The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-31
CHRISTMAS LEGENDS.


SPOKANE (Wash.). Dec M.-Christ-
mas. like Thanksgiving, is day of
general rejoicing and good cheer. Even
in pagan Greece and Rome in the days
of the Teutonic barbarians, the period
of the winter solstice was thing OF
rejoicing and festivity. And even the
grim Puritanism of the Anglo-Saxon
period tolerated the "quips and quirks
and wreathed smiles" at Christmas
The holly and mistletoe of this season
are a survival of ancient Druidical
worship and the Christmas banquet is
"reminiscences of the feasts given in
honor of ancient gods and goddesses.
However great the feast may be no
body knows anything definite about. its
origin, who first celebrated it, when,
where or how. Indeed, it is not even
definitely known if December 10Th is
the right anniversary of Christ's ma
tivity The dates for this anniversary
were widely different. In many East
ern churches it was fixed as the 9th
of January, others again claimed it to
have taken place on April 10th, May
10th, March 18th and September 18th,
respectively. Pope julius finally fixed
the date as December 18th, where it
mas since renamed.
In England Christmas took q firm
hold. Christmas there was not g. single
day of sport but began December 18th
and listed until January 9th, all this
time being devoted to merry making.
| In the fifteenth and sixteenth centu-
ries English country gentlemen kept
/ open house where all classes mingled
together in the general rejoicing.
But with the rise of Puritanism the
very existence of Christmas was threat
ened. The good cheer and merry max
! ing of this season was looked upon by
these austere Christians as pagan" or
worse still, popish. Puritanism brought
over with it in the Mayflower the anti
Christmas feeling in New England. AS
early as 1921 Governor Bradford was
called upon to administer rebuke to
certain lusty young men, who had
just come over in the Fortune and re-
fused to work on that day.
In England in 1913 the Roundhead
Parliament abolished the observance of
saints days and the three great holt
days of Christmas, Easter and Whit
suntide, and for twelve years these fes-
rivals were discontinued. The General
Court Of Massachusetts followed the
example of the English Parliament in
1853 when it enacted a law whereby
any found celebrating Christmas was to
be fined the sum of Is shillings.
The restoration of English royalty
| brought about the restoration of the
English Christmas, but it was not till
1851 that Massachusetts repealed the
ordinance of 1863.
There are numerous superstitions con-
nected with the coming of Christ. The
Indians believe that on that night the
deer in the forest kneel in honor of the
Great Spirit, while in the German Alps
it is believed that on that night the
cattle are endowed with the gift of
speech. A mere logical superstition is to
the effect that if Christmas falls on
Monday there will be great battles and
much loss of cattle.
In Poland it is believed that on
Christmas night the heavens are open
ed and the scene of Jacobs ladder is
re-enacted, but it is permitted only
for the saints to see it. Throughout
Northern Germany the tables are
spread and lights are left burning dur
ing the night that the Virgin Mary and
the angels who pass when everybody is
asleep may find something to eat.
In certain parts of Austria candles are
left burning in the windows that the
Christ Child may not stumble when
passing.
Christmas eve is a fete in Paris, and
the Grand Boulevard possesses char
acter distinctive of the occasion. The
cafes are crowded, many of them re-
naming open all night, furnishing to
their patrons a ''reveilion' or Christmas
eve supper. This reveilion is more i'm
portant to the Frenchman than his
| Christmas dinner. Even the impecun-
ious clerk and the reckless Latin Quar-
ter student dine at a cafe that night,
even if they have to go dinnerless a
week beforehand and month after
| ward.
To the peasants of Russia Christmas
is an important event. AS soon as
the sun sets they assemble on the prin-
cipal street of the village and form a
procession; then they march to the
house of the Mayor and that of the
resident nobleman, where they sing
carols and receive coppers in return.
This is called ''Kolida.'' A supper and
masked ball follows
In Scandinavia, the land of myths
and legends of Thor and Odin, Christ
mas is indeed an important event. On
the eve of this great day it is customary