The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-12-25

before the hens, he roared with laugh
ter. "The Bird" said he, "is exactly
like proud Turk, showing off before
his harem" So was named the turkey,
now the Christmas "piece de resist
ance" in many lands.
THE STIRRING OF THE PLUM PUDDING.
The plum pudding was called
"hackin," probably on account of the
chopping of the ingredients. In the
seventeenth century it was called
"plum" pudding, as raisins were then
called French plums. The pudding
must be stirred, while it is being mix
ed, by every member Of the household,
in order Of age, to insure "good luck'
to the family.
Our English ancestors were possess
ed of good appetites, especially at
Christmas time. We read of feasts at
which sixteen courses Of meat were
served, besides prodigious desserts.
Such heavy eating was accompanied
by equally powerful potations. The
wassail bowl formed an indispensable
part of the Christmas feast. The orig
inal wassail bowl was the skull of an
enemy slain in battle, such a grim cup
being held in high favor by the early
Saxons. The Anglo Saxons retained
the name for the Christmas beverage
which was compounded to suit the
means of the host. Costly wine and
spices we're used by the wealthy, ale
and ginger by the poorer classes.
Roasted apples foated on the bowl
and it was proper to stir it with a
srick of rosemary.
The practice Of "tying green's" or
decorating churches and houses with
evergreens at Christmas, has existed
in England from very early times.
The holly was thought to symbolic
the Crown of Thorns, the prickly
leaves standing for the thorns, the
scarlet berries for the sacred drops OF
blood. Mistletoe has always been
used in house decoration, but was not
allowed in the churches on account of
it's association with the cruel rites Of
the Druids. The maiden who is not
kissed under the mistletoe bough at
Yuletide will not be married within
the year. Brand says the ceremony
was not properly performed unless a
berry was plucked off with each kiss,
and presented TO the maiden kissed,
and Irving, in "Bracebridge Hall" }"
says that when all the berries were
plucked from the mistletoe the priv
ilege ceased.
TRADITIONS OF sURCEAsE OF SORROW.
Many traditions cluster around the
festival. At midnight on Christmas
Eve the oxen kissed in their stalls.
On that one night the lost spirits have
rest. Judas Iscariot may sleep. Herod
ceases to clank his chains. The daugh-
ter of Herodias may pause in her end
less dance, and the Wandering Jew
rest his weary steps. Then, too, the
spirit of Pontius Plate ceases to roam
in the gloomy forests of Mont Pilatus.
At midnight animals may speak.
Wherever church may have stood,
though no trace of it be left, singing
of chants and sounds of bells are heard
If you lie in a manger, in stable, at
midnight, the future is open to your
vision. If the first foot to cross the
threshold as visitor on the Christmas
morning be that of a man or boy, good
luck is ahead. But if woman or a
girl come first. misfortune may be ex-
pected.
From the very first observance of
the festival, it seems to have been the
custom to exchange gifts and make
donations to the poor. The Saxon
kings celebrated Christmas with JOY
GUS festivity and lavish charity. The
court set the fashion for the barOns,
and they were initiated by the people
at large. "The light of the holy festi.
val shone upon palace and upon cot" :"
Once a year the poor had plenty;
every family gathered around the Yule
log, spread the Christmas fast and
slipped the wassail bowl In the rural
districts, after the church service, the
Squire or Lord stood at his own gate
and gave bountiful aims to the poor
and aged, while his tenants were feast
ed at his expense.
The celebration lasted for twelve
days, from December 25 to January 6,
the period being Epiphany, the time
supposed to have been consumed by
the journey OF the Magi to Bethlehem,
led by the Star in the East. Games
and sports were indulged in by all