rule invent new festivals,
but altered pagan ones to suit her own
good purposes. Especially was this the
case with Christmas. The Romans wor-
SHIPPED Saturn at this time. hence their
Saturnalia, during which their slaves were
allowed freedom Of speech. and when in
TACT, they traded places with their masters
for short time The Puritan author of
the Historic Mastix was, perhaps not far
from wrong when he said:
IF we compare our Bacchanalan Christ
masses and New Years tides with the Sat
urnalia and FeaStS of Janus, we shall find
Such hear affinitye between them, both in
regard of time they being both in the end
OF december and on the LIST of january
and in their manner of solemnising (both
of them being spent in revealing cpl
curisme. wantonesse. idlenesse. dancing,
drinking. stage plates, Mosques. and carnaIl
pomp and jOlity,) that We must needs con-
ciude the one to be but the very issue of
the other"
The Date of the Festival,
AS every one knows. the festival of
Christmas Is the most important of the
ecclesiastical year. but in olden times it was
celebrated on different days, and the gem
orally accepted view now is that the date
upon which it is celebrated does not cor
respond with the actual date of the birth
ol tne SAVIOR. Some communities used to
celebrate the festival on the LIST or 9th of
January and others on the Doth of March,
"A diiference also existed in the practice of
the Eastern and Western churches the
former observing it on the 9Th of January
and the latter on December % Pope Julius
l. who reigned from :i37 TO 3d. was the
nrst pope, SO ST. Chrysostom says who
MED the date on December p. and all
ShIlstlan nations now celebrate it on the
same day.
Sir Isaac Newton. in his Commentary on
the Prophecies of Daniel says that the
feast OF the Nativity. like other festivals
was originally fixed at cardinal points OF
1le year. without any reference to the
GATES OF the incidents they commemorated
Inc generally received view now l.. that
me GATE does not correspond with the ac-
ccai date or the Nativity The shepherds
GCuid not have watched by night on the
bethlehem plains in December which is a
period OF great inclemency
IN the OPINION of some the Christmas fes
uNdI commences on the 10Th of December
or Sapientia day; and of Others that -
Dtshls on the eve before Christmas cav
Inc iestiyal, Of course. ends on the Purifi-
cauoh OF the Virgin. or Candlenas wbe,
all decorations in churches must he taiIaI,
Gown Sir Walter SCOTS beautifu, linz.
ol christmas eve from Marmion are well
worth quoting: arc "eii
On On Christmas Eve the bells were rung:
Dh hr1St Ilas Eve the mass was sung
nat only night. in all the year
he mice
me The daInstI ionned her krtle sheen:
F Fne nan was dressed with holly green;
T"rth TO the wood did merry men 90
H.; re- shth h IN the mistletoe
IN, Then opened wide the barons hall
II" vassal, tenant. serf and all:
h hnTT Ge lsid his rod rod Of rule aside,
The heir: with in his shoes
Tba 1a mrght might might village partner choose.
me vulgar game OF pest and pair
All hailed, with uncontrolled delight
NM general voice. the happy night
That to the cottage. as the crown.
brought tidings OF salvation down
Opposition in Scotland.
Durhs the middle ages Christmas WAS
'eieorated with great rejoicing. and at the
Peiiou vi the Reformation when the Cal
Vinists rejected the festival absolutely the
Anglican and Lutheran churches retained
H. as Well as the other festivals In Scot
land the clergy tried to throw contempt on
the DAY They caused their wives and ser
wants &c spin and their tenants to woke
their oxen to pillow. But John Hamilton
tens us mat our Lord has not left it un-
Puuisit; Ior their oxen ran wod (mad) and
crak their nekis, and leamit Qamed) sum
pleushmen, as is VIGOROUSLY knawin in
suhdrie parties of Scotland The Scots
make merry on New Year day instead of
at Christmas.
The Decoration of Churches
From a very early period churches have
Deem decorated at Christmas, custom de-
TNec from the pagans. Stowe tells that
against the feast of Christmas every
mans house, as also their parish churches.
were deched with holme Uhe evergreen
oah). ivy. bayes. &c. The conduits and
stdhdarus IN the streets were likewise gar
nlsned among the which / read that in the
year lf44. by tempest of thunder and light
ing, toward the morning of CandIenas
Gay, at the Leadenhall. in CornhiIl a
Stdndard OF tree being set up in the nids.
OF the pavement. fast in the ground nailed
ful! OF holme and ivie, for disport of Christi
mas to the people. was torne up and cast
coWnC by the malignant spirit Gas was
thought. and the stones of the pavement
al about were cast into the street and into
dlvers houses so that the people were sore
agaSt at the great tempest
The IuIe Log Custom.
The burning of the yule log was a scandi-
nayian custom. Bringing it In was the
principal ceremony OF Christmas eve. Its
entrance was welcomed by minstrelsy We
give lew stanZas of a ditty, supposed TO
be of the time of Henry VI, in the Sloane
NGnuscripts:
Welcome be thou, heavenly King
Welcome horn this morning
Welcome for whom we shall sing
Welcome Yule.
Welcome be ye. Stephen snd John;
welcome Innocents every one;
Welcome Thomas Martyr one
Welcome Yule.
Welcome be ye that here;
Welcome all. and make good cheer.
Welcome all another year
Welcome Yule
Part of TIE log was carefully preserved to
light the iu!e-iog of the succeeding wear
1t was also believed that Its preservation
was an effectual security against fire. 1t