Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.
The rnnge Mixture OF Pagnn
Catholic. and Protestant Rites.

r.. W. fletcher writes in the New Yorl
Evening Post:
Chnstmas-tide has already long beer
ushered in, properly speaking, by St. An
drew's-Day CNoVember lsO, the introduc
tory festival Of Advent season. But al
OF them, except Christmas-Day itself
have faded into comparative insignia
canoe. and gradually the St. Nicholas
Kriss Kringle, and Santa Claus myths
with the story of the Christ child, hav,
gathered around the 18th Of December t.
such sweet confusion" that in il ar,
concentrated the essence and beauty OF
all, and the former special ~gift-giving OF
other days Of this season Is mostly dom
away with. Even ST. NichOlas-Day. De.
comber 9th, is little celebrated. Ii seems
a pity hat the knowledge of American
children should be so limited concerning
thelr W patron saint; at least, so ca
nonized by the Greek and Roman church.
IS centuries ago. He lived during the
fourth century in Patara, a city of Lycia,
In Asia Minor, but his history proves his
cosmopolitan, popular qualities, for he
became patron saint Of Russia; In Eng
land there are 372 churches named for
him, n his tomb at Bari. in Italy, IS a
shrine for thousands of pilgrims every
year. He became the protector of boys
and girls. and even found his way to the
hearts Of sailors and robbers, and was
adopted by them.
Glft-giving on this day had its origin in
the story Of a nObleman OF Patara, who
was too poor to dover his daughters. and
they were thus forced 10 remain unmar-
ried. St. Nicholas heard Of this state Of
affairs, and one night stole unobserved 10
the house of the nObleman. seeking a way
10 give him Of his own store Of gold. The
moonlight revealed an open window. and
through this the good man flung a bag Of
money. This provided a marriage portion
for the eldest daughter, while "a similarly
mysterious present the second night dow
cred tho next daughter. The third night
Nicholas was discovered by the nobleman.
but the Saint begged that his gifts might
remain unknown 20 any others. Since that
time il has been generally understood that
sweetmeats and other trines found I'm
shoes or stockings set outside the door
on st. Nicholas eve have been placed
there by the jolly old gentleman himself.
In some parts Of Germany Knecht Ru-
precht. a modernIzed form of st. Nicho-
las, goes TO houses on Christmas-Eye,
taking gifts for good children and rods
for the disObedient. He is sometimes
called ~"Pelsnichol," or Nicholas with the
fur. Some Of the early Christians, who
used the pretty custom Of filing shoes
and stockings with gifts, told their chill
dren hat these love tokens were dropped
through the roof when the Christ child
passed over the houses In the night. The
glory of the Kings birthday has eclipsed
all other festivals of that season. and
Ideas originally, perhaps, a%ntithetic, are
now SO softened and blended into har-
monious whole that we seldom even care
to ak the trouble to inquire how such
combinations came about.
Traces Of the ancient Roman Saturnalia.
the scandinavian. -bacchanalian feast of
Thor, also held near The time OF the
winter s~olstice. n the festival OF the
Druids. which occurred near that season.
are all 10 be ound I'm the character Of
our Christmas celebrations. JollihcatiOrs
We're allowed among the young people
by the clergy OF the early Church i'm
recognition Of the yOuthfsl need and love
of gayety. and they strOye to adapt Pa
gan pleasures. retaining only what was
harmless, To glorify the great Christian
day and make 1t as attractive as the
feast Of Saturn. Later. when various
bodies Of worshippers left the Roman
Catholic Church. they wisely retained
the celebration OF the Christmas season.
and in Engiand-consequently America
the children and older people are all
richer by the mingling Of Pagan, Catho-
lie. and Protestant traditions.
In the Scandinavian Feast OF JUL.
when they burned huge bonfres in honor
of Thor, we discover the origin Of the
HulelOg. The descendants OF the old
who, no doubt, are RESPONSE
for the custom in England. care
fully preserved one half OF the log with
which TO Hight that To be- burned al next
Yuletide. Ana so we have the old Eng /
llsh proverb, but I'm p~oetical form. by
Part must be kept. wherewrth 10 tend
The Christmas log next year;
And where it's safely kept. the fiend
Can DO no mischief here"
The Druidical contribution to the mod
ern Christmas celebration originated in