Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-24

snfuiiNh nknt hthA'h u N'tAH'' az N'N'
window. More than that we are so-
Ine back 20 those wise men who left |
Al when they saw Ills star In the |
n.a.t and came 10 worship Him.
ltgand In his Popular Antiquities !
shows us one picture OF Christmas /
,andlcs Ia old England years ago.
christmas Day, In the primitive
shurch, was always observed as the
sabbath day and like that preceded
hv an cVc or wish. Hence our present
christmas Eve ON the night Of this
eve our ancestors were wont 10 light
candles of an uncommon size, called
christmas candles. and lay log of
wood upon the nrc, called Nulc log
cr christmas block 10 illuminate the
house. and as it were, turn night 10
dsy." In Austria the candles glowod
Boa The windows 90 light the little
christ child ON Ills way. In Northern
,iormany ON Christmas Eve tables
Nvtr spread aud candles lighted so
that the Nlrgin-Mother and her at
iondant angel would nnd food and
shelter as they passed. Farther back
,ocs tho story Of the lights unu
We see the Jewish tabcrnaclos which
were nblazc with candles 90 celebrate
fcnst when tho child came.
We deck our house with earlands
for the great festival. Whence came
the custom we cannot say with GER
taintN. We know that the Druids
from whom our British ancestors took
many quaint and curious customs
huns their houses with evergreen
huughs 80 that the sylvan sprites
nlrhl hide there and find protection
from The bitter winter cold. The
snrlent Romans carried garlands and
branches 90 celebrate the saturnalia.
which fell ni this time. and nearer
the dawn ~ history we find the
Nsyr,isns hanging branches az date
palms in their temples In honor OF
al, winter solstice. Tho mistlotoo.
ns sacred Druid plant, would
naturally be included. but as the
. .nurch fathers pronounced Il unholy,
A. vas never permitted IN church
decorations. Eerides A. Irving nsively
observes. tho sight of - In church
Nonia set the maids 90 reading the
marriage service IN the PRAYER book
and take their mind. on sacred sub
3ceis
rhaf our three favoriic oversreens
have had Ions established favor In
GREAT Britain Is proved by the couplei
from GAYS Trivia"
rNow with bright holly al the temples
sfrow
With laurel green and sacred mistle-
toe"
The Christmas Tree.
AZ FOR the Christmas tree, legand'
49, rifc as 20 iis origin. The Scanda-
nnNlan countries tell OF a tree thai
grew from the blcod-drenched soi
~h.r. two lovers were slain, which
allowed with mysterious rnauenchabl'
lights near Christmas. Wolfram vor
ll.chcnbach. tho minstrel, sang of tn
old custom of welcoming guests viii
branches decorated with lighted can
dies. other ieRsnds attribute ~
origin 90 Martin Luther, and other
81 wiufrid. Henry Van Dykes 9Th
i'l-s, Christmas Tree tells how TN
fearless missionary felled the gian
ahund.r onk and found behind IL 4
slondcr nr tree. which he badc IN
people use as their symbol OF Christ
mas.
History trnces the tree no fsrthe
than ICES in Strassburp. The Ger
imam husband of Queen Victoria intro
aiccd the tree into England, although
old records show that Henry VIII. ha
ue.d tree very similarly decorated
pur chrivtinas fcasis are sanctione
ilN legend and history. Who does nc
know of IN. British Christmas feast
innnortaiizcd by Irving? These pro
diNluus meals were outgrowths OF th
llonsn fensts a. the Ssturnalia AN
"a. Druid observance OF the wints
sols,ice. IN SIS King Alfred hol
such high rovclry on Christmas tina
HE encinics cRmc upon him and neai
ly uVorpowerd his fcasting soldier
Tho British custom OF bearing IN m
l,oern head is lost la this country, an
only IN pantomimes do we see th
smiling cook bearing aloft the gre.
head. while he chants the ancier
fh,ms. commencing:
''rh. borcs hos,dc in hande bring /
With sarlands gay and rosemary.
The plum pudding and mince y
have survived stern Puritan deere,
and ARE still popular. A quaint cor
ceit is expressed by writer in "a
"0cnti~rnsns Magazine for IT'S.
'Msy not the minced pyc, a compour
of the choicest productions of n
last. have la Wow the offerings maf
hN the Wise Men who camo from AT
to worship. bringing spicos2'
Tho carols 30 bach 10 the early da,
of the church when bishops were a
,nriOmed 10 sing carols among n
clergy on Christmas Day. The woi
',ntol" comes. probably from q
Latin caniafc, 80 sing" and "roli
al exclamation OF SOY. The watts
Alcrric England who sang for Joy b
fore the great house Of the SOUR
were followers afar on oi the angs
who ssns the first "Glol.a In Exoelsl
to the shepherds.
Presentation Of Gifts.
Git distribution has a dual orig
sone at,rihgting Il 20 the Wise Mer
offering of gold. franhincense. al
m,-rrh and others 10 the pa.an ca
toms of the Saturnalla and Dr0ie
celebrations. Tho tracing Of Chris
rnas customs 10 pagan origins los
none ~ the charm of Christina
rather d adds to the Significance 81 d
co origin of christmas customs Z.
~, that Il can transform and b.l'