The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-12-20

eak known - inc Tx
Dance enc Of the meat an
Gent % all ceremonial dances.
II Was offered 20 Essta. god
dess Of spring. many centuries
before the resurrection. n
WAS introduced 70 the Anglo
Saxcns In the ninth century.
nj which time there wss hut
vague boundary between the
secular and the sacred.
At the end Of the year there
were popular festivities all over
the world. The Romans had the
Saturnalia; the Athenians, their
sacred ploughings. The Persisns
opened the new year with festivi-
ties and the Druids chose that time
To march in solemnity to gather
the mistletoe from the sacred oak.
All the people were invited To join
the procession saying. The New
Year is at hand: let us gather the
mistletoe."
Thus Christians, by celebrst-
ing Christmas on Dec. IS. at
fached u To n holiday time
that had pagan Significance.
Because Of this pagan influ-
ence the old Christmas carol
docs not meet the accepted
hea Of . Christmas carol but
are full Of expressions Of good
cheer with legendary embell-
ishments.
Among these examples are The
Cherry Tree" Here We Go Was
sailing" The Bears Head In
Hand | Bring" The Holly and the
Ivy" etc. The 'yule log" as
socisted with the Christmas sea
son. also Ia q remnant Of those
bsrbsric days when our ancestors
lived and worshiped in the open.
The first Christmas carol was
Gloria in Excelsis." the angels
song. In that century Clement,
believed TO be the person men,
toned by Paul in his epistle to the
Philippians. said Brethren. keep
diligently feast days and truly In
the first place the day of our
Christ's birth"
In the same period Telesphorus.
bishop of Rome, instituted the GUS
tom of celebrating the Nativity
with song and advised ''in them
sing solemnly the angels hymn.
Gloria in Excelsis'."
With this background the carol
became adopted by Europeans as
an expression of JOY at Christmas,
While the French and Italians
gave us the word, carol singing is
an English custom.
Britons look upon their carols as
carrying the history Of
their early days even more
so than the folk songs, for the
folk song usually Is local, each
county having its own traditional
songs.
There are still some manu-
scripts Of these old songs In
existence. The oldest one,
though only put on paper IN
the fourteenth century, IL In
the British museum, or II was
there the last time ! visited
the museum. II II written in
French and IL descriptive of
the nativity.
History records little OF the
early centuries but the carols and
folk songs tell the story Of the
and traditions of the ma
tons. They had a certain SINGER
ity 1.-THE savage. it is said. was
always sincere) and fascination
and a wonderful something that
has made them live.
6s carly a. A<bNHfl AAftlt tdTbi
singers paraded the streets and
the custom, especially in England.
has been continued. Many who
have come from over there recall
being awakened in the still night
by the sweet sounds OF "Adeste
Fidelis," "Hark the Herald Angels
Sing" Noel" etc.
The carols have influenced
Christmas music of all nations.
Many masses have been based on
them, but their greatest value lies
in the opportunity they bring for
the outburst of JOY by old and
young = though il may be said
that there IL no old" when sing
ing carols. Under their inspira-
ton we all feel the return Of
youth.
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