New Britain herald., 1924-12-23
AT YOUR LIBRARY

wrapping and sending which flll this week, to say nothing of crowds. Sal. vation Army bells, and gorgeous Santas you are made quite intensely aware of the fundamental upheayaI which ChriStmas creates in our eco- i homie life.
 Perhaps you hadn't realized quite what an old festival 1t is and how deep and varied It's influence has been upon books and in art. This is brought home rather sharply in books telling of the origin Of our best loved Christmas traditions. For instance in origins Of popular super stitions and customs by Knowlson we are told that the celebration of 1 Christmas dates from the fourth cen 1 tury and was q hybrid of old Greek and Roman customs and those Of i the Druids as well as Of the Chris i tian church. Probably the adoption i of most of the customs followed the course of the use of mistletoe which was first condemned as hcathonish and then became an essential part 1 Of folklore. There are also curious explanations Of the symbolism of different ornaments used on the | Christmas tree.
 Christmas In heart and home by Traut is quaint old book with curious old fashioned sounding maxms on the proper department of children and yet more archaic H. 1 lustratlons. It's discussion Of origi,sI of customs Is quite Illuminating how ever.
 There are also very fascinating l pictures of the varying folk GUS toms of Christmas tide both as sob erly discussed in books of reference and as reflected in our best loved stories. Who could forget for in- stance the picture Of a real Christ mas in Merrie Old England as given i in lrVing's Sketch book? And was ! there ever a Christmas more real than the one Scrooge almost missed. And to turn to more recent things one finds a very beautiful sketch of 1 Christmas In the old Moravian set l tIement of Salem. N. C., in Winfred Kirkland's book. Where the Star ] Still Shines. The influence of Ger man folklore Is very strong and the simplicity of their celebration makes 1t particularly impressive.
 About as unusual a thing as one could find is Christmas Mummings in Jamaica by Beckwith. The curious, | barbaric ritual which probably had a | Christian origin at some time is made very real and many of their songs are reproduced. The whole thing has an exotic flavor and con trasts cautiously with our festivities and carols.
 Speaking of carols, of course we l have collections of them and of Christmas poetry and pieces" too Probably Christmas by Schauftler is as convenient collection as is to be found of material for use in Christ mas programs. The Book Of Chritt- mas edited by Mabie Is of the same l type and in equal demand.
 Plays and pageants based on the Christmas story and the Christmas spirit are innumora ble and exceed irgly effective. Short stories suci as the Other Wise Man by Van Dyke may often be read as part of q pro- gram. The other wise man you ! will remember was a fourth Of the ] Magi who started 10 worship at thC cradle of the young child but was delayed 10 do good deed and though he spent his life in the quest saw the Christ only in q rewar1ing vision at the end of his life. Although few of the beautiful representations of the Madonna arc familiar to all of us 1t is rather q surprise to find how very many treat ments there are of the Christmas story by great artists. The Madonna In Art by Estclle nurIl collects q great many of these and shows the development of the conception from one artistic epoch to the next and the national tinge present in all oi thom.
 Christmas in Art by Kerpcl gives a great deal Of interesting material both about the illustration Of the Christmas story itself and of ifs cele- bration in different ages and under different circumstances.
 Then ot course th"rc are a num- Der Of books about the representa- ton Of Christ in art which include scenes at the Nativity The most beautifully illustrated of these is Gospels in Art which has a great number of plates reproducing well known paintings and others moro ob- scure.
 For discussion Of the differences in artistic treatment Christ in Art by J. L. French is particularly good Farrar gives a little different point of view in his Life of Christ As Rep resented in Art.
 Probably the greatest authority on Bible Illustration AS an exact art is I 'Tissot. the French artist. Tho IT, brary owns beautiful set of four volumes containing Illustrations in color showing every phase of ChriSt's life.
 During thc centuries which h0H' elapsed since the time Of Christ riany legends have grown up to sup pOoment tho lar" outline of the story as given in the Gospels. Mrs. Jamo- sen has Co'.cct"d a. great maov oi thoso in her Legends of tho Madon- na which includes both storIes and explanation Of the symbolism Of religious ant
 Mrs, MoyurlI has a vory hoau'i- frl little hook called Mary Inc Mothcr ot Jesus which [, produces in color some of inc most beautiful representations and gives somo Of tho lpraudS