The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-12-16

and not nearly so 1DpoItan' %
of the pompous butler, upon wnom ue
volved the responsibility Of carrying INTO
the dining-hall the great boars heau'
What bleak Christmas it wouiu oe
nowadays if gift-making were seconoar!
to bringing in boar's head!
The old-time Christmas began weeh
before the arrival of the day, just as the
shoppers of to-day rush out Win ,"t
purses to lure the holiday bargain. 5ut
purchasing gifts did not bother the heaus
or weary the bodies of the old world ioiks.
The gathering of the holly and mlstie
toe for the decoration Of house anu
church was their initial task, and II was
performed by the village en- masse, head-
ed by brave pipers and fiddlers, who hiied
the forests with the joyful melodies OIL
Christmastide. 1t was the ragans VINO
first used holly and mistletoe for opserV-
ances, and the practice was adopted py
the early Christian churches. The Greeks
and Romans also used them in their relig-
ious ceremonies, as did the Druids ana
the Celtic and Gothic nations. so the
young maid of to-day who stands allur-
ingly under sprig of mistletoe may hnd
satisfaction in knowing that she is follow
ing the precedent of centuries.
In Druidical times the simple peasants
focked in crowds to join the professions,
in which the Druidical priests were the
foremost actors. The train was headed
by the bards singing canticles and hymns.
A herald preceded three Druids, furnish
ed with implements for the purpose OF
cutting the mystic plant-upright hatch
cts OF brass, fixed to slaves. Then fol-
lowed the prince or chief of the Druids,
accompanied by all his flock and follow
ers. The chief mounted the oak, with
golden sickle dctaching the mistletoe, and
presenting it TO :he priests, who received
and bore the branches away with deep
reverence. On the first day of the year,
the branches, after resting on the Druidi-
cal al;ars in the interval, were distrib-
utcd amoag the people as a sacred and
holy plant, the Druids crying, "The mis-
tletoe for the new year."
Many were the superstitions attaching
to the mistletoe. Among the latter day
charms associated with it, when suspend
ed in bunch in the servants hall, was
the traditiGnary and favorite observance
Of kissing the maids under its branches,
the superstition prevailing that the maid
en- who missed being heartily kissed un-
der her mistletoe at Christmas would for
felt her chance of early matrimony, and
certainly not be married in the ensuing
twelve months.
medieval observance which always
followed the gathering of holly and mis-
tletoe was the cutting and hauling home
Of the Yule log. The favorite Yule log
was a cross-grained block of elm, or the
rugged root of a tree of fantastic and
grotesque form. and this was drawn home
to the kitchen. or great hall, with the
same merry making that attended the
gathering of the holly Before the crown
ing event of kindling the Christmas log
from the charred remains of its predeces-
sor of the year before, there were sports
In plenty to be performed.
Ofttimes these logs were directed to be
provided by the lords of the manor. The
furnishing of Christmas logs was form
of tenure; thus the cellarist of st. Ed
mundsbury held under the abbey the
manor of Hardwick, and was bound by
the conditions of his title to provide an
nually four Christmas stocks, each of
eight feet in length.
Formerly the members of the family
and guests sat down in turn on the Yule
log, the throne of the master of the revels;
sang Yule song and drank to merry
Christmas and happy New Year. As
part of their feast, Yule dough or Yule
cakes were consumed. These bore i'm
pressed figures in the shape of an image;
sometimes they were made in the form Of
an infant; nor was the manger over
looked
employment for the log, ere its
conflagration, was provided by the old
Christmas gambol of drawing "Dun out
of the mire," an ancient Institution often
mentioned. The Yule stock, drawn into
the middle of the floor, became dun, the
cart horse" for the nonce; the cry was
raised that he had stuck in the mire. Two
of the company, with or without ropes,
advanced TO extricate Dun. After various
real and fcigned exertions they called for
more help, until all present were mixed
up in the rough and tumble exertion. The
fun arose from the horseplay Of the rev.
elers, falling about, and contriving to roll
or drop the log on each others toes. This
was kept up with hearty enjoyment until,
the fun being exhausted, dun was
drawn out"
OF course the Christmas dinner was
the leading feature of the day, and the big
landowner was expected to. entertain all
of his tenants and neighbors from day
break TO midnight. The first dish to be
placed on the table was the boar's head.
and great state and ceremony marked
this service. Musicians and trumpeters
led the procession, in which there were
huntsmen with long spears and pages
with drawn swords. Carols were intoped
as the procession moved into the dining
room and psalms were chanted, for in
some ingenious way the olden time people
connected the boar's head religiously with
the celebration of the Holy Nativity.
ONE CHRISTMAS IN ATLANTA