The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-16
TOPIC For The WEEK.

| A good deal of discussion has been going
on the country over as to how Christmas
should be kept particularly by the chill
| dren. 4 formidable attack has been made
| upon good old Santa Claus in some quar-
| tiers and we are told by leaders of Sunday
| schools and others that the time has
| come when we should cease to teach chill
| dren through myths and fables connected
/ with our Pagan progenItOTs, but to give all
| honor to the One whose birth we celebrate
| with gift giving and happy cheer.
1t is well known that when Christianity
| was introduced into the Germanic coun-
tries it was engrafted upon old heather
| customs and that for many years there
was more paganiSm than Christianity in
the Iule-tidc obScrvances, not only on
the Continent but in Great Britain. 1t was
the fragrant abuses of the Christmas and
Easter festivals, some of which were pure
barbarism, handed down from remote gen
erations that famed in the spirit of
Professionalism and the Reformation.
Christmas began to be known as the
childrenS festival in the Protestant dis
tricts Of Germany and in the north OF
Europe, devoted to the display OF presents
and the lighting Of the Christmas tree.
The presents made by the older members
o. the family were collected together and
distributed by character corresponding
to our Santa Claus. known as Knecht
Rupert, or as we would say Knight R,I-
proportions was chosen to take this char
acter, and when the family, or a number of
families, were all assembled around the
fire he would suddenly appear wearing a
white robe and an enormous black wig and
distribute gifts, nuts, cakes. and sweeties.
have often heard my German grand
mother tell Of such a visit as this. when
all the children who had been good were
made very happy and all who had been
naughty were sad, for Santa Claus in those
days distributed his gifts according to
merit There was also another character
who used to accompany Santa Claus. and
this was Kris KingIe, who would suddenly
bound into the room when the fest vities
were at their hight scattering the chill
dren right and left He was the terror of
wrong doors, as he always carried q little
switch, and singing out some hoy or girl
who had been disobedient or unruly,
would cut m mercilcssly over the
shoulders.
Sometimes the presents were not dis
n buted on Christmas Eve. but the chill
dren would hang up their long hose over
the manteI piece, or the chimney corner,
or they would place their hats and bonnet
on a table for the Knecht Rupert to fill
them dur ng the night. Our i<necht Ru-
pert, or Santa Claus, and our usual Christ
mas customs were introduced into New
York by the early Dutch settlers and later
into Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland
flux
There is an old poem which celebrates
the English customs at the Christmas tide
when the Lord OF the Manor and his family
enterta ned the tenants in the hall, a Gus
tom which was carried out on many of
our Southern plantations in the old slave
days. Here are four lines:
England was merry England when
Old Christmas brought his sports again.
Twas Christmas preached the mightiest
ale
Twas Christmas told the merriest tale
\ Christmas gambol oft would cheer
The poor mans heart for half the year.
These were the days OF the bringing
home of the Ytfe log, twined with holly
berries; OF riddles and Jokes forfeits and
dances; of wassail bowls and steaming
punch of the soused boar's head upon q
silver platter with "mnstrelSye." The old
Druid custom of decking houses and
churches with evergreen was repeated, and |
holly and ivy, laurel and bay were twined
with the mistietoe and hung up until
CandlemaS came.
1t would seem that, to-day, we have re- |
tanned the best of all these Christmas Gus
toms and eliminated the worst
1t is not possible that good old Santa |
Claus, who has brought to the hearts of SO |
many millions and millions of children a
practical illustration OF peace on earth,
good will toward men, in the guise of
gentle mlrth and pleasant iollity, will
be readily given up. When he goes much
Of the sweetness and brightness OF the
Christmas tide Will 90 with him. He is
he popular personification of the time,
and through him all classes and condi
lions are reached, who would be largely
cut off if Christmas were made a church
festival pure and simple.
Santa Claus is a very beautifrry myth
mad" possible by the advent into the
world of The Babe of Bethlehem He is the
good fairy who proclaims in ten Thousand
tongues the reign of peace on earth good
will toward men" SO let us cherish our
Santa Claus and our gift giving and our
helpful cheer. Let us keep the Christmas
spirit in our earts.-Editor loyal Home
Workers.