Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-12-22
THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS.
Story of the Fixing of Decembey
25th as Christmas Day, and
Some Popular Christmas
Customs,

c6DlDeT Z0In originally happened TO
be fixed as Christmas day. About
$40 A. D. st. Cyril made careful in
quiry as to the date of the birth OF
Christ and reported December 25th
as the correct date. Pope julius ac-
cepted this and some years later es-
tablished the festival of Rome on
this date. Before the close of the
century 1t was accepted by every ma
ton in Christendom. The actual
year of the Nativity is unknown, and
it is certain that the month and day
never can be recovered. They were
absolutely unknown to the early
fathers of the church. Critics gen.
orally accept 4 B. C. as the probable
year. There are only two known
dates to work with. Herod the
Great died TIA years after the found
ing of Rome, that is to say he died
A B. c. as we know it. We know
that there was an eclipse of the
moon on March 18th, B. c., on
which Herod ordered some Jewish
Rabbis to be burnt for melting their
pupils to tear down the Golden
Eagle. We also know that Herod
was dead before the Passover, which
took place on April IL, A B. C.
Christ must have been born before
February of the year B. c..
Tradition says Christmas was first
observed in SO A. d., and was or
dered to be held as a solemn feast
by Pope Telesphorus in 1877 A. D.
The first traces of its observance are
found about 40 A. d. 1t Is not
known who first celebrated 1t, nor
where, nor how. There Is no record
OF any commemoration of 1t during
the life of Christ. as the early Chris
tiaEs, looked upon the celebrations
of birthdays as heathenish and even
the celebration of the Lord Himself
was not excepted.
The custom of making presents at
Christmas was derived from the Ro-
mans, who made gifts to one another
during the great winter festival, the
Saturnalia. The early Christians
made presents to their children on
Christmas morning under the pre-
tense that they had been dropped
by the Christ child in passing over
the house at night.
The word Santa Claus" is an
English perversion of the Neither
lands words "Sinter klaas," meaning
ST. Nicholas, the patron saint of
children. The word is also used to
designate st. Nicholas Day, which
In the Netherlands is celebrated on
December 9Th. The real st. Mich
olas, ii IL said was the Bishop of
Myra in Lycia who died ABOUT 1876
A. ID. His personal history is almost
entirely unknown but numerous
legends show him to have been a
most generous and kindly man. IN
some parts of Germany it is still a
custom for some one to dress up IA
a bishop on st. Nicholas Eve and dis
tribute presents to the children. The
custom. however, is practically obso-
lete, st. Nicholas having been super
seeded by Santa Claus. Why Santa
Claus is always represented as an
old man no one knows. Some writer's
claim that 1t dates back to the Pria-
pus of Virgil and Petronius, who
held in his capacious bosom all man.
ner of fruits and dainties. 1t is
more probable, however, that the
jolly, kindly character of Santa Claus
is easier to show as the old man
with white hair and beard and rudy
face. In some parts of Germany
Santa Claus is called Pelsnichol
nicholas of the Furs) from the fur
cap and coat which the impersonatorI
wore, and it seems to have been the
custom for many years to associate
Santa Claus with the north. It was
formerly the custom to have some
che impersonate Santa Claus and
distribute gifts to the children in
person. Gradually this custom died
out, and the presents were left for
them on the hearthstone. AS the
giver was no longer seen by the
children, some explanation was nee
essary, and the little ones were told
that Santa Claus had come down
the chimney, left their presents and
departed the same way. Undoubted-
~ the poem, Twas the Night Be-
fore Christmas" published in thel
United States in 1922, spread the
myth enormously In English speak
ing countries.
Originally children hung up their
stockings on st. Nicholas Eve, (Dec.
6th.) Young women in converts all
over Europe also placed their stock
lngs at the door of the Abbess. This
was an adaptation of the custom of
young women to provide them with
good husbands and a marriage dow
ry. According to tradition, st. Mich
1las once under cover of night,
threw three purses of gold into thel
house of a nohleman who was I'M
able to provide for his three daugh-
ters.. The money was their dowryl
and enabled them to marry. Some
claim that the shape of the purses
Of that day were much like stock
Ings, gave rise to the custom of
hanging the stockings for st. Mich
olas. Gradually the hanging up oil
stockings on st. Nicholas Eve ceased
and the custom became Incorporated
into our Christmas festivities. San
Ia Claus reindeer are supposed toI
have cmanated from an old Spitz-
bergen legend. BY this tale rein
deer be,rins certa,S marks wer. be-
lieved to come yearly from an un-