The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-21
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.
Ii Was Regarded by Puritan Fore
fathers as Sinful.

New York Evening Post
Christmas presents, up to a comparative
ly recent period. appear to have been con-
fined to the rich and great. Kings and
queens and mobiles spent fabulous sums for
gauds to present to their friends. The SOW
ereign expected royal gifts. A catalogue
of the richesse lavished on Queen Elizabeth
year after year by her subjects and para
sites reads like a fairy tale.
The common people celebrated in another
fashion. There is an inextinguishable de-
sire in man to disport himself on every
legitimate occasion; to throw discretion,
politeness, good breeding. decency itself to
the winds, and just get down and howl like
a caveman. Here in New York this is seen
several times every year. The saturnalia
or old Rome could not have been much
noisler or more boisterous than some of
our own election celebrations. We GER
talnly ought TO sympathize with the spirit
winch prompted the brief annual reign of
the Lord of Misrule," although ii was I'M
douotedly attended with some very rough
usages. There was more Drawn than SEN
timent about those English ancestors OF
ours, and more animal spirits than delicacy.
Inc Puritan was naturally much shocked
at the annual holiday gambols, and tried
TO put stop TO them. In fact, he put
quetus on the whole custom of Christmas
keeping In l647, or Whereabouts, even
church services were forbidden To wor-
ship God on His birthday was rank pop
cry, in the opinion of Praise God Bare
bones, and TO enjoy life, at that season
even more than another, was inherently
bad and vicious. The Christmas hearth
was black, and the wassail bowl empty
during the rule of Cromwell. They came
back with the Restoration, but a chill had
fallen on the whole thing. Christmas has
been kept much more dScreetly and with
less warmth since then.
This may be counted an injustice. We are
told in "Marmion' that
"A Christmas gambol oft would cheer
The poor mans heart through all the year."
The Puritan on our shores kept Christ
mas as fast, or tried to, at least. 1t was
very difficult TO censor all the households
in single day, and there is reason to be-
lieve that the sinful mnce pie and the
meretricious plum pudding were served on
more than one back-sliding housewives ia
BILE within sight of the church doors of
Plymouth and Boston town. There is a
pretty story told of an irate elder coming
upon a feast in the house of one of the
Pilgrims. The table was decked with
greens and holly berries. and luscious was
the display of pastries and baked meats
upon the board. There was really nothing
TO be said in the way of defense, until the
quick-witted hostess came forward and in
vited the elder to partake of the celebra-
tion of their wedding anniversary. 1t was
quite true that they had been married on
Christmas day, but the feast was for an
other anniversary.
"a
is also the most recent. Santa Claus is a
modern Improvement. Saint Nicholas, ii is
| not TO be denied, is a fairly hoary figure
and he has long been known as the patron
| saint of children. Just why is not clear
| Practically nothing is really known about
| the good saint except that he died arch
| bishop of Myra in the fourth century.
There are one or two legends connecting
| him with a love and a compassion for
| young people but there are also legends
| which cause him to be associated with
| sailors. He is also claimed a patron by
| brigands on account of an adventure which
| he is said TO have had with band of free
hooters. Lastly, he is claimed by the pro-
| fession of pawnbrokers. and il is fact
| that he is usually represented in medieval
| art with three golden balls in one out
stretched hand.
| A century or two ago there was custom
| in Germany for all the parents in a town or
| village to send the presents they designed
who called at each house clad in motley
| robe, a mask and a huge faxen wig.
| Knocking at the door, he called in loud
voice for all the good children to appear
and receive the gifts which the Christ
| child, the Christ kindlein. had sent them.
| This was the primeVal krisS Kingel. Cole
! ridge describes this custom, and records
that the bad little children had a rod left
| for their correction.
This is a sophisticated age. Very little
| credulity of poetic kind remains in us.
| But the instinct to make merry and throw
aside the cares of everyday life Is still
| strong in us, and until that is gone Christ
mas will remain. By and by IL may come
| TO mean that ali the world shall be made
! glad not only for day, but for the entire
year of days.