Evening star., 1933-12-25

servances, when associated with the
memory OF His coming, were animated
with a new spirit, and what was
heathenish became rich with Chris
tian symbolism"
But for many generations after the
birth Of Christ had been adopted by
the Latin Church as a proper event to
celebrate, the peoples Of Northern Eu-
rope continued to keep the old pagan
festivals of the dying year, instituted
by their unknown ancestors. Both the
Germans and the Celts made much
of the solstice. The sun was supposed
to be a burning wheel and its return
was commemorated by the feast of
Yule, a word Of mysterious origin. the
oretically identified with December and
related to Swedish and Danish jul"
Anglo-Saxon "geol'' and Gothic jul
els; also with Icelandic "hjol." signi-
tying wheel" Chambers Book Of
ancient Christmas ceremony. trans
mlttcd TO Us from our Scandinavian
ancestors. who. at their feast of Juul,
huge bonflres in honor of their god
Thor" Harry Spencer Stuff In his
.'Rook of Holidays" offers the substi-
tute notion: The word .Yule' in con-
nection with Christmas, is said by one
historian to mean nothing except that
it means Christmas Another author
ity states that in early days 'Yule' had
the significance Of wheel or the turn
ing point of the seasons. To announce
the advent Of the seasons, at the OPEN
ing of each, wheel of wood aflame
would be allowed to roll down the hill
side at night. From this buring piece
of timber We trace the Yule log, not
only In this connection, but also be-
cause it was invariably so large that
it had to be wheeled to the fireplace
1t was considered an omen Of all-year
good luck to preserve a bit of the old
Yule log with which to start the blaze
of that to be used the succeeding
Christmas"
Relics of Ancient Times.
"The holly, the mistletoe. the Yule
log and the waSsail bowl" the Ameri-
cana declares. ARE relics of pre-
Christian times" But the Christmas
tree. the same authority notes. has
been traced back to the Romans" :"
Stuff believes 1t was the custom to
decorate all temples at festival time
with the green of field and forest.
But the evergreen tree has also the
church significance of The Tree of
Life: the candles The Light of the
World"
Martin Luther is supposed to have
been responsible for a revival of in
terest in Christmas trees. One Christ
mas eve. it is said, he was travelling
alone over the snow-covered country.
The scene through which he passed
so impressed him with its beauty Of
landscape and sky. its thousands Of
glittering stars. that on arriving home
he attempted to describe the glory Of
it all to his wife and children. But
words were inadequate for the need.
He simply could not reproduce the
picture in language. In a certain kind
Of desperation, he went out into his
garden, cut a small fir tree, dragged
it into the nursery and, setting it up
there, decorated 1t with burning
candles.
The modern custom of hanging gifts
on the Christmas tree is credited to
the Germans. Nelson's states: Father
Christmas or Santa Claus, who is sup
his reindeer sledge, laden with toys.
on Christmas eve, is identified with
st. Nicholas or Nicolaus, and also with
Knecht Rupprecht and Robin Good
fellow. Grimm notes that in some
parts of Germany Knecht Nicolas is
merely the attendant on the real gift
giver who is sometimes the infant
Christ and sometimes Dame Bertha,
though he Is frequently represented as
an ugly hunch-backed dwarf, called
Krampus, who carries off naughty chill
dren."
st. Nicholas Traced.
st. Nicholas himself is traced to the
patron Of Russia about 800 AID. He
was a bishop of Asia Minor, noted for
his charity to children. The term
Santa Claus" is variant of his proper
name.
The Christmas stocking custom has
been thought to have arisen from the
fact Of its convenience in the days be-
fore pockets were a universal phenom-
enon. A stocking is bag, and there
fore a likely place to deposit a small
gift or series Of gifts. Stuff says
stockings were not only very handy
as containers, but were the first articles
Of apparel put on upon arising"
Christmas bells and Christmas carols
and hymns are of obvious church ORR
gin. There was religious music long
before there was Christmas use for
such melody.
Christmas cards are an invention of
very recent times. The first used were
printed in London in 1846.
The most popular of all the festivals
of the Christian year. it is curiosity
of history that the customs of Christ
mas are Of folk rather than institu-
tional descent. With the spirit of
Christian fellowship to furnish lis mo-
tive power, its significance is that of
democracy. 1t Is a~people'S feast. The
very language of its observance demon
strates its essential character.
ROOSEVELT SENDS GIET