Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-22
TO SING OLD CAROLS
Churches Are Rehearsing Spe-
CiaI Christmas Music.
HOLIDAY SPIRIT ABROAD
Preparations in Every Household
for Celebration of the Day.
CHARITY IMPORTANT FACTOR
Goodness of Men and Women Will
Be Felt Throughout the
City at That Time.

The old carols which never lose their
Christmas spirit are being rehearsed: the
old recipe for plum pudding is being
sought out carefully for the good of the
household in general: the stockings are
being made ready To hang by the Chin
ney and Christmas is nearly here
No one knows that any better than the
choirmaster and the little choir boys and
the soloists who are to sing at the many
services which in Washington. as well as
every city and village In Chrstendom.
will commemorate the day. 1t is all old
music, for the most part. All of 1t has
been :1ng thousand times before. yet
II were not for the very tunes them
selves the day would lose so much of fits
Joyous spirit and color that it would be
like some other holiday. Every church
has a special program of carols. and
every carol and every hymn is redolent
with Christmas.
Some of the tunes that will be sung in
the churches Wednesday bear dates
reaching so far back into the middle
ages. and even beyond them, that their
very antiquity makes them sacred.
Services for All Day.
Church services have been announced
for early morning, for midday and for
night. Special services have been ar
ranged, special Christmas sermons will be
preached. Beginning with the darkened
hours before dawn when in Episcopal and
Roman Catholic churches the communion
service, lighted by candles. will usher in
the commemoration of the birth of the
little Savior, the spirit of holy day
Will prevade the city'S churches.
x..fkt 49, ,1,
will find itself in full swing when the
great hearted charity of the city's people
makes itself felt. There will be orphans
Christmas day who Will be made as glad
as t"eir little souls can appreciate,
through the goodness Of men and women
who never forget the spirit of giving is
the greatest thing the world has known.
and that a touch of humanity at this time
will tighten the lives of many poor
child who would otherwise have day of
grievous memory. For weeks tie char
ity workers have been arranging their
program for the day. Thousands of poor
people will be fed on kingly viands Old
soldiers and sailors will be remembered;
the jails and warehouses will be visited,
and the visiting angels in human guise
who do this work will undoubtedly go to
sleep that night with a warm glow Of
satisfaction in their hearts.
Complete Holiday at End.
" WOTh CdD cease lneTe Will De q
complete holiday. The great workshops
of the government will be silent, in the
main. The post Office will be closed for
half day, and the letter carriers. those
messengers OF st. Nicholas who have dis
tributed so much of the days joy, will
be allowed a much needed and we'll earn
ed rest. For that matter. a half day
will be granted such of the postal en-
ployes as can be spared on Christmas
eve An order has gone forth also clos
ing as many of tie government depart
inents as can close without impairing the
general service at noon Tuesday.
This general cessation OF business fol-
lows. OF course, the preparations of the
day in the homes Of the city where ev-
cry one looks forward to "A day Of re-
union OF giving gifts and of warm-heart-
ID happiness. The day is the property
e children, in the main. for the Christ
mas tree and the Christmas stocking
VIII be the emblems of it's spirit.