Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-12-17
ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS
FIRST CELEBRATION WAS HELD
IN THE YEAR 90.
Forty Years Later Before Il Was orr
cialiy Adopted as Christian
Festival.

n HRISTAAS was first celebrated
" In the year IS, observes q writer,
but it was 10 years later before
81 was officially adopted as a Chris.
tian festival; nor was it until about
the Fifth century that the day of It's
celebration became permanently fixed
OBJ December %. Up to that time il
had been irregularly observed at yari-
Gus times of the year--iu December,
In April and in May, but most fire.
quently in January.
In Rome the Saturnalis. or feast Of
Saturn, fell at about the same time as
our Christmas and It marked the
greatest festival Of the Roman year.
The city abandoned itself 10 gayetv.
Universal mirth was the order of the
day; friends Toasted friends and foes
were recontled. All social distinctions
were laid aside. Work was stopped
aud no war was ever entered upon at
that time.
one by one other legends and Gus.
toms have been disproved and over
thrown. yet none has dared attack the
legends and the customs sacred to
Christmastide. II remains with US,
and will always remain. Christmas
marks the winter solstlee. The DAVIS
begin TO lengthen, and the sun no
longer Journeys away from the earth.
Dat enters upon its return. 1t is a
promise Of renewed light and warmth
Of the approach Of summer. and men
nailed these signs with every express
sion Of gladness.
When Christianity spread abroad
inen adapted the old customs Of their
ancestors to the new order Of things.
The word Yuletide used TO give
pie Mresque, oldtime flavor 10 the
On 'Stmas idea, comes from Yule an
old h4me for Christmas. The term
springs from an English word used 70
designate the two months of Deem
her and January, one Of which WAS
called the former Yule," the other
the after Yule," There is legend
which relates that il was the custom
years ago for every Saxon household
10 burn the Nule log on Christmas
eFe. This was a great gnarled root or
Tree trunk. cut the day before Christ
mas and brought into the hall ON
Christmas eve with great ceremony
and accompanied by music Each
member OF The household would sing
n fu'e song standing on the center Of
The log
la Germany and other European
countries Ii was believed by the chill.
dfen that The Christmas tree glitter.
lh- With candles and brightness. and
the gifts found beneath the tree wera
the work Of jolly old 81. Nicholas or
Santa Claus. AS We know him This
kindly saint WAS no legendary char
aejer He lived about 500 A. D. and
was a noted bishop Of Asia Minor Ha
was looked upon as patron salnt NJ
generosity because of his liberality
The Idea Of St Nicholas travelling IN
a sleigh drawn by reindeer originstaa
IN tie cold northern countries Tha
reindeer were the Swiftest animals
SHOWN and they must needs fy lika
the wind to carry st. Nick the roun4s
OF The world In one night.
Almost as important as the gift Civ
Ing and gift receiving on Christina.
aay is the feast OF daintles spread on
mat occasion, But even the Chris.
mas dinner has It's origin in the dim
distant past Feasts were always the
accompaniment. Of any festival In
Egypt n the winter solstice every
family Killed and ATE goose as = "a
heiouS observance. We preserve the
custom Of eating fowl on Christmas
bur the tcothsome turkey has more
generally supplanted the goose.