The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-12-23
YULE-TIDE CUSTOMS
OF MANY N
Continued from first page)
ST. Nicholas

he did much to popularize it, but
the Christmas tree is believed to
have had it's origin in mytholog1-
cal times. In Germany, st. Mich
olas has a day set apart in his
honor, December 6. st. Nicholas,
Bishop of Myra, who died about
343 A. D., was noted for anony-
nous charities. 1t was once the
custom in Germany for a man to
personate st. Nicholas on st. Mich
olas Eve, and to inquire how the
children had behaved during the
year, who were deserving of the
presents, and who merited a touch
of the birch rods that he carried.
In some places, Knight Ruprecht
takes the place of St. Nicholas.
In Holland, Germany and more re-
Gently in other countries, the be-
nevolent saint is Familiarity known
as Santa Claus, and he is said to
have been introduced into Eng
land from America, where he had
been n~aturalized by early Dutch
settlers.
Various Legends
The hanging of the stocking as
a receptacle for gifts was account
ed for by a story that st. Nicholas
dropped a purse down a chimney,
which fell into a stocking hung
up to dry. In Norway Santa has
an assistant, Kris Kringle, while
in Switzerland, Father Christmas
is accompanied by his wife, st.
Lucy. who looks after little girls.
In Russia gifts are credited to the
Babusska, or Grandmother.
In France, Italy, Spain and other
Latin countries, the Praesepio or
Christmas Crib, is an important
feature of the Yuletide. The Praes-
| epic frequently includes the stable
and it's occupants, Mary, Joseph
and "the Bambino" or Holy Babe,
and the surroundings of Bethle-
hem.
Columbus entered the port of
Bahio, Hayti, on st. Nicholas day,
1892. and named the port Saint
Nicholas. The Santa Maria hav-
ing been wrecked, Columbus and
his men worked till dawn Christ
mas morning salvaging the wreck.
The day following he was Toasted
by Chief Guancanagari, who wore
a shirt and a pair of gloves given
him by Columbus, and a cOronet
of gold, though other chiefs were
clad in natures garb. Captain
John Smith of the Virginia Colony
spent his first Yuletide as a cap
tive among the Powhatan Indians.
In after years the Jamestown set
tiers were to become noted for
their hospitality at Christmas-time.
Puritans Oppose Observance
The Puritans arrived at Ply
mouth in December, 1920. Accord
ing to the journal of William
Bradford, "ye 25 day (Dec.) they
begane to erects We first house for
somone use to receive them and
their goods" Thus, although the
Puritan leaders avoids the word
Christmas, it appears that home
building in the colony began on
that day. The Puritans seem to
have had a happy Christmas din
ner IN board the Mayflower, and
that was the last for many years,
as an observance of the day was
frowned upon. Little by little,
Christmas as a holiday was again
brought into favor, but it was as
late af 1856, while Nathaniel P.
Banks was governor, that the day
was made a legal holiday in the
state of Massachusetts.
The good Dutch Fathers sailed
for the New World with the i'm
age of st. Nicholas for a figure
head on their vessel. They nam
ed the first church they built for
st. Nicholas and because he be-
came the patron saint of the new
city on Manhattan Island. Thanks
to these sturdy old Dutchmen, the
many delightful customs of Christ
mas observance were preserved to
posterity.
Yuletide has been singularly
connected with important events
the history of the United
States. On Christmas night, 1776,
Washington crossed the Delaware
capture nearly a thousand Hes
snans at their Christmas revel-
les. A few days later, on Deem
Der 80, Congress resolved to send
commissioners to the courts OF
europe, and the Yuletide achieve
nents of the colonial army were
declared by Friedrich the Great to
,e "the most brilliant of any re-
corded in the annals of military
The year following was
|. gloomy Yuletide, for the Amer
can forces lay encamped at Val
ey Forge. Christmas Eve, 1888, ;
Washington laid aside forever his 4,
military uniform. Martha Wash
ngton held her first public recep-
ion in the Executive Mansion on !
christmas Eve, and at Yuletide a
years later, the country was
nourning the death OF Washing !
on. January 1, 1863, Lincoln is
ued the Proclamation OF Emancl- '
'ation, and on Dec. %, 1868, the !
reclamation of unconditional
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