The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-08

or blended with, or a part of, our dreams, which
sang the news of a Savior born2
The singing Of carols is not peculiar to Eng
land, where it was introduced by the Puritans.
In France they are similar in character to those
of the nation across the Channel, and are called
noels. In Italy the Calabrian shepherds are tin
Grant musicians and choral singers. At the sea-
son of Advent they come down from the noun
tains to the cities singing their peculiar hill
music. Lady Morgan gives an interesting account
of the piety of these shepherds. Having seen them
stop every year in front of a carpenters shop in
Rome, to sing and play, she questioned them Of
the reason for this. They replied that in that way
they gave honor to st. Joseph, who was a car
penter also. The name of these singers is
piferari.
The word "carol" is really formed upon two
other words: Cantare, to sing, and rola, an inter-
lection of joy. Therefore, the term carol need
not be confined to Christmas music, although that
is the general use of the world. e
In Wales and Ireland the custom of singing
carols is better preserved than in England, as is
also the case in France.
OF the origin of the Christmas tree, we have
many beautiful legends, of which that of st.
Boniface is not the least. Unfortunately, it is
too long to have more than a mere mention of
the recognition that is due it in an article of this
character.
"A SCANDINAVIAN UyIn tells OF lS HdNlnS sprung
from blood-saturated soil, where two lovers met a
violent death, and always thereafter on Christmas
eve lights were seen to burn in the branches.
On of the French legends of the thirteenth CEN
fury speaks of a gigantic tree which the hero dis
covers. Its branches were covered with burning
candles, and on the top foated a vision of q child.
Not understanding the meaning of this, he asked
the pope for an explanation. The pope's reply
was that the tree represented mankind the child,
the Savior; the candles, good and bad human be-
ings.
Some writer's have found a connection between
the original Christmas tree and Yggdrasill, the
giant ash tree of Scandinavian mythology, which
spread its branches over the whole world others
point to the pine tree used in the Bacchanalia,
which was crowned with the image of Bacchus,
and again there are those who speak of the Gus
tom of the ancient Egyptians, who at the time OF
the winter solstice decorated their houses with
the branches of the date palm-these are all re-
ferred to as probable progenitors of our custom
of trimming a tree and decorating our buildings.
Similar trees were used on festive occasions by
the Hindus, sometimes artificial and Of priceless
value, being formed of pearls and other precious
stones.
Whatever may be said, there is no certain
knowled of the use Of the trees as We now have
1t before the sixteenth century. We find it ap-
pearing at Strassburg, In Germany, at about that
time, and for 200 years 1t was maintained along
the Rhine. After this period, during which 1t was
gaining strength, 1t suddenly flashed over all Ger
many. This was at the beginning of the nine
teenth century, in the so years succeeding this
sudden growth 1t had struck its roots into all
Christendom.
The preparation of 1t for the eyes of the young
in Germany, the country where the modern prac-
tice originated, is an affair of great secrecy. It is
kept in a separate room, which is locked, and into
whose mysteries none but the mother is I'M
tiated.
At six o'clock in the evening of the day be-
fore Christmas the door is opened and in the
children rush to receive their presents, which are
hung on and spread all about the tree. Then the
children present their gifts to their parents, and
then to each other, and the whole surprise is
over before Christmas eve has passed. Probably
this explains the lassitude that is experienced
the next day-which feeling, nevertheless, is not
solely characteristic of Germany.
America received its first tree through the Ger
man immigrant, who brought it with him. But
for a long time the festival did not receive recOg,
milton because of the laws forbidding it. 1t was
not until the latter part of the eighteenth CEN
fury that these laws were repealed, and after that
it took some time for it to emerge from the state
of Quiescence into which it had been forced.
To our country belong the honor of being the
birthplace of the Christmas card, which, sadly
enough, together with other Christmas remem-
brances, has degenerated In some cases to a mere
business convention.
The custom first started with the school pieces
which the schoolboy of the middle nineteenth
century was to read at the annual school exer-
cises always given at this time of the year. The
original fourishes of establishment on these
cards, upon which the pieces to be read were writ
ten, grew into an deliberately designed poem or
maxim, good wishes or what not.
Tusser, in his "FIve Hundred Points of Good
Husbandry," said, and wisely, too:
"At Christmas play and make good cheer,
For Christmas comes but once q year."
Happy are those who profit by this advice, and
more happy those who maintain, in some form
this spirit through the S64 days which intervene
before another such time returns