Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-12-20
of Santa

w bellied ever young old fel
low that we know has made
his appearance on earth in SO many
guscs that the secret ~ BIS first com
ing threatens 70 remain forever vcilcd
In the midst Of antiquity No one can
say with any certainty just when he
first made his appearance among pre-
historic men. for merry old Santa In
one form or another delighted chill
dren's hearts IN many a pagan house
hold centuries before the commence
ment of the Christian era and prior "
any recorded history
The name of Santa claus. by which
he is known In America. Is the Dutch
pet name for ST Nicholas The name
Kriss Kringle. By which he is known
in England Is corruption " Christ
Kndlcln or the Christ Child But the
festivities that distinguish Christmas
existed long before Christianity. and
jolly god Of good cheer appears MS the
personification Of the period from the
earlier pagan times. Now the Santa
Claus of today is simply that Old Jolly
god sobcrel up. washed and purified
The Dionysia If the Greeks the sat
urnala 81 the Romans the Twelve
Nights Of the old Nor@mcn and Of the
Teuions al celebrated the coming ~
the winter solstice. People then gave
themselves up To all sorts Of revery
aud excess In the Dionysa the repre-
sentative figure was not tine young
DionySns or Bacchus. hnt the aged
CHEEKY and disreputahIe Silcnus. the
chief OF the Satyrs and the god OF
drunaards In the Saturmlia It was
Saturn in the Gernanic fcasis il was
Thor both long bearded and white
haired gods like Silenus
Now although the central figure of
the Christian festival is the child God
the Christ Kindlein the influence Of
long pagan custom was too strong
within the breasts of the early Chris
tians 10 be easily superseded The ira
dltion OF hoary age MS the true repre-.
sentative Of the dying year and lbs at
tendant publications. still remained
smoidering under the ashes 81 the
past Il burst .iuto new flame when
the past was too far back % be looked
upon with the fear and antagonism OF
( the church and there seemed 90 longer
any danger of relapse into pagansm.
At first. however. the more dieniiied
representative was chosen as more in
keeping with the occasion Saturn
t,,.nns.sfnnaft.
Nicholas, the name OF the saint whose
festival occurs In December and who
rs the patron OF young people is espe.
cially fitted for the patronage OF the
/ festival which has come 10 be looked
upon as especially that OF the young
Al first ST Nicholas did not superscde
the Christ Child but accompanied him
In his Christmas travels. as. indeed, he
still does IN certain rural neighbor.
hoods OF Europe where the modern
spirit has been least felt
ST Nicholas. according 10 the hag-
ologist. was bishop OF Myra. who
nouriShed early in the fourth century
He is the patron OF children and
schoolboys.
II is strange that everywhere 81
Nicholas is most honorcd and his feast
day most observed the most pious and
instructed among the common people
know little Of the legend OF the saint
He Is treated with that mixture Of Sc.
robustness and frivolity which becomes
dying myth
In southern Germany and Austria q
youth CARRIED ms ST Nicholas and ac-
companied by two angels and a whole
troop Of devils In hideous masquerade.
with blackened faces and clanklng
chains. on Dee. 8 (St Nicholas festal
day. makes n round of certain houses
where the little ones Of the village
have been collected To the good chill
dren he brings gifts OF nuts and ap.
pies. while the naughty ones are left
to the devices OF the satanic followers
In his train.
In many places the bugbear over.
shadows in Importance both the Christ
Child and st Nicholas He appears
under different names and in different
gnlses In Lower AuStria he is the
AAA-UAiNl NNNliAifANs VIII UiN tlNIlklNE
chains and horrible devils mask. who.
Notwithstanding his gilded nuts and
apples. gingerbread and toys. which
he carries in his basket. is the terror
~ the nursery In Hanover Holstein
and Mccklenhurg he Is known ms Clas
In SllcSia his name is Joseph.
Sometimes the busbear was a female
In Lower Austria she was called the
Budelfrau In Suahia IL was the
Berchtel who chastised children. that
did not spin diligently. with rods. but
rewarded the industrious with dried
pears apples and nuts
The female boGy survives especially
in Russia and IN Italy In the former
place she Is keown MS the Baboushka
I'm the latter rs the Befana Befana l.
corruption OF Epiphania or Epipha
ny. for Il is on Epiphany. Jan. 6. that
the Italians make presents 10 their
children In commemoration OF the gifts
4.