The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-12-16
CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA
We Borrow Customs Best Adapted to
Our Requirements

If Christmas is peculiarly the festival
of joy, the day when the gladness of
tie deliverance in which eveT Chris
tan believes is expressed. the Ameri-
can people have certainly done well in
continuing the festival where its cele
bration is native to them, and reviving
it where ii had become obsolete. The
whole human race, and particularly the
youthful part OF it. is fairly entitled to
Il good deal of merrymaking. Whole
some fun helps to form a weil-rounded
characterize build up a compete man
or woman--and to this extent is the
handmaiden of religion itself.
Our own American people have right
fully inherited a good deal of fun. The
English people. VINO supplied the first
important ingredient in our national
compound. We're perhaps little too
jovial. AT all events the settlers of New
England found it necessary to be some
what unduly sad by way of protest
against their conduct. One form Of
protest was to Danish all the Old Eng
lish church holidays. and Christmas
with the rest
Indeed, there is great deal of his
torical evidence to show that the ma
jority of the people in England had in
great measure forgotten the solemn
aspect Of Christmas in the festive as
pect of it. and that the lord of mis-
rule who reigned on Christmas eve
and sometimes for a long while after
ward. had things quite 100 much his
own way.
But the wholesome rea ction did not
by any means eXtinguish the capacity
for innocent enjoyment which is really
Unborn In the Anglo Saxon nature. 1t
has come out strongly in subsequent
generations of Americans.
Meantime the jolly Dutch settlers Of
"a" NnJ.k h. RI frt- ,,<,l tiavs
settlers of Virginia and the south. the
sood-hearted Germans of Pennsylvania
and those who have come later. and
the Irish people who We're merely
sprnkied along through the carrier
days of settlement, but who came in
copious, helpful showers more recently,
have always believed in Christmas and
kept it alive.
Now, every one believes in Christ
mas. The gospel of JOY is preached
every year In all our temples The
heavenly story which be onss to the
day is heard by ears and sinks into
hearts which have been we'll prepared
for it by a great deal of unseitish glad
ness: for true Christmas fills the
heart more Wit hthe pure giadness of
giving pleasure than with the poorer
satisfaction of being given it.
Our American Christmas begins to
take an American FORM as is the case
with the people. the IDEAS the lam
suage. and everything e.se which has
been brought here from the Old world.
We borrow from the Christmas fest-
walls of European nations what seems
to be best adapted to our own require
ments. Santa Claus, the German, is
naturaiiZed An American. and the Ger
man Christmas tree takes root in our
soil. SO does the English holly. Eng
fish Christmas songs. Of course, are
easily sung by American voices: while,
on the Christmas board the native
American turkey has never been
known to quarrer With good British
pun pudding.
Good cheer is, indeed, proper part
Of the gospel of JOY if ii is shared.
Music belongs in an especial way to
Christmas for the gladness that san
not express itself in any other way
pours itself out freely in song.
n Flowers. the earths own expression
OF JOY. should not be absent from
Christmas celebrations where they can
be procured; and where they cannot,
the green boughS of evergreen trees
may we'll testify TO the universal faith,
at the season when nature is cold and
white, nthe sure renewal OF all the
life that sleeps.
The coming of Christmas is to be
hailed. then, by more than the young,
for more than they may we'll have,
when il comes. the best time of all the
year" Its coming is token that there
can be no gladness without benevo-
| lence-that good will toward men is
! the Very foundation Of peace on
EARTH And so, a Merry Christmas to
/ all our readers, and to all the world
Youths Companion.