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

FUhllAN ANaIHLMAo ON IHE1 Els IL V AL.
In the British Museum is preserved
the original order of Parliament, dated
December "a, 1862, directing that
there shall be ''no observation of the
fve-and-twentieth day of December,
commonly called Christmas Day, nor
shall any church services be held on
that day." In 1914 the Long Parlia-
ment bad ordered that the 25th of De-
cember should be kept as a national
fast, and that "all men should pass it
in humbly bemoaning the great nation
al sin which they and their fathers had
so often committed on that day by
romping under the mistletoe, eating
boar's head, and drinking ale favored
with roasted apples. No public act
of that time seems to have irritated
the common people more" (Macau-
lay). However, a writer of that time
observes that. in spite of laws and
enactments, Father Christmas crept
in by many back door and was we'll
entertained at the fireside."
A curious relic of the pagan feast of
Pomona, was the custom in some rural
districts in England of procession
through the apple orchards on Christ
mas Eve, drinking cider: and pouring
the dregs at the roots of the trees
while chanting song, the refrain of
which was:
Health to thee,
Good apple tree!'
This was to insure a houn'iiul yield OF
fruit the next year.
The term, "Christmas box" mean
ing a gift, is more usual In England
than in the United States. 1t is said
to have it's origin in the ancient Gus
tom of keeping box aboard ships to
collect contributions to be used at
Christmas time to pay for masses for
the souls of sailors lost at sea during
the preceding year. In England, St.
Ste phen's Day is called "boxing day."
from the custom which prevails there
of the tradesmen, postmen, or any one
who serves the household in any ca
pacity ringing the doorbell, wishing
the master and mistress a merry
Christmas and receiving a gratuity
A GERMAN LEGEND OF EYES APPLE
In Germany there is legend that
when Eve plucked the fatal apple the
leaves shriveled, the tree changed its
nature and became evergreen, bearing
witness in all seasons to the fall of
man. Only, once year, on the birth
day of the Redeemer, it blooms with
lights and is laden with gifts of love-
and so We have the Christmas tree.
In the Black Forest regions in Ger
many there is tradition that on each
Christmas Eve the Saviour comes to
earth in the guise of a poor boy and
asks aims at the house doors. On
that day no beggar is refused food and
shelter.
1t is said that the popular tradition
of the entrance of the Santa Claus by
means of the chimney arose from the
story Of Hertha, goddess of the
Morse mythology. When the festival
in her honor was celebrated an altar
of stones was erected in the house and
fir branches were piled upon it and set
on fire. Through the dense smoke
made by the green wood the goddess
was supposed to descend and extend
her influence according to the petitions
of the worshipers.
Some of the Christmas hymns and
carols are very ancient and have been
in many cases transmitted orally
through many generations. In Eng
land it is still the custom for men and
boys, called the Christmas "Waits,"
to 20 around on Christmas Eve and
sing carols.
George Wither "a. D. 1879 wrote
a poem describing an English Christ
mas festival in his time. The follow
ing are the first two stanzas:
$50 now is come our joyfullest feast,
Let every man be jolly;
Each room with ivy leaves is drest,
And every post with holly;
Though some churls at our mirth repine,
Round your foreheads garlands twine
Drown sorrow in a cup of wine,
And let US all be merry.
"Now all our neighbors' chimneys smoke,
And Christmas blocks are burning:
Their ovens they with baked meat choke,
And all their spits al e turning.
Without the door let sorrow lie;
And if for cold it hap to die,
Well bury t in Christmas pie,
And ever more be mrrry."
-New York Evening Post.
"Eph. want to give you nice fat
turkey for Christmas" said COL