New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-25
CHRISTMAS FEASTING.
This Has Mariecd the Day from me
Earliest Celebration.


the Natis1ty The Christians OF that cay W. 80
rnurh engaged IN fighting Wild beasts anu go
men in the crcCses and theatres o. t''0 -
r-r,nlre 70 give much thought to the idea OF pH'-
1ielr celebrating the advent of their FelsloH -
,e th.r they did not fan assemble lot "oA
ard % hold their great teasts OF charity anu ~
loEvshp. To-day orc Of the most hhpol TAN =
,-rss oF Christmas Day IS the dinner 20 lII"t
what rl=chI-g and saving it may have caust0' ~
CAr.EtFn-s dinner is al least something 10 10 e."
3o-ed The Romans. who were the most loNuAto-7
people IN TIE world ard the most colossal gnu
ssas aac EourZ1ancs brought deAcacies loT 'ieiL
tables from every known country. They imported
the peacock from India, ard it held the place III
ther dinner menus which IS occupied by the lui-
key IN ours Eur If the Romans OF the INST eei'U
over ceieb-a-ed Christmas with dinner Al "ouIu
rTvvs Of interest TO knew Of what TINS le.SI '""
sisted Tts uoet Horace, who lived Just before INC
47rxf ce7slrv IN tho Augustan ago OF literature
and culture repeatedly mentions the STATE anu
otSer dinners IL which he participated o"' ~
nowhere describes ore. 10 lanpoohS 4 Me"i,AS
7-fse~ with whom lie had cined Iof A4'-Hs
,,,,-,s..sd inferior v!ands and fish CT douotIul
freshness because they were cheap, ard he s2e.1hs
II beginning tie feast with an egg hard boAeu,
and oad.ng VITA an apple; but he gives 10 ''St -
ne a~-,c,rs served between those extremes. we
nre tod by the ancient chrorciors many stories %
L9cuiius. tbs worlds most rcillar4-Aole al
trsvoEant eplcure who had served ot has IADie q
eys3v meal food enough FOR q hundred men ana
VIM committed suicide when he had squano1io"
lfs vas
menu Of his celebrated dinners is eNtant
There Is however in good state Of Preservation
a Minute account Of = most elaborate -'.-'' -
rer Ct the first century II IS preserved al --i'
WARTS OF Arbter P-uon!us. the master OF ce-e-
-,o~f0s = Ncr0's palace. IN describing the Cll-
Ne Fe.ro-,.s SAYS that The table was loaded
with sivcrr.are ana q Sreat number Of slaves al
tended tie guests. who reclined on coucAs5 va"
their heads toward the table and thelT leeI ava
fror1 IL The diners occupied three sides OF 'Ae
rrF~
wants could approach and perform thelf o--'le7.
The dinner was interspersed by ROTATIONS "a
poetry and songs, while bands Of musicians anu
companies Of dancers and acrooats Pied lhe4r arts
. aunuse the guests, who were p'oVpeu Up o4
cushions. In the centre Of the table was the hs-
,,a o4 an ses fr C7~rthan trass. loaded with sill
,-e~ MANNERS IN which were olives. On silver sal
,ers were roast dormice, dressed with honey ana
manner seed: while silver grIdirons were snok-
ing hot sausages, with Pomegranate seeds beneath
a re9rosent I've Goals This was the pronu-sls'
nv @-e- course intended 10 whet the appetite, While
reafowl eggs. each containing q roast becc3Ico "a
small bird which subsists on hEs) IN the yoIh'
zye-c served all The eSEshells had been opened
20 receive the birds and inTeuiously restored 70
-7eir former appearance. There was no soup; but
-ha next course was fish. q tuTbot something OF
t-a nature q our sheepshead, most highly pflzeo
~ the Romans After the fish was oFoughl III =
rcar roasted whole. A carver made a great s-asIl
- the side q The hog when out few Convey OF
in ar incredibly short time and served 10 the
guests Many special dishes Of trpe and other ar
"cl1s Uulh I'D -a'or WIN me -',ii
-erVed besides meat l~''-'-s7 anu 80
various SORTS N li'5 mean - -
ta-eiE-lE---E- me il5st t"t'-7-' I7 90. -
freely poured and when guest wished 10 WASH
h-z hands --E7FooN-s cei'eii--l.= "S -'7'1
u water were s-l2-lei- l-.- --1-I ~-~--0 80 -
20 dy q boiled can IL al. e------o-7 -. --,. -
theIe were --=o l-t-ss % 81 - -. -
~ ,.,. .-+,,- ,-,7 rcas-
i.-=--.z ana MUS '--- --- i- - ~,
~ rs -i--ea WIN GIN g. -" - -
4s.s were &C. 90 49, - - 60 -
S"71ei--~--S az 80 - - 80 =. -, ,,esrs
"S9 1--7-'0 '' 40 -.
1ec- D'0~s-- .--+- rt-4a-, -, +ra
GO I~-" -0i --'1 ~ - - r,-l,f-+I
enliAsl~A1" u seo- --7- -, -
Sid-- 10 nave 90 - 80 ~
'H ---
ley 5e5Le2 q. 5a In, 81 t7. ~ l., 80
H6gsheazs II money EIderlns Of mustard.
AGt'oHs. and tatte- oeeEes ana u+..- 5,.s-7
IT,, -7'-- 1880 "a -iesc-S ,5f5eeSrs snd in hne
Plum pudd.Hgs. pancakes, apple pes ana eHS,sFar
-I- w. We E, 1te ana cfser Of our own;
Fer porter punch ana negus were not known
IT, ,-~-. .e-.,,ri,s -,7s boar,s head was the
g-er5 r--ls--,as dish and in the preparation,
- go ,--.,-, ,,,sr. --ae a good deal Of cere-
49,. r. ,,ss b-,Tol,+ into tr7e dining room when
- - -. .-5 sss,a4 at table ~-rIrlpeters
,-.1l,es er,a7 ,,e, came a choir and then the
server or steward carving the great silver or
gold dish bfrb IN the air Before the bearer of the
$50 tso5-,rfo vyzs selected for his height and
-,,r.t-..s md --o~A q green six scarf with an
eyr7tv sword scabbard dangling at ais side-went
q runner dressed IN G lorsCman's coat. having
boar s~ear IN his hand q huntsman IN green
carving the naked ard bloody sword belonging TO
the head bearers Bcabbard and Two pages IN
tafarve saroenet" each wi1h q mess Of mustard"
TIL. custom Of eating the bears head as & special
zts, ans t-e e5...ra,7o-, ~ Christmas were lost