Yule-Tide in Many Lands

in old tim

at this bl

d C

al with great ceremony. In the time of the Celts it was principally a religious observance, but this big, broad-shouldered race added mirth to i

time during the twelve days preceding Yule-tide must buy the consecrated fire. The Druids also had a rather unique custom of sending their young men around

ing out through an opening in the thatched roof, or, if beaten by the wind, wandering among the beams above. The usually large family belonging to the house gathered in this big living-room. The table stretched along one side

d been roasted in isen pannas (iron pans) suspended from tripods out in the yard. Fingers were used instead of forks

d other vegetables, and their ort-geards produced raspberries, strawberries, plums, sweet and sour apples, and cod-apples, or quinces. The

was not pressing in those days, could well afford to spe

d these games are the same as our children play

ned into sockets along the sides of the hall. Then the makers, or bards as they came to be called in later days, sang of the gods and goddesses or of mar

as jollity beneath the mistletoe then as now, only then everybody believed in its magic powers. It was the sovereign remedy for all diseases,

homesteads, and the wall that formerly surrounded the home of the settler was extended to accommodate the new homes until there was a town within the enclosure. Yule within these homes was celebrated w

or silk, reached to the knees and were fastened at the waist by a girdle. Usually a short cloak was worn over the tunic. They bedecked them

rs. Their "abundant tresses," curled by means of hot irons, were confined by the richest head-rails. The more

cence of the Yule-tide observance may be said to hav

th well-dried

g up the ch

s kept with

roughout the week merry parties of young people were out in the woods gathering green boughs,

come our joy

ry man

ith yvie lea

post wit

It was of oak if possible, the oak being sacred to Thor, and was rolled int

e thou, he

orn on th

r whom we

ome

za is addresse

be ye tha

, and make

all, ano

ome

s considered unlucky to consume the entire log during Yule; if good luck was to attend that household

ed by t

e kept where

tmas log

is safely ke

mischief

grip him by the ear, his one weak point, and pin him down, his sharp teeth would often wound or even kill both the hunter and his dogs. The pluckier the animal the louder the praise sung in his honor when his head was brought into the hall. The great head, properly soused, was borne in on an immense salver by the "old blue-coated serving-man" on Christmas day. He was preceded by the trumpeters and followed by the mummers, and thus in state the

pread tail from the other; more often the bird was skinned, stuffed with herbs and sweet spices, roasted, and then put into its skin again, whe

single castle or on a baron's estate, preparations for the Yule feast-the great feast of the year-were necessarily on a large scal

Warwick had some

nger

k of Country

utter'd eggs, their

ench'd with amberg

ethers bruis'd

a single peacock

compared wit

, peers, and other nobles, who came to attend the marriage of Princess Margaret with Alexander, King of the Scots. He was generously assisted

d tuns of wine were consumed. This monarch was accustomed to providing for a large family, as he kept

tournament; beautiful artificial gardens were arranged out of which came the fantastically dressed dancers. The Morris (Moresque) Dance came into vogue in England during the reign of Henry VII, and long continued to be a favorite

eat magnificence at Hampton Court where plays written f

sports, the

up after Fox

s which is also the supposed source of the bumper. According to good authority the word bumper came from the grace-cup which Roman Catholics drank

tful year. In olden times one of the favorite gifts received from tenants was an orange stuck with cloves

or quantity was not satisfactory, the givers were unceremoniously informed of the fact. In 1561 she received at Yule a present of a pair of black silk stockings knit by one of her maids, and never after woul

red design-a spray of holly, a flower, or a bit of mistletoe-and the compliments of the day. Joseph Crandall was the first publisher. Only about one thousand were sold

hbors no longer gathered in the hall on Christmas morning to partake freely of the ale, blackjacks, cheese, toast, sugar, and nutmeg. If they sang at all, it was one of the pious hymns considered suitable-and sufficiently doleful-for the occasion. O

to whether this was a big

lly, on December 24, 1652, Parliament ordered "That no observance shall be had of the five and twentieth day of Decem

rewell to the Christmas Prince who used to rule over Christmas festivities at Whitehall, and whose short reign was always one of rare pleasure and splendor. He and other rulers of pastimes were dethroned and banished fr

is now a time of family reunions and social gatherings. Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Islands each retain a few of their own peculiar customs, but they are not observed to any extent. In Ireland-or at least in some parts-t

st of Yule-tides, certainly the merriest during those

stmas and a h

f money and your ce

regarding New Year's Day in England, for "If the morning b

ass grows

worse for 't

pened the Bible on this morning. If the first visitor chanced to be a fem

he first pitcherful of water, supposed to possess remarkable virtues. Modern plumbing and city water-pipes have done away with the

y felt as to how the wind

s Eve night w

eth warmth

milk, and fi

cold and stor

trees will be

, flee it ma

RISTM

time the fiel

nd valley

splendor, w

ows sail ath

or summer

istmas

s time the

lies the ba

ngly the tr

reenness on

dead and bi

istmas

s time we d

branches br

pine and hem

Yule-log's

tales of fie

istmas

s time we p

d fruit and v

laughter a

measure so

eneath the

istmas

Father o

lowliest cre

y joy to h

he sorrowing

o cease and

istmas

e heart be

child be g

y children gr

hut or ca

ch soul ke

istmas

NEW

r, with many bl

orth the kindl

ar! and may w

oble thought and

over, with its

ore us is un

it with the st

re, and we can

ried hopes tha

yet grow flowers,

urs, and it

ope afresh an

finite wisdom

ur dim eyes the

ailures, He ma

oken parts the

s some dear f

fore us to t

t, through tears,

orrows with Hi

s free from ca

will bring both

roubled seas lif

earth endure b

river of our

sky no cloud

ar the shadows

st of sunshine

ar! Oh, let u

faces turnin

which will have

ersevere an

Math