The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-19
ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTMAS
TREE.
The Tree as the Emblem of Life Dates
Eack TO the Earliest Times.

MARY q. Spaulding In Lsslie's Weekly.
The celebration Of Christmas tide,
| which falls at the time OF tho winter
solstics, ia as oil as the human race. In
the early days the most barhAric pleas
ures and the widest forms Of enjoyment
marked this period OF the yeAr. when the
sun turns from Its journey away from
the earth, and entering on Its return,
| carries the promise OF light and warmth.
1t is u strange fact that many Of the OF
servanoes of this greatest festival Of the
| Christian year are indissoiubIy linked
with tn, pagan customs of ths earlier re-
ligions
When Christianity was in its Infancy
those embracing IL endeayored to adapt
the old obssrvarcss Of their fathers to the
new order Of things. The origin OF many
OF the Yule- tide customs Is lost, but that
OF the tree as tie emblem of life can be
clearly traced to the earliest times. From
the ancient Egyptians we obtain the first
evidence to the tree being used as an
interior decoration. The palm was their
fsvorite green, and since this stately tree
pub1 iOibu u new 5dOOb enSh ahohbh
was considered typical of life and progress
to use, at the winter festival, the palm
beaI ing i2 shoots.
The fierce tribes of northern Europe
venerated the fir AS a sacred emblem, aud
every house was deoked with this ever
green at Christmas. The trSe was pro-
fusely decorated with symboIical toys and
trinkets, while figures representing Adam
and Eve were placed at the bass. Among
the grsen boughs q serpent coiled, an d a
candle perohed on its topmost bough
sy IN bolized the "Light of the world.
The ancient Chaldesns told a charming
legend to thar children oonosrnlng tn e
origin OF the Christmas tree. A feature OF
the Christm rs eve celebration In Chsldea
was the baraing of the Yule-lo2, which
was lighted with the oharrsd remnant OF
tine last years log. Each membs of the
family sang Yule-song, standing on the
great log, and thus immunsd this house :
hold from ill-luck throughout the year.
During the night the legend rLns, the
Yule-log gave birth to the Christmas
tree laden with gifts, which delighted
this childrsn's eyes at the early morning
hour.
1 The ursb hDRiisu callQ 20 ENJOY u
| Christmas tree was Mary, daughter of
| Henry VIII, who was nfterward known
as "Bioody MARY" When she was fouI
years old u rosemary bush, hung with RED
| jewels and silver spanglss. and lighted
| with flashlights, was sat up In the great
hall of the castle, for the amusement of
| the little maiden who grew to be such a
| cruel queen. From this little rosemaiy
bush the custom spread until now mt
| English Chr stmss Is complete without
| tia Christmas tree.
In Germ any the children believe that
the glitteiing tree with its bright baublei
| is the gift of tbs Christ-child--Criss
Kindlin, or Kriss Kingle, who visits the
earth on Christmas eve and drops down
the ohimneys gifts for the good am
obedient. ST. Nicholas Is the patron saint
OF Russis, and 1t is Interesting to nots
that this jolly parsonage was not lsgen'
dairy, but was a real man and lived about
s09 A. ID. This kindly saints life was sc
full of good deeds and generous acts thu
In ali civilized countries his name Is typ
cal of kindness and generosity. He II
sometimes called "Pelsnichol, or st
Nicholas, with the few, because IN the
far northern region Of the imperial czar
the legend says that St. Nick, clad In ful
from top to toe, flies round the world In
a sleigh drawn by fleet footed reindeer
The oustom OF hanging up the stocking
on Christmas eSe originated from kind
ly deed OF this saint, VINO was Dishop oil
Asia Minor. A friend of his, poor
nobiemap, had three beautiful daughter
who were unable to marry ad vanta geoG s
ly because they had no lands or house
90 bring ID a husband. Jolly st. Nicho
las knew of their sad plight. One Chris
mas eve the eldest daughter was surprised
TO have a purse of gold, shaped as slip
per, thrown through the window of be-
room. The next night a second daughte
received a similar gift, and the thirs
night the youngest daughter was SURPRISED
good st Nicholas throwing up a stocking
hlled with gold into her window. There
after IL was the custom for the younI
people to hang up stockings on st. Nioho
las night to recsive the gifts supposed {,
come from good St. Nick.
When Christianity spread abroad, tht
infectious spirit of cheer and good vii
which prevailed In pagan celebrations a
the winter solstice survived In oul
Christian FESTIVAL. The leaders of tn,
early church, however, sought to infus
into these festivals Some Ch'stian siVniti
csnce and blend together the cherished
customs with the story Of Christ
nativity. This they did 10 successful,
that, although the nature of the sarly
festival has been completely transformed
hyssChristianity, We still deck our house,
land churches with greens and suspend
gifts from heavily-laden Christmas trees.