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

Christ, first found in 1888, and
"C-ristes-messe" in 1191. In Dutch 1t is "Kerst-
MISE; in Latin, "Dies Natalis; - in Italian, I'll
natalie" and in German, "weinachtsfest." These
are, Of course, based on the Christian celebration
of Christmas as the birthday of Christ.
We are told that the pagan countries of the
world held festivals before the birth of Christ
and that as Christianity spread the early church
sought to replace these pagan festivals with
Christmas festival. The old pagan nations of an
tiquity had a tendency to worship the sun as the
giver of light and life. These festivals took place
near the winter solstice, the shortest day in the
year. This holiday was called Saturnalia by the
Romans and celebrated with great merriment.
Among the people of the north great fires were
kindled to Odin and Thor and sacrifices of men
and cattle were made. The ancient Goths and
Saxons called this festival Yule, which is pre-
served today in the Scottish word for Christmas.
The early Teutons celebrated by decorating giant
fir trees as celestial sun trees. The lights repre-
scented the flashes of lightning overhead the gol-
den apples, nuts and balls symbolized the sun,
the moon and the stars, while animals hung in
the branches were as sacrifices.
1t is related that Christmas was not among the
early festivals Of the church. The first evidence
of the feast, according to church historians, is
from Egypt. And December % was not the day
celebrated with any uniformity in the early days
of the church. The celebration of December 25
spread to most parts of the East In the fourth and
fifth centuries. At Rome the Nativity was cele-
brated Decembe 25 before 354; in the East, at
Constantinople, not before 379.
AS Christianity supplanted paganism, many of
the old customs were carried along to be handed
down through the ages. We have distinct evil
dences of Christmas celebration in "Merrie old
England in the Anglo-Saxon days of Alfred. The
holiday season then began December 16 and ended
January 6. With the rise of Puritanism the ex-
istence of Christmas for a time was threatened.
And this extended TO this country with those
Puritans who brought an anti-Christmas feeling to
New England.
BY degree of the Roundhead parliament In
1913 and the general court of Massachusetts In
1859, the observance of Christmas was officially
banned by England and the New England colon
lists. But the restoration Of English royalty
brought about the restoration of Christmas, and
in 1851 Massachusetts repealed the law of 1859.
And so Christmas has remained through the CEN
turtles and is celebrated now through the entire
civilized world.
Always, but particularly at Advent, the Nor
wegian makes much of hospitality. On Christ
mas day, If you were to call to see him, his first
courtesy would be to offer you a pipe of tobacco,
and at dinner, which is usually more simple than
that of other races, national hymns are sung be-
tween the courses.
In Sweden. where in truth It is evident that
cleanliness is next to godlineSs," the industrious
housewife has the entire house renovated for the
festival. Nor do they forget their annual friends,
for before they sit down to their own dinner a
sheaf Of corn is fastened to a pole and placed
in the garden. This is done in order that the
birds may not be without their share OF the en-
joyment.
Another beautiful custom in Scandinavia is
that of placing in a row a pair of shoes belonging
to each member of the household. This is done
on Christmas eve, and signifies that they will
live together In harmony for another year.
When Christmas comes in Germany the whole
family prepares to go to church. They form In
line, probably In the order of their ages, and.
armed with lighted candles, march to the service.
AS the edifce has no other light than that fur
nished by the candles, 1t makes q very pretty
effect to see them appearing one by one until they
have spread over the entire church. With this
service the season is supposed to begin. In every
house the tables are spread with all sorts of good
things, and the lights are left burning the entire
night. This is done in order that the Virgin and
the angels VIII find something to eat when they
pass.
Some of the superstitions are very quaint and
beautiful. One existing in some parts of Poland
and lsewhere is that on the night before Christ
mas the heavens open and the scene OF Jacobs
ladder is enacted, this, however, being visible only
TO saints.
Candles are put in the windows in certain parts
Of Austria, so that the Christ Child may not STUN
BILE in passing through the village. A.
In Bulgaria they have a curious custom. No
one will, II 1t can possibly be avoided, cross a
strange threshold on this day. 1t was an early
custom among these people to put corn In the
stockings. The head of the family would sprinkle
some in front of the door, saying, Christ is born"
ind the reply from the family was, HE Is, In
deed" More corn was then taken and put in the
fire. and wishes would then be made for the fam
fly, for the house. for the cattle and for the crops.
A brand was saved from the fire and placed In the
notch of @ tree, that assuring them Of plentiful
larvests for the coming year.
A maiden in Suabia, in order to know some
thing of the appearance of her future husband,
would draw one from a bundle of sticks; If 1t
were short, he would be short; If 1t were long,
he would be tall; If 1t were crooked-and so on.