Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 35, Number 21, 28 November 1909 — Page 10

PAGE TWO.

THE RICHMOND PAL LADIC3I AND SUN-TELEGRAM, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1909.

Zke Omcmi Gf &m yjjjud iJiltr Borne popular

EW probably know Just how December 25th originally happened to be fixed aa Christmas Day. About 340 A. D. St. Cyril made careful Inquiry as to the date of the Birth of

Christ and reported December 25th aa the correct date. Pope Julius accepted this and soma yearr 1 iter established the festival at Borne on this date. Before the close of the century It was accepted by every nation in Christendom. The actual year of the Nativity is unknown, an A. it Is certain that the month and day c-V never he recovered. They were absolutely unknown to early fathers of the Church. Critics generally accept 4 B. C. as the probable year. There are only two known dates to work with. Herod the Great died 714 years after the founding: of Home, that is to say, he died 4 B. O as we know it. "Ve know that there was an eclipse Of the moon on March 12th, 4 B. C. on which night Herod ordered some Jewish Rabbis to be burnt for incitingtheir pupils to tear down the Golden Eagle. We also know that Herod was dead before the Passover, which took place on April 12th, 4 B. C. Christ therefore must have been born before February of the year 4 B. C. Tradition says that Xmas was first observed in 98 A. D., a d was ordered to be held as a solemn feast by Pope Telesphorus in 137 A. D. The first traces of its observance are found about 140 A. D. It is not known who first celebrated it, nor where, nor how. There is no record of any commemoration of it during the life of Christ, as the early Christians looked upon the celebrations of birthdays as heathenish, and even the celebration of the Lord Himself was not excepted.

The custom of making presents at Christmas was derived from the Romans, who made gifts to one another during the great winter festival, the Saturnalia. The early Christians made presents to their children on Christmas morning under the pretense that they had been dropped by the Christ child In passing over the house at night. The word "Santa Claus" is an English perversion of the Netherlands word "Sinter Klaas," meaning St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. The word Is also used to designate St. Nicholas Day, which in The Netherlands is celebrated on December 6th. The real St Nicholas, it is said, was the Bishop of Myra in Lycia, who died about 328 A. D. His personal history Is almost entirely unknown, but numerous legends show him to have been a most generous and kindly man. . In some parts of Germany it Is still a custom for some one to dress up as a bishop on St. Nicholas Eve and distribute presents to the children. The custom, however, is practically obsolete, St. Nicholas having been superseded by Santa Claus. Why Santa Claus is always represented as an old man no one knows. Some writers claim that it dates back to the Prlapus of Virgil and Petronius, who held in his capacious bosom all manner of fruits and dainties. It is more probable however that the Jolly, kindly character of Santa Claus is easier to show as an old man with white hair and beard and ruddy face. In some parts of Germany Santa Claus is called Pelsnlchol (Nicholas of the Purs) from the fur cap and coat which the impersonator wore and it seems to have been the custom for many years to associate Santa Claus with the North. It was formerly the custom to have some one

impersonate St -ia claus and distribute gifts to the children in person. Gradually this custom died out and the presents were left for them on the hearthstone. As the giver was no longer seen by the children, some explanation was necessary and the little ones were told that Santa Claus had come down the chimney, left their presents and departed the same way. Undoubtedly the poem "Twas the Night before Christmas," published in the United States in 1822, spread the myth enormously in English speaking countries. Originally children hung up thehstockings on St. Nicholas Eve (Dec. 6th). Toung women in convents all over Europe also placed their stockings at the door of the Abbess. This was an adaption of the custom of young women praying to St. Nicholas to provide them with good husbands and a marriage dowry. According to tradition, St. Nicholas once under cover of the night, threw three purses of gold Into the house of a nobleman who was unable to provide for his three daughters. The money was their dowry and enabled them to marry. Some claim that the shape of the purses of that day, which were much like stockings, gave rise to the custom of hanging the stockings, for St. Nicholas. Gradually the hanging up of stockings on St. Nicholas Eve ceased and the custom became incorporated into our Christmas festivities. Santa Claus' reindeer are supposed to have emanated from an old Spitsbergen legend. By this tale reindeer bearing certain marks were believed to come yearly from an unknown but Inhabited country of the far North. Reindeer, however, do not seem to be associated with Santa Claus In many

foreign countries, although the chimney myth exists there. In the Netherlands for example. Santa Claus rides a white horse. In the poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas," English names are given to six of the eight reindeer. The lighting of candles on the Christmas tree was undoubtedly a suggestion from the Jewish Feast of Lights, which comes about the same time as Christmas. It is likely that the lights were twinkling in every Jewish house in Bethehem and Nazareth at the very time of the Birth of Christ. This custom was probably merged into the Christmas celebration of the Christians. Other authorities claim that the candles are a survival of the huge Yule candle used as a sign of the Light that came into the world as prophesied by John the Baptist. Tule, or Yuul, was the name given by the ancient Goths and Saxons to their great festival of the winter solstice, or turning of the year, and the name has survived. The burning of the log was a very old Yuletime custom of the Scandinavians who, at the festival, kindled huge bon fires to the God Thor. Burning the log wan practiced in Scandinavia, England, Italy, some parts of France and Servla. The charred ashes were supposed to have magic powers. The plum pudding, originally known as the Christmas pudding, is said to be emblematical of the rich offerings made by the Wise Men to the Infant Christ in the stable at Bethlehem. Like the mince pie, it dates back to the early Christians. Both were considered a test of orthodoxy as the esculents were held in abomination by the Jews. The mince pie was formerly made in the shape of a cradle, emblematical of the manger in which Jesus laid.

The custom of using holly at Christmas time is of great antiquity and i believed to have come from the ancient pagan festivals. It was used at Christmas by the early Christians. According to tradition, holly is the bush in which Jehovah appeared to Moses. It grows in every country and there are over 150 varieties so that it flourishes in every climate. The mistletoe was connected with the heathen Saturnalia and was adopted into the Christian festivities. It was an object of special veneration by the ancient Druids, but only when it grew upon an oak tree. At the time of the winter solstice the Druids gathered the mistletoe with great ceremony and the people hung sprays of it over their doors as an offer of shelter to the gods of the forest during the cold season. It was first hung in the servants' hall in England, but soon Invaded the parlor and drawing room. The idea of kissing

under the mistletoe Is a relic of Scandinavian mythology. Lokl hated Balder, the Appolo of the North. Everything that springs from earth, fire, air and water had given its promise under oath not to hurt Balder except the mistletoe, which was deemed too insignificant to be asked. Lokl made an arrow of mistletoe which he gave to blind Hoder to shoot and which killed Balder, who was restored to life at the request of the gods. The mistletoe was then given to the Goddess of Love to keep and every one who passed under it received a kiss to show that it was the emblem of love, not of death.

A CHRISTMAS TOAST. Here's to our Christina, may it btnf us good cheer! May the joy of this Christmas reach all, far and near. May the message of Christmas to all hearts be clear; May it soothe every sorrow and dry every tear. May it bind closer to us each soul that is dear. And the spirit of Christmas last all through the year !

WAS LESE MftJESTE

Berlin, Nov. 27. Ten days imprisonment for keeping his hat on was tho punishment meted out to Hans Waclow, a tailor's apprentice of Schneidermuhl. The sentence would have been more severe a few years ago, before the law of "lese majeste" was modified into comparative gentleness. His crime was, that when at a festive gathering

someone called for three cheers for the Kaiser, Waclow failed to remove his hat. In the old days he might have been jailed for a year for this heinous crime.

Man's Wisdom. Maud Isn't the mau you are engaged to a speculator? Clara No. indeed: He's a financier. Maud How do you know? Clara He didn't buy the engagement ring uutil after I had accepted ttiin. Exchange.

PALLADIUM WANT ADS PAY.

Took Ne Stock In It. "Bod win is the most thoroughly optimistic fellow I ever met. You've noticed bis unfailing smile, haven't you? Well, bis wife tells me tbat be even smiles in his sleep." "Say. tbat ain't a smile. It's facial paralysis. New York Journal. A Feminine Butter. "And now. children. said the teacher, who had been talking about military fortifications, "can any of you tell me what Is a buttress? "Please, ma'am. cried little Willie, snapping bis fingers, "it's a uauny goat'" Philadelphia rress.

i

rart Folks

JEWELEY TE

To Early Shoppers Announcement We Start the Great Yuletide Campaign Or What Will Be Appropriate as Gift Thing? is Uppermost in Your Minds BUT WE HAVE SOLVED IT!

The diamond cutter, the gold smith, the cut glass manufacturer and the silver smith, the painter of china and the watch maker, as well as the manufacturers of artistic novelties in Jewelry, in Paris, London, Vienna, Berlin as well as the American manufacturers, have sent the Jenkins store this season the most exquisite articles especially designed for rich gifts. This great IMMaiy HDnspMy fairly sparkles and glistens with beauty and brilliancy a magnificent array of all that is rich, beautiful and artistic in gold, silver and diamond.

Diamonds The most precious of all stones ar: here in great abundance. The sparkle, the brilliancy of their exquisite beauty will fill the heart of any one with joy when presented with gift of all gifts. Our stock of these rare jeyels is the largest in Eastern Indiana. The collection is complete and at prices ranging from the very lowest possible, to those that run into the hundreds of dollar

This Question

Precious Stones The largest and most varied collection of precious stones in the whole state can be found here Pearls, Rubies, Diamonds, Topaz in fact almost any rare jewel can be found in this magnificent stock. Come here now, we are ready for you. See the display. You will wonder at the collection but it is here for you and at prices that cannot be duplicated anywhere, no matter where you go.

To Men what you know she would like for a Christmas gift

Jewelry, Sparkling Cut Glass, Handsome Cased Watches, Artistic Table Ware and the season's novelties in Art Jewelry. May we urge you to make selections now at your leisure, to be delivered when and where you may direct.

. . .How often- a5 ypu sit in your easy chair and dreamily watch the rings from your after dinner cigar, have you pictured in this sweet "magic of smoke me tnings She WOUld like for Christmas? Whether mother. Wife or Sweetheart, it is vnnr fondest hnne tn nratifv her pvp wkh and mnrp pcnpr.iallv at th

season of Glade Yuletide. If you visit this store we feel confident that whatever you may have pictured in your mind's eye that you know SHE would like for Christmas, that mind picture will be realized, no matter how rare a novelty.

See display in our windows. Watch the papers for our farther announcements of what to buy and where to buy the correct and appropriate gift things.

.JENHMS & COMPANY,

Jewelers and Diamond Merchants

726 HAIR STREET

' f JC r l IT t