Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-23
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS,
The Origin of Many of Our Present
Ways.
Ancient Nations All Contributed to Festivals
Of This Season.

| whether it be Il relative or not {,
long as they are friends. 1t is well tc
re charitable and give everyone the
benefit of the doubt as to whether they
are giving out of the fullness of Their
hearts or not, or whether the presents
are being given in the spirit of duty
or with the purpose of receiving some
thing in return.
Yet while everyone is out PURCHASING
the presents, how many know from,
what the custom grew that makes all
give presents.
Everyone will answer if asked Wha
Christmas is. why, it is the ami
versary Of the birth of Christ" True
enough. but what has that to do with
the custom of giving presents to one
another. to having Christmas trees and
to having a Santa Claus for the chill
dren. People will perhaps answer
these questions with the fact that it
has always been that way as long as
they can remember, and what differ
ence does it make why it is so. Others,
however, are curious enough to hunt
for the reason why.
When we go into one of the Augusta
churches, Monday evening. and see the
AllIISlIildS Tree lOGutu Win gifts, and
see the Santa Claus pro tenn, would it
not be well to know why that is done,
and why the Augustans from the date
of the first settlers always had a tradi-
ton for the children about a Santa
Claus for Christmas and Christmas
trees. Possibly there We're not always
the presents to give, neither in the
days Of Fort Western could there be
the presents to select from that there
are now. but there was, nevertheless.
a tradition as now.
From the very earliest times this
season of the year has been devoted to
festivities and religious celebrations.
The ancient heather Of all nations
chose it for their most joyous festivals.
The Chinese. HindOos, Pcrsians. Egyp-
tians. Greeks, Romans. Assyrians,
Scandinavians-all held merry celebra-
tons in honor of some one of their
gods generally the sun god or a deity
representing the sun.
The sun reaches the low point in the
sky on the DIST of December, and it
was to celebrate the beginning of his
journey northWard, when he would
again bring light and life to the world.
that this time of the year was chosen
as most appropriate for a feast in his
honor.
The birth of Christ was not original
~ observed at this time of the year. 1t
VAS not until nearly 100 years after
His death that there was any attempt
at a celebration Of The event at ali;
and then. for 800 years or more. it was
celebrated at various times in the year
E
the world.
Some chose the LIST and some the 9Th
of January: others the Doth of March,
the time of the Jewish Passover. while
still others observed the day on the
10Th Of September, the Feast of Taber-
naclcs The 10Th Of April ana the 2oth
of May were also kept as the birthday
of Christ.
by the fifth century. however. the
| 25th of December was the day general
~ adopted by Christians throughout
! the world. and this day was then for
mally established as the proper one for
celebrating the nativity.
| As this date COrrespOnded with the
| time of year which the pagans had
| long observed with religious cclebra-
| tons it was but natural that many OF
| the social and festive customs common
| to their ObserVances should have beer
adopted by the Christians, and thus il
| is that they now form a part of Our
own glad celebration in honor of the
birth of Christ.
The Christmas tree. the burning OF
! candies. the yule log. the exchanging
Of gifts. the use Of mistlctoe and other
greens. the singing Of carols and tbs
hanging up Of stockings are all Gus
toms that have come down to us from
the dim ages Of the past, and which
we continue to observe as appropriatt
| and gladstone features Of the Christ
mas festivities.
The spirit of merry-making thai
marks our Christmas holidays had it:
origin with the Roman feast called the
Saturnalia. This was a festival il
honor of Saturn, father of the gods. 1
lasted for a week or two, beginning
about the 18th of December, and wa!
the occasion for great revelry among
all classes.
NJ business was transacted during
this period: war was suspended; pri
waite feuds were forgotten or forgiven
ami general good fellowship reigneC
| supreme. + IltnlS tACDtIlStI present
with one another. and the slaves were
waited upon by their masters and mis-
tresses and permitted to enjoy for thl
brief interval the delights of freedom.
TO the ancient Druids we are in
d"btcd for the mistlctoe as Il Christmas
decoration. This little plant was hel;
i'm great vcncration by the DIuids. as i
was supposed to be endowed with rar
!mcGiciulI virtues. in addition to havih;
a sacred significance, especially Wh"i
growing upon an oak, Il tree which wa
worshiped by these strange people.
At the winter solstice Il great festi
val was held by the Britons in homo
Of their goa Tutancs, VINO appears t
have been the same as the sun god %
other nations Accompanied by thei
priests. the Druids they sailed foru
with much pomp and loTi rejoiclAgs t
gather the mystic mlSJ"toc. The.
marched in procession, men, Womel
ana children, headed by two whit
bulls and the priests and q gruup Q
ntnid, Is dressed in robes of white.
When they reached the oak on WFl"i
the mirt1ctoe was growing the bun
were bound to the tree. The cine
priest. armed with a sacred knife, as
-In., q I.af a