The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-12-17
WORCESTERSHIRE
A REMINDER OF THE CUSTOMS OF
REMOTE AGES.


Festival Of the Ceits Before the Time
Of Christ-Yule Log Among the Ger
mans-First Christmas Tree In America.
Among these queer relics Of great an
tiquity IL the Christmas tree. The very
name of this object, familiar as 1t Is at
Christmas time, indicates Christian
origin, but there Ii no doubt whatever
that the customs connected with the
Christmas tree, together with the tree it
SELF were part of the Druidical religion
perhaps thousands of years before our era.
The Druid religion was a curious comb
nation Of nature, sun and fire worship.
Nature was adored in the oak, which, In
north Europe, was the sturdiest largest
and strongest member of the plant world
The sun was worshiped because 1t gave
light and heat and brought life to all the
world. Fire was worshiped because it was
not only the warming and comforting ele-
ment, but also, when unbridled, demon
to be dreaded Thus, the Druidical cere.
monies and worship comprised a combina-
ton OF rites, some undoubtedly borrowed
from the far east others q growth Of the
climate and country which the peoples de-
voted to this form of religion inhabited.
The great festival of the year was at the
midwinter season, when the sun, after
sinking low in the southern skies, began
to return toward the north and to bring
with it renewed life to the northern hemi-
sphere. The date was, approximately,
about the time of our Christmas, the third
or fourth week in December. At the be-
ginning Of the last week in the last month
the sun Is at its lowest point and from
that time the days begin to lengthen and,
little by little, the ice king loosens his grip
and retires to his own regions in the north.
Then begin the rejoicings at the suns re-
turn. In Italy the festival took the name
Of the Saturnalia, a season of the widest
license
Long before the time of Christ among
the Celts of France, England and the Brit
ish islands, at the midwinter festival tree
decorated with bits of gay cloth and bright
polished metal was carried in procession.
Generally 1t was an oak, but whatever it's
species 1t was honored as a symbol and
was set up In the Druidical circles portions
OF which still remain at Stonehenge and
many other parts Of Great Britain and Ire
land, and was adored as a symbol of life,
and finally consigned to the flames, huge
| pile Of wood being placed around it and
set on fire. Where there was round tow
or, the tree was burned in this artificial
furnace, but otherwise the great bonfire
was the center of attraction, and around
Its glowing flames the people capered and
rejoiced.
When the usage spread to Germany Is
| not known. Indeed it Is possible that
Druidism may have originated in Ger
many and spread thence to the Celts of
France and the Britons of England. There
| Is good reason to believe, however, that at
the beginning of the Christian era Druid
| ical worship was firmly established
throughout Germany, and that the Christ
| mas tree, under another name, fourished
| for q long distance east of the Rhine. Did
we know nothing of the German worship
| from other sources, the occasional hints
and illusions by early Roman authors give
| satisfactory evidence that tree and fire
worship prevailed, and the midwinter fes-
tival tree was therefore honored from the
most northern Scottish island to the Ri
| viera of France and from Finisterre to the
| great plains Of central Russia
| Long, however, after the Christian era
began the yule tree, or yule log, remained
an institution among the Germanic tribes.
| AS already stated, the midwinter tree was
| burned at the conclusion of the festival,
and a trace of this ceremony is still seen
| In the yule log, which, in country districts
of England, is dragged In by half dozen
| sturdy yokels and thrown back of the
| hearth to furnish basis for the winters
fire. The ashes and charred Goals of the
midwinter tree were formerly gathered to
| use in lamentations, being deemed to pos
| nd in
| this century bits of charcoal from the yule
log are treasured by English country girls
and boys on account of some superstitious
| fancies connected with these bits Of sacred
wood.
The midwinter tree modified from its
pagan uses, therefore became the Christ
| mas tree, and even in its ornaments and
| decorations may be found a symbolism not
| so deeply hidden that IL can not be easily
| detected The linked chains of gilt paper
| were once so many emblems of eternity.
| The glass globes and gilded balls were
| emblems of the sun and moon. The little
| cake images were once figures of the saints,
more anciently still were little idols fash
| toned of wheaton dough and baked hard
| In an oven. The tiny candles, without
| which no Christmas tree could be Christ
| mas tree, are "Reminiscences of the days
when every sun and fire worshiper carried
with him to the great annual festival his
| torch or candle, and when the sacred fire
was lighted in the round tower or on the
altar of the Druids, the light was passed
| from torch to torch until the entire circle
was ablaze In court, in camp. and In
cloister in Germany, France and Italy the
| Christmas tree was an institution for hum
dreds upon hundreds of years. When
| Gaeta was besieged in the fourteenth CEN
| fury by the troops of various petty Italian
states, with a contingent from the inn
perial army, Christmas came on ere the
city surrendered, and the besiegers cele-
brated the festival with half dozen
| Christmas trees In their camp and Knocked
at the besieged, who could get no trees to
honor the day.
Strange as it may appear, the midwinter
tree was forgotten in England, where 1t
had once fourished ms most prominent
part Of the annual festival, and from the
close Of the thirteenth century, after the
| subjugation of Wales by Edward l, the Gus
| tom seems to have been ignored, save In
remote country districts and among the
| humber classes Of working people. IL
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