The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-12-06

The word Christmas
is "Cristes Maesse." the Mass of
Christ first found in 1898. and
"Cristes-messe" in 1131 In Dutch it is "Kerst-
misse 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 told that the pagan countries of the
world held festivals before the birth of Christ
and that Christianity spread the early church
sought to replace these pagan festivals with
Christmas festival. The old pagan nations of
tiquty had tendency to worship the sun as the
giver of light and life. These festivals took place
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
kndled to Odin and Thor and sacrifices of men
and cattle made. The ancient Goths and
Saxons called this festival Yue. which is pre-
served today in the Scottish word for Christmas
The early Teutons celebrated by decorating giant
fir trees celestial trees. The lights repre-
sented the flashes of lightning overhead; the gol
den apples. nuts and balls symbozed the sum-
the moon and the stars, while animals hung In
the branches were as sacrifices
1t is related that Christmas not among the
early festivals of the church. The first evidence
of the feast, according to church historians, is
from Egypt. And December % not the day
celebrated with any uniformity In the early days
of the church. The celebration of December %
spread to parts of the East in the fourth and
fifth centuries. At Rome the Nativity cele-
brated December % before 354; in the East, at
ConstantinOple, not before 379.
AS Christianity suppanted paganism. many Of
the old customs 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 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
1643 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 1850.
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
wegan makes much of hospitality On Christ
mas day, II 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 1t 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 is fastened to pole and placed
in the garden. This is done in order that the
birds may not be without their snare OF the en-
joyment.
Another beautiful custom in Scandinavia Is
that of placing in 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 edifice has other light than that fur
nj he'd the candles. 1t makes pretty
effect to 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 spread with all sorts or good
things and the lights are left burning the entire
night This is done in order that the Virgin and
the angels will find something to eat when they
pass
Some of the superstftions are very quaint ana
beautiful One existing in some parts of Poland
and elsewhere is that on the night before Christi
mas the heavens open and the scene or 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 stum-
BILE in passing through the village
In Bulgarian they have n curious custom No
one will, If it can possibly be avoided, cross
strange threshold this day. 1t was an early
custom among these people to put corn in the
stockings. The hend of the family would sprinkle
some in front of the door. saying. "Chris is bOrn,
and 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
iIy for the house. the cattle and for the crops.
brand was saved from the fire and placed in the
notch of n tree. that assuring them of plentiful
l,arvests for the coming year.
A maiden in Suabia, in order to know some
thing oe the appearance of her future husband
would draw from bundle of sticks; If 1t
we're short he would be short; If 1t were long.
he would he tall; If it were crooked-and so on