Evening star., 1939-12-24
Hoory Legends Contribute
Celebration of Christmas
Trees, Sontu Claus and Even Mince Pies
Have Roots in Centuries Gone
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
A rich heritage Of legend, custom
and delightful superstition about the
Christmas festival has grown up
through the ages since Luke, "the
beloved physician" of Antioch, be-
came historian of the first Christ
mas.
Still prevalent in remote parts of
England, France, Italy and Spain
is the belief that on Christmas Eve
bees sing, cattle kneel in stable
managers and grazing sheep form
in a procession in commemoration
Of the visit of the angels to the
shepherds on the plain of Bethle-
hem.
Particularly appealing is the story
which tells of the Star of Bethle-
hem falling to the ground In myriad
pieces after having fulfilled its mis-
sion of having brought the Wise
Men to the manger cradle where the
newborn Prince of Peace lay.
The morning after the departure
of the Magii, Joseph rose before it
was dawn. AS he looked about in
the early morning light, it seemed
to him as if the sky had fallen to
the earth, or was reflected upon the
ground, for all around him were
thousands upon thousands of
f1owerlike twinkling stars. From
this legend, the little four-pointed
white flower familiarly known as
Star of Bethlehem" undoubtedly
derives its name.
May Prompt Use of Greens.
From this story there may also
come our present-day use of Christ
mas greens and berries, for there is
record of the comment of an Arab
geographer of the 10th century con-
corning the belief that trees and
flowers bloomed on Christmas Day
in commemoration of the nativity
of Christ.
Many have delighted in the be-
lief that when its mission was ended
the Star of Bethlehem passed into
the chancel of Holy Church. Some
times it is visibly represented there
as a symbol of this transmission
by small lamp Pickering in the
dusky silence of the holy place. In
not few instances, in very old
churches throughout the world, such
a light has not been allowed to go
out for generations in token that
the Epiphany star never sets.
Another beautiful legend is that
of listening for the knock of the
Christ Child at the door on Christ
mas Eve. AS the guardian of all
those who are in need, He wanders
abroad at this time, saying as of
old. "1nasmuch as ye do it unto one
of the least of these, We do it unto
Me"
Gives Reason to Mince Pies.
Even mlnce pies and plum pud-
dings, so inseparably linked with the
culinary aspects of Christmas, it is
supposed. commemorate in their
mixture of Oriental ingredients the
offerings made by the Wise Men
who came afar from the East fol-
lowing the wonderful, beautiful Star
of Bethlehem.
Even ecclesiastical authorities
agree that if around the Christian
festival of Christmas certain old
pagan customs have become incor-
porated, this is not unseemly, for it
was the habit of Him whose birth
day Christmas celebrates to take
that which was good in men and
mold it to higher uses
The earliest record of any cele-
bration of Christmas by the church
itself, it is thought. comes from
Bishop Clement of Alexandria, in
the latter part of the I'd century
and the early part of the 8.
The first hymn to the nativity, 1t
is believed, was written in the
4th century.
An old German lieder, or folk
lyric, dating back to the 11th CEN
tury. commentaries the visit of the
angels to the shepherds and opens
with these two stanzas:
May joy come from God above
To all those who Christmas love" "
Similarly, the name for the day
of the nativity in English dates from
the 18th century, when it was desig-
mated "Cristes Maesse" This same
religious designation appears in
Dutch as "Kerst Mise" and in
Latin as dies Natalis." Noel" the
French word for Christmas, is un-
doubtedly derived from the Latin
word "Natalis," meaning birthday
The Italians call Christmas day I'LL
Natalis" and the Germans "Weih-
nactfest."
The st. Nicholas Legend.
Santa Claus as the giver OF
Christmas presents undoubtedly
originated through the legend OF