Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23
LEGENDS CLUSTER
AROUND THE YULE.
The Revels Of Christmas as They
We're Enjoyed BY Our Ancestors
in the Merry Days OF Long Ago.

lDl now " come our yoyiulst toast.
/ Let every man be Jolly.
/ Each room with ivy leaves Is drcst.
And every post with holly.
| Nowall our noighbors' chlmnoys smoke,
Aud Christmas blocks are burning.
| Their ovens they with bak't meats
choke.
And all their splts are turning.
The celebration OF Christmas. con-
sldcrcd by the PuritanB popish and
idointrous, has for many centuries been
| 10 universal that II may prove of In
tcrcst TO contrast the rites. ceremonies
and quaint beliefs OF foreign lands with
those OF mattcr.of-fact America.
Many curious customs have become
| completely obsolete and live only In
tradition. but II is surprising to ind
what singular superatltlons still! exist
/ among credulous classes. even In the
light Of the nineteenth century
In the Holy Land at this season tho
place OF greatest Interest II naturally
| the Church of tho Nativity at Bcthle-
| hem. erected on the supposed location
| whore Christ was born. II IL said 10 DO
the oldest Christian church In exist
! encc having been built more than fif-
teen centuries ago by the Empress Hell
! cna. mother OF Constantine. Repairs
! We're made later by Edward ~. OF
| England but II IN now again fast fall
ing to decay. The roof was originally
composed OF cedar OF Lebanon and the
walls were studded with precious Jew
els while numerous lamps OF silver anu
gold were suspended from the rafters.
The Greeks, Latins and Armonians now
claim Joint possession OF the structure
and jealousy guard It's sacred pro-
clncts.
Immediately beneath the nave Of tho
cathedral n n commodious marble
chamber. constructed over the spot
where the far-famcd stable was said
10 have stood and reached by flight
OF stone steps. worn smooth by the
tread and kisses OF multitudcs OF wor-
shippers, Tho manager Is represented
by marble slab couple OF feet In
height. decorated with tinsel and blue
satin and marked at the head with
chiseled star. bearing above II the in
acrlption In Latin. Here was Jesus
Christ born OF the Virgin Mary" At
the foot are several affairs, on which
Incense IN ever kept burning and from
which mass In conducted, while a score
OF hanging lamps shed Il ntful light
over the apartment.
Many theories have been advanced M
star In the east" which guided the
wondering shepherds but IL Is now
thought TO have been Venus at the
height OF Its splendor.
The. early Christians decorated their
churches with evergrccns out OF respect
TO the passage OF Scripture In Isaiah
The glory OF Lebanon shall come unto
thee; the FIR tree. the pine tree and the
box together TO bcautify the place of
my sanctuary"-nnd the pagans be-
lieved them to be omens OF good. as tho
spirits OF the woods remained In their
branches.
Holly Is known In Germany and Sean
dlnaNin az "christs thorn" and II em-
blematic everywhere OF chccrfuness.
forgiveness. peace on earth and good
Will TO men"
The oak mlstletoc or "mlssei" was
held In high veneratlon by the ancient
Druida. who. regarding Its parasitic
character as n miracle and a symbol
OF Immortality. worshipped II In their
temples, and used II as a pnnncea for
the physical ailments OF their follow
ers. When the moon was six days old
II was ccremoniously cut with a golden
sickle by the chief priest OF the order
and received with care Into the spotlesa
robes OF the company, for II 1t fell, to
the unholy ground It's virtues were con-
sidored lost.
Then. crowned with oak leaves and
singing songs OF thanksgiving, they
bore the branches In solemn procession
TO the affairs. where two white oxen
were sacrificed to the gods
The custom OF kissing under the
mistletoe" dates back TO the days OF
Scandinavian mythology. when the god
OF darkness shot his rival. the immor-
tai Apollo OF the North. with an arrow
made from Its boughs. But the sup
posed victim being mirnculously re-
Into the keeping OF the goddess OF af-
fcction ms Il symbol Of love and not
OF death. TO those who parsed beneath
II. a berry was required to be picked
with every kiss and presented to the
maiden as n sign OF good fortune. the
privilege ceaslng when all the berries
were gathered.
In "Merrio England Christmas was
the chief event OF the entire year. and
was sometimes celebrated for nearly a
al hn hU
orally groaned with plenty. but the
poor without their gates were not for
gotten, for
Old Christmas had come for to keep
He'd scorn to be guilty of starving
mouse.
That remarkable compound known rs
'wnasan' was composed OF warm ale
or wine, sweotened with sugar and fla
vored with spices, and bearing upon its
surface floating bits OF toast and roast
cd crabs and apples, The huge bowl.
gaily decorated with ribbons, was
passed from hand 70 hand around the
table, each guest taking portion OF
it's contents, as u sign OF Joviality and
good fellowship.
But the triumph OF the pastry cooks
art was the rare minced pie" the use
OF which Is OF great antiquity. The
shape was formerly long. narrow
oval, representing the celebrated man
ger mt Bethlehem and the fruits and
spices OF which It was composed were
symbolic OF those that tho wise men
OF the Orient brought as offerings 10
their newborn King, while to partakc
OF such n pie was considered q proof
that the eater was Christian and not
jew.
Candies were first used to demon
stratc the power OF Christianity over
the darkness of paganism and were
sometimes arranged In triangular form
TO symbolic tho Trinity.
Christmas carols arc commemorative
OF the angels song TO the shepherds on
the plains OF Bethlehem and are seldom
heard in America, save by tho supplied
cholrs OF Episcopal churches. Tho
English waite" or ncrenaders. who
sang under the gqulros windows In
hopes OF receiving n christmas box"
unconsclously add touch OF romance
and pcturesquoness to tho associations
OF the season. For upon the frosty
evening air arose such strains as
Awnkel glad heart, arise and singh
It il the birthday OF thy King.
Or
God rest you, merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ, our Savior.
! WA born upon this day.