The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-12-21
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS
FROM MANY LANDS
For Long Time, a Blending of
Pagan Rites and Christian
Festival. - Supt. Browning
Tells School About Origin of
Christmas Customs.

During the past few days Supt
Browning has given the school chill.
dren an interesting talk on the
"Origin of Our Present Day Christ
mas Customs" which contains so
many interesting facts about Christ.
mas-not generally know-that we
reproduce it in full for the benefit
of our readers. It is as follows:
Our Christmas customs were fol
a long time, a blending of Pagan
rites and Christian festival.
There were so many gay and
happy festivals in honor of the
gods, which people of early times
could not be induced to give up for
the sterner truths of the religion OF
Christ, that the Christians wisely
grated them into their religion,
Both our Christmas and New Year
customs originated in this way.
At the winter. solstice, about
December 22nd, when the sur had
reached mis- farthest point south, and
was ready to return northward,
bringing new life, the people of
southern Europes especially Italy,
made a festival in honor of Saturn.
He was the first who taught hus-
bandry, and during his reign, which
is called the cage of Gold," every
one had his own field, lived by the
work of his town hand, and kept no
slaves. The feat of Saturn was
celebrated after his death. For a
few days during the festival, all
slaves were freed, slavery having
sprung up in the meantime. The
slaves were allowed to sit at the
table with their masters, to be wait
ed upon, and to have all sorts OF
wild sports and merriment.
When the feast of Saturn was
merged into Christmas, it is easy
to see how this custom came along
with the rest, ever SO late as our
own time. During the feast OF
Saturn, which is called the Satur-
MALTA, evergreen trees were decked
with all the beautiful fruits of Italy,
as a herald of the coming bounties
of the returning spring. From this
came our Christmas tree, which GUS
tom, we are astonished to find the
British books say, is nc older to the
English speaking children than "our
own good Prince Albert's Time We
have added all sorts of gifts to the
fruits.
The ~fre-tree, only, should be used
for a Christmas tree, because, in
the Garden of Eden, before the fall
of Adam, it was the Tree OF Life,
When Eve ate of it, the leaves shrl-
veled up, so the legend says, and
split apart, becoming the sharp
needle-like spines they now are; the
tree ceased to bear fruit, and lost
its fragrance. On the coming Oh
Christ. "The New Tree of Life" II
was resorted to its place OF honor
and the delicate woody smell OF the
tree, now recalls the legend.
Our idea of Santa Claus coming
down the chimney, originated from
the common custom the ancient
Latins had of building huge fires and
and gathering round the hearth
while the goddess of homes and
plenty came down through the roar
ing flames to Whisper words of
peace, plenty and comfort to all
Little by little the eight tiny rein.
deer and the load of presents have
beer brought into this custom.
From the Druids, we have borrow
ed the use of mistletoes. To them
it meant an everlasting lfe,-not
existing of itself, but kept alive by
some unknown power. AS mistle'
toe will grow on a tree ever after
the tree dies, they had good proof
of their belief.
The early Christians transplantet
it into our religion to mean that
Christ is the ''True Tree of Everlast
ing Life" In England mistletoe i
cultivated especially for Christmas
uses. It grows mostly on appl
trees. In our own Sunny South
it grows on every kind of deciduou'
tree and bush. Along the Pear
River, the top of ive-oaks ar
fairly loaded with it. 1t is a para
site growing out of the bark of it
foster mother. 1t is very scare
now in the north, a heavy frost dur
ing the war of the Rebellion havini
killed nearly al of it.
The use of holly came after tn
death of Christ. The sharp spine