Evening star., 1901-12-21
Many Have Come Down to Us From
Medieval Times.
IE ORIGINAL SAINT NICHOLAS
Why We Hang UP Stockings and
Decorate a Tree.
RITES OF THE DRUIDS S
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Good old Britain to humor her new king
and his hobby for reviving mediaeval cere-
mony, will this season re-enact many of the
picturesque and forgotten Christmas GUS
toms which, in centuries past, gladdened
the hearts of her lords and serfs alike. Her
researches are proving that the Christmas
of our time is solemn and dolorous rite
compared with that of our early progenitors
Of Anglo-Saxon blood: that it has become
grievously warped and misshapen through
motives of economy.
Santa Claus himself has fallen into new
ruts. Since medieval times he has changed
the schedule of his annual visit. To be in
strict accord with precedent laid down by
himself, he should do his stocking filling al
ways on the eve of December 6. St. Nicho-
las day. For Santa Claus is none other
than the good St. Nicholas. who three CEN
turies after Christ, was bishop of Myra.
Asia Minor His clubbing, Santa Claus,
is but our corruption of "Sant Niklaas,
his name in Dutch. For 1,5O0 years he has
been the patron saint of children, and. in
congrous as 1t may seem. also of robbers.
The first recorded instance of his benevo-
lence was in response to his discovery that
three beautiful Italian maidenS were unable
to marry because of their fathers inability
to give them a proper dover. To alleviate
their distress st. Nicholas, three nights in
succession; threw bag of gold into their
window while they slept. The father caught
the good saint In the act, but promised not
to reveal the truth. He, however, evidently
found that secrecy was too great tax on
him, for the news of the gift spread
rapidly.
The Bishops Good Deed.
Saint Nicholas patronage of boys came
about in this way: An Asiastic gentleman
on sending his two sons to Athens for edu-
cation, bade them call on the bishop on their
way for his benedict!on. Arriving at Myra
late in the day, the lads, deciding to defer
their visit until the morrow, engaged lodg-
ing at inn. Their landlord, perceiving
they had considerable baggage and money,
murdered them in their sleep and cut them
into pieces. Their mutilated remains were
then thrown into a picking vat with some
pork. The good bishop that night had
vision of this atrocious deed and Immediate
ly went to the inn, where he reproached the
landlord for his villainy. He then besought
the almighty to restore life to the poor
youths. The saint had but finished his
prayer when the mangled and dismembered
bodies of the two boys reunited and finding
themselves alive, they Iell on their knees
before the holy man. Thus in old prints
the real Saint Nicholas is represented as be-
slowing his benediction upon the nude boys
standing in a tub.
After the two incidents Of the saints
goodness to the portionless maidens and
the TWO STUDENT DOSS TeH StllcIdily
were wont to place their shoes and slip
pers in a convenient place on st. Nicholas
eve and were sure to find them the next
morning well slowed with small gifts.
Why We Harg Up Our Stockings.
In the old converts the students, on the
eve of St. Nicholas day, would pin their
stockings on the abbess' door, together
with a slip of paper recommending them
selves to the attention and care of the
good old saint. They were never disap-
pointed in finding them the next morning
stuffed with sweetmeats and presents.
This custom gradually lost its original date
and is now celebrated in all Christian coun-
tries at Christmas time, to the delight Of
the children. The celebration of st. Nieho-
las lasted from December = to December
%, and thus when the stocking hanging
practice passed into England and other
countries the gifts were saved for Christ
mas eve instead of being bestowed SO early
in the festivities.
The French ,hange their gifts on New
Year day. This was an ancient pagan GUS
tom The early kings Of France always
gave presents to their soldiers at this time.
The Christmas Carol.
From the early church in Italy comes the
English practice Of singing Christmas carols
and the consequent donation of money and
gifts to the singers. To this day in many
parts of England the poor children, and
ofttimes their elders, begin the Christmas
day by singing at the doors and windows of
weIl-disposed people, who consider it bad
luck to send the carolers away without
some remuneration for their good wishes
and happy songs.
Another quaint custom which was origi-
mated in Italy passed into England about
the year $40 and was practiced there until
the advent Of Protestantism. The choir
boys of each parish always on the 9th of
December elected a mock bishop and two
deacons from their number, whose duty 1t
was to go from door to door demanding
money, not as aims, but as 1.-The bishops
subsidy" The younger boys were per-
suaded that the presents bought with this
money and placed in their shoes at night
were left by ST. Nicholas. This youthful
bishop, with full line of priests, took pos
session Of the church and conducted bur-
lesque on the services from the time of his
election until the 2Sth of December, when
his term of Office expired.
''Yuletide' is synonym for Christmas
with which we are*all familiar. Yue was
a celebration held by the ancient Norwe-
gians with great feasting at the return of
each winter solstice, about December %
On the eve Of this day a huge log was
brought within each house, lighted at sun
see and allowed to burn until sunrise. This
observance insured good luck until the next
yule. This custom crept into England from
Norway and became one of the practices
Of our Anglo-SaXon ancestors in connection
with Christmas. In the western or Latin