Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-18
ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS.

WHILE the exact date of the origin Of
w the Christmas celebration is not
known. it probably had it's beginning in
the reign of the Roman emperor Anto-
minus Plus u3S-161 ADD. The first trace
OF such celebration, however, is found
at the time of the Emperor Commodus
Qeo-192 ADD. Later. in the reign of
Emperor Diocletian (2S43O5 ADD, we are
told that a body of Christians who had
assembled in a church to celebrate the
birth of Christ We're locked in and the
building burned to the ground bv order
of the emperor
The modern Christmas celebration oreu
OUT or and superseded certain earlier
popular festivals which occurred about
tne time of the winter solstice. Tie
Npfsemen mad held celebration. of
when we have record. in the second
century, called the YuIe feast CYuIe nrob-
ANY coming from the same root as the
AhsIo-oaxon word meaning to make
fr re, or keep festival, which lasted
from the 18th of December to the ~ h
or January, and was i'm commemorative
OF the fiery sun wheel" The Romans
aiSo nad d nature festival, the ..SatIIr-
lana, which lasted seven days, from
t Dstemnef II to c4-the time during
tne aeatn OF winter To the life of spring.
ana winch was. on accoun. of the ans,
piciousnesS of this change. very iovo,,s
NE, Inc roman Church. finding this ::Satur
lac iar DC. aes.Nai deeply intrenched in popu-
i ' esteem. adopted il and at the same
tlme altered it in intention and observ-
ance' AIDING to it grander liturgy. II
was no longer to be natural delight at
me prospect OF spring-the conquest of
the sun over cold and barrenness-h,It
PECULIARLY Christian joy in the rise of the
Son or Righteousness with universal life
and warmth. which the feast set forth.
Inc DAY was put at the close of the
heathen festival and the presents were
meant TO symbolic the "unspeakable gift
Of God the Savior
The exact date of the nativity has not
been determined. but there is reason TO
believe that it is not the present date
upon which Christmas is Observed-De-
, cemher 25-for this was the height of tae
rainy season in Judea, and shepherds
could hardly have been watching flocks
by night i'm the fields However the au-
thority and example Of the Roman
CHURCH.. and perhaps the Inconvenience OF
celebrating two such different events as
the birth and manifestation of Chris:
upon the same day, caused the Eastern
Church, as early as the latter part of the
fourth century. to separate the events
and keep the birth of Christ on the 18th
OF December.
The custom of decorating houses and
churches with eVergreenS. as we'll as the
use of 1nistletoe at the Christmas season.
is derived from practices of the ancient
Druids. to whom the latter was sacred.
The right" of gentleman to kiss a
lady discovered beneath the mistetoe
bough is a very Old custom, which has
descended from feudal times. but whose
real origin and significance are lost.
The use of holly and the Christmas
tree seem to be traceable to the Roman
"saturnalia,'' the latter probably having
first been imported into Germ my with
the conquering legions of Drusus. Holly
has been long used for decorating FUR
poses because CT its beauty, the bright
scarlet berries against the dark persist
ent leaves producing a fine contrast, ana
also because Of its availability at this
season of the year.
Santa Claus originally intro duced by
the Dutch settlers CT New York, is the
American representative Of the German
"knecht Rupert" Formerly. and still in
some of the smaller villages Of nortn
Germany, the presents made by parent
to their children were sent to me per
son, who arrayed in high b cts. a white
robe a mask, an enormous flax wig, etc.
becoming known as "knecht Ruiert.
would go from house to house. be re-
ceived with great courtesy by the par
ents, call for the children, and be<tON
upon them the intended gifts accordins
to the character which he heard from
the parents after severe inquiries.