The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-24
Cfn>GiS 81 %u!r-.;,. -.
l
9
o
8

| tlNliIiutlNAsN low bl llN lHtI''VIh
Of persons VINO annually eu'er 80
heartily into the Festivities OF Christ
i.as G.,e Il thought to the or.s.u Of
t..e cts.,E.s they ob.etve. Young reU-
pc, laia .c-asel rcuplc and old 1co.
pie who laLc IN lcs-rbable pleasure
iu decorating their homes with holly.
II istlt,ur ana other cvorgreens in
eHicipation Of "A reign of fun and
fHyoity. GO not. rs Il rule, give much
tluught to the Nativity, and never
for a moment does any idea concern
las The origin Of such decorations en-
ter their heads.
How many 500! souls there are
vho delight IN the old-fashioned
| Christmas customs, and who once a
! year, ct least, let themselves out to
enjoy the revcls of 81. Nicholas feast
in the good old style, who would hold
Up their hands in horror were 1t
even suggested that they were
simply initiating the wicked old pa
gans." Almost all our popular prac-
tices in honor Of the birth of Christ
have their origin in ante-Chrstian
ones.
1t is no longer q controversial point
that the Christ-child was not born
| on the 25th or even during the
month Of December. We do not cele-
brate the actual anniversary of his
birth, but the significance Of the
| event. The observance Of our mod
ern Christmas has its foundation in
a perennial custom OF the ancients,
| from whom our forefathers took
| their Idea Of celebration.
Later we find Christmas and Epi-
phany being celebrated on the same
day, and still later various dates
in March. April and December-were
set aside.
1t Is pretty certain also that the
Jewish feast of the Dedication of
the Tabernacles. held toward the end
OF the year, influenced the selection
of the 25th of December as Christ
mas.
About 800 A. d. boy was born in
Lycia. His parents called him
Nichols, but $50 the chronicles tell
us), though that was a mans name,
he preserved the nature of a child,
for he chose ito keep vertues, mex
ness and simpleness, and therefore
children do him worship before all
other saints"
The modern child's Santa Claus"
is Dutch contraction of "Sankt
Nikolaus," "Sank'ni Klaus" and the
saints custom of giving presents Sc
cretly and in the dead of night as the
development of deed of charity he
performed when he assisted by toss
ing three well-flled purses into their
bedroom long after they had retired.
Thus, Santa Claus comes about
when the children are asleep and
gives them their hearts desire. st.
Nicholas day was originally early In
December, but later It was confound-
ed with Christmas.
There Is an old ballad describing
the saint and his customs, thus.
st. Nicholas money used to give to
maydens secretlie,
Who, that he still may use his won't
ed liberalties,
hS AhoNASIS Vi All lucII CulluTeU ON
the Eve do cause to fast
And when they every one at night in
senseless sleeps are cast,
Both Apples, Nuttes and Peares they
bring and other things be-
sides.
AS caps and shooes and petticotes.
which secretly they hide,
And in the morning found, they say.
that this St. Nicholas brought.
The idea that st. Nicholas was an
old hoard bearded man comes from
the ancient representatives of Saturn.
who was pictured a patriarch, and
also from the confounding of the
Christmas Saint with Father Time,
who has always had his special day,
on New lear's Eve. a week after
Christmas.
This custom we derive from the
Romans, who on the first day of the
Saturnalla gave to the servants and
children dolls, candles and little doll
like pastieg, the exact significance
OF which, 1t is believed, had to do
with those days when human sacri-
fees constituted feature Of the
Saturnalian ritual.
The dolls were given principally to
children, although their significance.
II is believed was relativa IN TINT