Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24
amo down from the earliest Colonial

! tho yule log, which had been carefully
selected ana soaked, was brought into
the hall, and laid in the huge fireplace;
! 10 was then lighted by an old negro,
whose age and faithful service won FOR
| him this special distinction. The holidays
began with the lighting OF the yule log,
and continued until the log was entirely
| consumed; therefore. the largest the fire
/ place would hold was always secured.
| When the eager crowd outside heard
that the Christmas backlog (as the re-
groes call 10 was lighted, the footing OF
many horns began. and there was no
more sleep that day; the fun and jolity
now spread from han 10 cabin, from
! master 20 servant, from mistress 70 maid,
! and tho little darkies took up the cue
/ from their elders, and made the most OF
their holiday license Before the break
Of day the master Of the house descend
cd to tho diningroom and proceeded 10
brew the universal Christmas drink-egg-
nOg-in "a solid silver vessel" After
this favOrite beverage was cOncOcted and
pronounced good by It's maker, it was
served 10 the assembled company, includ-
ing the servants.
In preparation fOr Christ mas southern
! churches and southern homes were deco
/ rated with holly and mistletOe, cedar and
/ pine. Several days were spent in this oc-
]
I by the young men and maidens. Family
| portraits, representing five generations.
were piously crowned with cedar, and
/ they seemed 70 look smilingy down upon
their lively young descendants.
One OF the regular cere monies OF
! southern Christmas in the ollen time
was for an the negroes. big and little,
/ young and old, TO 80 from tho quarters
! 10 wish "oid Massa" q merry Christ
mas" After the ceremony of drinking
/ Christmas" was over the servants retired
/ % their quarters, and the ~ miiy sat
I down to an elaborate Christmas break
/ fast, consisting Of All the deiicacies or
| the season, and served with lavish hospl-
/ tality and generous proiusiOn, character
/ istic OF southern entertainments. After
/ breakfast presents were exchanged, and
many were the expressions Of surprise,
| real or affected. with which the mystic
/ n0us packages were opened. On the
| porch great hampers filled with all sorts
/ of bright things 10 please the tastes OF
/ the negroes were placed-fiaming hand
/ kcrChicfs, dresses, and shaWls FOR the
/ women, gay cravats and money for the
men: tops balls, knives. cakes. ginger
bread, Tor the children, and the negro
families received an extra allowance II
-four. mOasses, sugar, bacon. and every
thing necessary for 4 Christmas feast.
After the presents were distributed q
grand deer hunt took place, all the gem
temen splendidly mounted, and attended
by "a troop of lveriod servants, in charge
Of q pack of hounds. the whole presenting
a brilliant and animated scene. Every
day during the holidays a gay cavalcado
set off. either 10 hunt the deer or the
fox while other parties went duck-shoot-
ing on the neighboring streams. Some
times the more yenturesOme ladies' would
lend an additional gayety to the party "
their charming presence.
After the hunt the Christmas dinner
was served. This was the great feast
Of the great day; and, II the Christmas
breakfast was "pr0fuse," the Christmas
dinner was 50 bountlful as 10 beggar de-
scription. It was no unusual sight for a
score or two 20 sit down 10 dinner on
Christmas-Day I'm one Of the old manor
houses in the South The drinking Of
healths began while the ladies' and chil-
dren remained at the table; for the selfish
English custom OF excluding the fairest
of the company did not prevail IN the
South. Each persons health was
pledged I'm pure, wholesome Madeira,
chat noble and delicate vintage, which,
as John Esten Cooke says, Us now ale
most memory 10 the present race oil
southerners."
Games and dancing closed the amuse-
ment Of Chrisuuas-Day. Among the IoI-
mer were "Hunt the slipper Bund
Mans Bluff" "Puss I'm the Corner ana
other old-fashioned games. a negro
band. consisting OF two hddles, BANJO
and fife. furnished the music TOT the
dancing, IN which both old ana young
l.. rrr HU IIN L. To-
roent what IT lacked I'm art, for the musl-
clans plaved the livolcst plantation melo-
dies SUCH az "Way Down on the Suwa-
nee River" "Oid Folks at Home 'Old
Uncle Ned" Miss Fucy Long" and other
old favorites. At midnight the dancers
we're refreshed with rum punch and ap-
nla toddv. The dancing then went ON
more merrily than before, the virginia
reel closing the festivities Of Christmas
Dav. During the holidays the negroes
had a ball at their quarters, the room ue-
ine decorated with evorSroons ana tle
music being the same as the white iolks
had on Christmas night.
or al American writer's, Washington
Irving has thrown the most enchanths
oiamor around Christmas. the supJect
pleased his delicate fancy ana Behial
,osta and his description OF the quaint
IN c,,stoms which still prevail in some
rcnote horizons of England, at the uIne
~ HE visit. was written con amore. MS
Decreasing account of the Christmas oih-
nor io nm ancient English manor mousse
describes q southern Christmas olnneI i'll
the oiden time; -..-..,..,
.rbo butler entered the hall attended
T.. .. -.r--aut on each SIDE Win a lti6r
- Ifeht. and bearing silver uIsH, "n
,i,f,f, zvas an enormous pig nrdu ur
Intel with rosemary, with lemon j.
,ruth .. The table was ioaueu
,-i+b Good cheer and country abIhu"nDo
A DISTINGUISHED post was aAo-lfu To ot-
riort sirl0in. and / could but nOtlce ~
,,1oonffcentlv decorated with pedcy-h
feathers in imitation Oh On. az roost he
bird As an appetizer 10 tle .tasI 1Ie
honest Squire. intent on brnslnb D5In
Tho oood ola English customs, oilefeQ ms
e,,resfs rich compound Of ale ana nutmeg
g., "a hugo silver vessel of rare ana curious
,,',rl[rnanship: for the wassall bowl was
renowned in Christmas festiVlues.
ro1, 1reten Cooke. I'm commenting upon
~ 1oreage from "rhe Sketch Book,
eots m we make due allowance Tor ths
dissorerce of edibles between England
"a VIRGINIA the above IS a picture or
Ci,rfstmas dinner in the Old Dominion.
,rbot shutler" in black dress, with race
a. black certainly oihciated, with ms
~..-hito hair and imposing dignity ana, II
Hi'. ,f5's head was absent. its place was
e,,,,liea nv something better-d virginia
ham Peacock and pheasant auound IN
,-tr-,info but the great roast turkey al
~ be9d of the table was more altrac-
tive "Anclent sirlOin," fattened on Nlr-
einia meadows. and the rich indian corr,
T5-oe finer than the roast beer or Oll
1erglond As TO the wassail bowl, that
~