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-r Ö* ■w ■ ^ ,, Oi *#*1! j A1 Wr -p r ». I ' • ? 1 I f m mi, f? - .ve * ir ■M r/ c » « ■ ^fRj : .,&■ .» t U. * ■1 'SLï' À Jl -i . O .7- v r' \W^ 1 PS to., * Us * : Lm L ^ ill .*. r w K Ail-ici 72Jr ja JRgrsJ J>oJi JHövtsse / * , . v : > -* '■ * 'Zs , ; M *■ W : *i U B tîrîT /ü uni i» Oxe/or > bu/* rf;.; jfeioi : >; ■ . mr a 1 w i î the Cbrteimns Iha&J Arrfy*e If o ÜT of the distant past comes a whispered greeting that warms the heart of humanity. Merry Christmas! It echoes and re echoes back across the long ages. It throbs through the generations of Ute. while king doms rise and foil, while men and nations move like checkers on a checkerboard. Merry Christmas! It stirs the heart like eome beautiful old memory. It quickens the pulse like a passionate violin. We forget to play at grownup, and In a moment we are all children again. "Of all the old festivals," says Washington Irving, "that of Christmas awakens the strongest and most heartfelt associations. There is a tone of solemn and sacred feeling that blends with our conviviality, and lifts the spirit to a state of hallowed and elevated enjoyment." From the early centuries of Christianity the anniversary of the birth of Christ has been cele brated. It Is called "Christmas" because In early England the festival was called "Christesmeese," which means "Christ's mass." At first the time of the festival varied in different places. Some churches observed it In December, others in Jan uary. April, May. There ia no historical record as to the exact birth date of Christ. It seeme pos sible. says Lillian Elchler In her "Custom of Mankind," that December 25 was established as the festival day because It marked the beginning of the great winter festival when Britons, Ger mans, and Ganls made merry in pagan fashion. Christmas replaced these old pagan festivities, the customs of the old blending into the customs »«M sy m be hr et tkm other. , £ The celebration of December 25. as Chrisemal. spread to varions parts of the Christian world. Later, as the festival spread, differences to date occurred owing to differences in calendar. But the general belief prevailed that Christ was born • "at the hour of midnight on Christmas eve." Many of our popular holidays appear to have been nature festivals at one time. Easter and May day were very likely spring festivals; Hal loween, an autumn festival, Christmas was originally a festival of the win ter solstice. At this period St the year It was customary to bold great feasts in honor ot the heathen gods, to dance and make merry. But the early teachers of Christianity prohibited these primitive festivities as nnsulted to the character of Christ . Yet the old festival was not discarded entirely. Its symbols and customs were adapted to the new festival In celebration of the anniversary of Christ's nativity. And so we find Christmas pat terned with many curious customs that are of pagan origin. The Yule log. the holly, and the mistletoe go ranch farther back Into antiquity than we suspect It is said that the first Christmas day festival held In Britain was celebrated by King Arthur In the city of York. A. D. 821. It lasted several days The new customs were grafted upon the old, and the new symbols were adaptation of old ones. The apfwelfd Instantly If 'Iff masses ; s tiny spark was fanned Into flame and it has bum» ) brightly throughout all these generations. By the early Middle ages, Christmas bad become the greatest of popular festivals. Beggar and king observed the day. Churches were decorated and qnalnt plays concerning the nativity were enacted. Carols were sang In the streets and Images of the Virgin and of Christ were carried about from boose to house. And. of course, there were feast ing find merrymaking, as there always are at a • festival time. '__ , . la Shakespeare's time the Christmas festivities were extremely dehors Sometimes they lasted until Twelfth day, or Bfcdphany—twelve days after Christmas. During this period there was no work et any kind. The people gave themaelvee over to I «wetlng and gay eefehration # la. The Puritans developed a keen distaste for the Cbtistmas festivities, and prevailed upon parlia ment to prohibit them, Christmas was declared a day of fast and festivities were prohibited by law. After the Restoration, however, the old observances cams back—somewhat subdued, but gay and festival as ever. The observance of the Christmas festival spread all over the Christian world. The- date Is not everywhere the same, nor are the customs iden tical. January 6 la the date observed In the Armenian church. The Dutch watch for St Nicholas on the eve of December 6. The French have their own particular Christmas observances ; the Germans have theirs. Bnt wherever and when ever Christmas is celebrated. It is a day of rejoic ing and good cheer. At one time the customs and observances that we associate with Cbriatmae had a very definite significance. Today they survive aa part of our social scheme. In America we have made of Christmas a peri od of great social activity. The .old customs of other lands, combined with tender memories of the first Christmases In this conntry, make of the holiday a rare interval of Joy and cheer which find expression la a setulsoclal, semi religious cele bration. Everybody wishes everybody else a merry Christmas, and even the echoes are glad ! The first Cjirletmases in America were not the gay festivities to which we are accustomed. They were days like all the rest, devoted to work and prayer. Governor Bradford wrote, "Ta 25th day begane to erect ye Ant house for comone use to receive them and their goods.'' A few years after this whs written the Otanfc of Rngtond «staoiîahed Çftriatœaa services in Barton. Our Christmas celebration carries threads from many lands. People coming here from France, England, Germany, Norway, Italy—all brought their own customs with them. Our Christmas tree and Santa Clans are Imported. Our carols and our stocking superstition came from across the ocean. Even ear "Merry Christmas" belongs to England. Tei oar Christmas fentlvtOee are Individual. American. They are like those of no one conntry. bat like a tapestry that bos been patterned with many beautiful threads, our festivities reflect tbe customs, beliefs, and superstitions of many and widely separated lands. JoUy old Santa Clans with* his tinkling sleigh bells and peck of toys Is very closely associated with tbe American Christmas. Our children bang up their stockings in high glee, fully believing that Santa will come down the chimney and fill them with good things, until, of coarse, they old enough to separate fact from Infancy, or until some cruel person shatters the beautiful belief. Santa come to America by way of Holland. Tho old Dutch settlers of New York brought with them ail the JAyous and hospitable observances of their fatherland. They Introduced to their neigh bors in the New world St Nicholas, or San Niçoises, patron saint of children. And San Nicolaas promptly grew a long white beard, belted tala Jovial stoutness in s red coat and made tale bow to America aa Santa Clans'! " England too, has Its Sants Clans. The name appears to be derived In slurred interpretation from San Nicolaas, tbe English for which would be St Nicholas. According to tbe popular myth, both here and Uf England. Santa Clans is supposed to swcwp down the chimney, and fill tbe stockings hanging before tbe fireplace with gifts. St Nicholas became everywhere tbe child's saint though tala personality underwent some striking changes as he traveled from country to country. In Holland he remained St. Nicholas, hut bis personality was modified by memories of Woden, god of the elements and the harvest. He became tbe patron saint of tbe children of France. although It la Bonbomtne Noel (Father Christmas. sometime« called Fere Noel) who brings the good things tor the children, la Germany the Christ ;vj /fi'j J&ojtvr klndlein is the patron saint of the children. From this German phrase tor Christ Child comes our synonym for Bants Claus— Kries Kringle. Among the Norwegians, the toys are hidden sway In unexpected places and the children search for them. In Italy tbs gifts are drawn from what is known as "The Urn of Fate' 1 This custom originated with the ancient Romans who had also an "Urn of Fate" from which gifts were drawn. In Spain there are elaborate street fes tivals at which the children receive giftk. This age-old custom of presenting the children with gifts wakes Christmas one of our most enjoyable festivals, in "Elisabeth and Her German Garden" the thought la beautifully exp reused For days beforehand, «vary tlms tba thraa babiaa rr go Into tbs nrdaa. they espoot to raset, the Christ Child with Hla arme full of glfta. They firmly be lieve that if to thus thslr pressais a f* byOMTOL' •ad I« to would ^e worth celebrating for Its sake atone. » sk s rUiln e hi«« Uhh CkrtoUase There is an ancient tradition In Holland that St Nicholas makes his rounds upon Woden's horse, Hlelpner. This famous old horse of Dutch mythology Is represented by the reindeer, whose hoofs our children are supposed to bear on Christ mas eve. According to the old tale, the children of Am sterdam set their little wooden shoes In tbe chim ney corners because they believed Sleipner would pass by unless be ésw them there. And St Nicholes would give no gifts anises he sew the little sh oes In e row by tbe chimney place and so knew that the children UNtfR'fhckfd sway In bed. Evidently some parents of long ago created the myth tor their own convenience; it spread quickly, as such things do, and gradually became on established custom. From Holland tbe custom spread to France, and children were taught to place their wooden shoes upon the hearth to receive the gifts of Bonhomme Noe! In Germany and Scandinavia the gib« are not placed In (be shoe, but hidden in out-of the wmy places shoot the house. The stocking» that the children of Eoglsnd sod the United Ffatc* hang np on Christmas eve de veloped from the shoe Shoes won't stretch, yon know, and stockings are so much more roomy! Thus the shoe of Amsterdam became tbe stocking ot New A nieterde», «ml the custom was estab Usbed. There existed In the east of Rassis, among the peasantry, so old custom whereby the young girl discovered through divination whom she would have as husband Tbe traditional formols, still prevalent, is. "Come sod take my stockings off." Among the professional classes, and some time» In the lenser nobility, parent« placed money Id the »tockiog» of their child—boy or girl—at marriage ss a gift for the other partner in the Some writers, prominently among ceremony. them Havelock Ellis, believe that tbe custom of hanging up the stocking at Christmas is s relic of the»* two customs from Rossis i. Barnaci «* Avoid Copper and Zinc' Experiments conducted In an Aroer ItM laboratory hate shown that ships hunt with tint* ' bottoms never got footed with barnacles, says a writer In Science, Metal plates were suspended in wooden frame In the sea water of pond With Strong tidal circulation, and aftér sfr weeks' snlunergeruw marine life was e^tuhliShed oA âomatôf them half an ln<*h thick,, . v**s*.;'-: - , Aluminum, iron, 'tin and lead, It was found. .. auKtalned JuxwWm» growth, hot tkye surfaces of the -cop per add nine plates were practically free..-,- ! * *'*■' •" The chemical'* expttinartdn : lies' la the fact that the Ions and soluble compounds of'the heavy metals are extremely poisonous. Where they are liberated from a metallic surface, such « surface te protected * from organic grow th. This is the case with sine and copper, but the products of marine corrosion with the four other metals are Insoluble; consequently the bnr ippries and their allies grow over ■MB \ Just say to your grocer Red Cross Ball Blue when buying bluing. You will be more than repaid by the re sults. Once tried always used.—Ad vertisement. Bern»* Life Made Public A colony of Italian hoes, about 40, 000 strong, has been Inatiflled In a glass observation hive In the Smith sonian Institution In Washington.. Within th« hive itself, thousands cun ha seen feeding the young, depositing honey, making wax, or themselves eat ing. In short, the exhibit presents sn example of one of the most perfect communal organisations known to na ture. "DANDELION BUTTER COLOR" A harmless vegetable batter color used by mil Ilona tyr A0 years. Drug stores and general stores sell bottles of "Dandelion" tor K cents.—Adv. Remembering Kindueee Forget each kindness done to others but remember each kindness received. It Is better to give than to receive, but it is best always to show appreciation. Gratitude marks a, person property disposed.—Grit. u. 4 Culticura far Pimply Faoss. To remove pimples hod blackheads smear them with Cuticun Ointment Waah off In five minutes with Coti nut Soup and hot water. Once clear keep your skin clear by using them for dally toilet purposes. Don't fail to In dude Coden» Talcum. Advertisement Swans by the Thousands Because of a ban on hunting swans In the past ten years, there are more than fifteen thousand swans la wa ters along the coast of Maryland, Vir ginia and North Carolina.-—Missouri Game and Fish News. For true blue, use Red Cross Ball Blue. Snowy-white dothee will bp sura to result. Try it and yon will al ways use it All good grocen bave It —Advertisement Winter Plan? "Will you Join our five hundred clubt" "Yes, but you'll be lucky to hold that many women together." /' I! . * ... ■■ ... oy.., /' a Ignorance Is too often positive. 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