Page Guardian Saturday. Dec. 24, 1955
Cherished Christmas Customs Were Pagan Rites
(By MaryiAnn Fitzgerald)
Christmas is here and everyone il busy putting up the Christmas tree. hanging the holly and mistle- toe and generally preparing tor the festivities which time has made inseparable from Christmas.
Curiously ennuith. many custom: we observe on the Iniiiversary of the birth of tiie Christ child are not of Christiiiii origin. Most are relics of pziguii rites and ceremon- ies which in ttie earl) days Christialiily church fathers sub- mitted to as ilt0Vil8bIc and so al- lowed many of the fesliil practices
of earlier belle! to filter into lIlt'iIl'8(Illit)lt late on tliii in-.t L'Ill'lSl'liIlIHIil Jesus. imas I-lie iihen the iiisc men ucrcyoid ysiy Nick
celebration of tlliristnias. in our lzinil ilie ('lirl.xtiii.-is (i'i'('
ure in the pagan celebration of the Roman Sattirnalia. which was IlCI(I during the winter solstice. the week before our Christmas. Actually the Christmas tree came to Enizland and this coun- try fi'oiii Germany where the "weiiiachhbaum" was held as a symbol of the tree of dealhlcss life. The custom passed to Eng- land ziftcr 1840, whcii Queen Hr- toria hail a tree. and value to Ain-
of'erii-ti zit the time at the German
imiiiicrzii ion. Tree Decorations
Acoriliiig to the old Gt-rniiiii
hurryiiip tii Bi-lhlclicni they sail
The eiiittnrn of klulu I60! I50 ni.....c...- sci. . to have originated front in Scandinavian myth which said that the lad must remove the berries one by one and give them to the maid. each time giving her I kiss. When all the berries were gone. the bouch lost its spell.
in line with the belief. it was siiiti that the lllziid who l'('L'qiVt:(I inc kisses would not IIl'di"l”Y that year.
The idea of giinig gifts at Christ- mas st-ems out-e again lu turn to the ltiunatis for its origin During their festivals they hung earthen boxes" lo receive t'uIlIi'ibulluilS. Lat- er. uriosts plziccd aliiis liuxcs ablliillti ships to be opened tit Christ- ma.-. Mass said for contributors. land so it bccoiiie known its a ”Ciii-istiiias Box". Gifts lH'l'E also exchanged in rciiiembruiii-c of the lifts of gold. lrankiiiciiiisc Milli St. Miiiiilzis (lroppc-ti a ptii'iL' of myrrh which the wise iiicn Irirc
dtlL'Ix'L'ii with moi-i-il lights and or- the llitllls III rm. .,iiu.P,(. H, ,m.l At-iiiiilly H mi-lakc iiu- riwr-its
nziiiii-iits aiiil itrliiniiiu iiilli slui-
84'lllP5. 15 lilll W1-'lT' 09 lIU"l'i”1”" Jcwisii ii-iist. Chziiiiikziti ll"casl tili iI.iL:ill.Nl
in the home In Latin l;iiitl- cciitlirics .'icii.
the evergrecii tins the cciitrul ing-
W.C.T.U. NOTES
Wliiii 5! wt in m irii-(lsliilfs hiip piiirus iimiim, mm iiiitl ialcnl is caused by Iltt'.fttH.3P alcohol. the gi'c:ilr-st of tliicirv
This Cllixtlti I'li'iI)ll,!1ii strniic rtrmk is stczirlily riiinini: tilll jiniiie people who thi'oiii.1li it low public ri-spcrt and their taste for the better tliinus of life hi-raiise their minds are
dulled by the use of liquor.
Let IIK ncier '.lLl?lT)' of our hieli enrleai-our to set tot-zh the value of total ah-ttinciii-e by teaching and by gi'ai-iinis example
"The Slrltl.'L'iP of the si-honl. the library, and the cliiiri-ll. all uilitctl. against the beer room is but one development of the var between heaven and hell."
You can neier drink I second Until you drink the first 80 try the Juice of fruit l't'I sure to quench your thirst.
I givea you vim and vigor
(llslaiicia lii tII)Sl'lWiillt'(” of tile eiery house had a flame I)lJl'lllnL1 in hoiiiir of the dziy To
the Wlstl lllL'll litzhis iippi-2ii'cd 2i.- a
symbol of the IJii'lil of Christ as-
did III? still and thus they ruiiic to he limit on thc trcc
(ttltrr iI't't' lII'('1ll'i'iIltIllx scciii to 'i:iir- lmik to Ilic lllth vi-niiii'y iilicii in Aiuilimii gi'ni.'i'aplici iii-rliirctl 'li.'it all tircx in the foii-.l Iilii-;.witi- lid and bore Il'Llll on ttir night of nativity and so today he hang Iruit anti ttl'll.'liIl(tIlIS on the branch cs as it xylllI)tli
'l'hi- iiixiiini nl ilcckiiig thc balls
with Iluli) alxn had its orli:.iii in thc nzlzzin trwtixal of Sattiriialia At that liliic lirzlticitcx of i't.'iiI)' believed to he an antidote for
poison and a protection against litzhtniiiu, ucre ext-hanged as good- will offering hi-liiecn barbarous European lYlI)Ps iibo hail little in i-oiiimon excriil their allegiance to the Roman iiiiipire.
Tile ivord hull) derived from the aiicii-nt Clislttlll of using sprigs to ilecorate churches at Christmas. thus giving it the name holy trees which later chaiigcd to holly tree. Under The Mistletoe - The most popular spot in any lflin-loving home during the season ii: 'neath the niistletoe bouigli. In ithe days of the Druids. mistletoe was held sacred and at the festival of the winter solstice it was cut with I golden knife. gathered with great ceremony and distributed so
KGGPS Yvlmg minds clear to think that everyone could hang it over
I! offered poison alcohol Say NO to that first drink.
--The Young Crusader.
iiittis
A. B.
slim
liili-llit:i'ii'
the door to seek favor viiih the wood nymphs who might take shelter from the cold.
IIII
Culciiiie
Fill: 'l'iti
t. tiit'ti'litl'1 wwlciiis aiii .17 jiintis ll tlXI)Plll'iltI' tiiixr 'll?tiliP(i A. R. t'iiirlifli-- tll"itIs0I1.i0 rciivw flw licirnxcrl of llmllytntzt't's1iritlsllilliliex Ml ftiiioreil ill'litliL;t'lll0lllS anrl in i)t'litiIllt liwni in it tiiziiiiiiw that hits lltin ii... ;.,,.
of pi-iiplc iill'ttlll.Zilt)lIi
ht” Ill-IS nlxi ll) x
. '....i'J-Kc---0-.i.-'..sc,i ..
Office Room
pi'iw-ialloii iiriil zippmxzil or it l.it'i.:t .lllllli)t'i'
the i)I't)Villt't'.
A. B. (futcliffe after doing lnisitiess in the coiinlrv for if) )'IltilN. i-nmn to ('h:ii'- lnttotrniii lT iinirs nun rltiriiii; llillt'il lllllP cii:lii.ixinlroil r'oiiilmni- and rlienifiorl srirviwn W110 Fall on him in limos of liiricaxiiini-lit.
lit in
i1.'.w ii tliimw
.ibli: Iur thc clisloiit of Il:iIi11lIil,' thi-
SI(lL'klltL',.s til liltt fire lliztt" on Chrisliiiiis Eve The story is vi(i that gooil old Hi-liiip N'ii'lii-leis ho
lived tit Asia flliiiiir. wit-licil I. .:s- sist a poor iinliloiiiaii. who was too proud tit ask for help
. Whllc Iilt" nrihlciiiaii urn 'i.slL-cp.
St. .Mi'liol;i- tiiwipped a purse t iiiniicy ilnun Ihv i-liiitincv intviid- int: it In limit on the ht-mill iiow- l'VQI'. it IitIll'iPtI in a stncliin: .vliicli has illIIll.l by the tire to (ill Upon discmcriuc it IIIP next day, the ll0I)IEI'il.iIl used ll as a inarriage portion for his tliiilightcr After-
Wiil'(IS. illicit Ilic iiolileman - iiaui.1.h- ti-rs in-ic iii I1lEiI'I'ltlE,0aI')it' rue. he hung ll wlI)t'i(iI'll-I by the
liiinney and thc LIITI was proridc-ii or The szinie Si Xicholzis latcr hi-came
known ax St Nikolas which years corrupted Into Santa Claus While the yiile lot: Is not so iiiui-h a part of our Christmas lraililion, it was the centre of celebration in
Mi-dicval I-inzzlaiiil and is still a well-worn custoni ot lrclaiid. South- crn Fraiii-e. northern Itiily and Yiitzoslavia
Thc si-ciiis to be some discrep- ancy of opinion about the origin of the i-tislom. S(tlllt' say that it passed dnuii from the Scaiidinav- iaii pagan festival .hil, celi-hriited in the winter solstice in lioiior of Thor. whilc nth-ers agree that may have had oriizin with Druids when the ceremony and proclziinied lliat it I I)I'iiiI(i has saved to rekindle I new fire.
In medieval En;:I:ind thi-
Rcrcnlly he has takcn i'lli0 the btisiiiess. his son Sini-liiir who has ivorkednvith his fath-
cr for the past tcii yours.
In an effort to give the best in service to the public, Mr. (Tulcliffe and Son have completely rcmodclled the interior of their F'lincral Home on Fitzroy Street.
Thu ('liiipol hits been divided into loin
sliliiilior i'ooms. cach divided
coloiirnil rlriipos of R quiet. red. Matching: carpet has been laid on the floor from wnll
lto Mr.
it that iheyspcnt in vain
viilei
iu7i.ATta:N-at the P. 1.1. 3.5.
pitiil on Saturday. Dec. 11, 1955, to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin C. Mac- Laren, St. Peters, I son (still- born). .
KELLY -- At the Prince County Hospital on Saturday. Dec. 17th. io.Mi-. and Mn. 'Gordon Kelly. Siimmerside. I daughter.
HOWARD-At the P. E. I. Hospi- tal on Sunday. Dec. 18. 1955, to
Mr. and Mrs. Reg Howard. a daughter. Shelley Anne. Weight 7 lbs., 10 on.
ROSS--Al the P. E. I. Hospital on Dec. I7, 1955, to Mr. and Mrs. Albcrt L. Ross, ii sun. Sheldon Garfield. Weight 9 lbs.. 2 ozs. TWEEL---At the P.E.I. Hospital on Sunday, Dec. 18. 1955. to Mr and Mrs. Daniel Tweet, a son. Douglas Karl Heinz.
COURT At the Prince County Hospital on Decciiibcr 15th. I955. and Mrs. C. H. Court.
log syiiiboliicii the centre of the family. while the Irish superstit- iously held it bad luck for spine- oiic to lciive the liotisc without taking t't'Il'L'raIlIllClll:. while the log was burning Traditional Feast
No Christiiias Day is cuiiiplclc without turkeys and iiiiiicc pics. ('i-ntiiricx hi-lorc (lhrinianlty. roast duck and lliiiisc were cunsiderctl a special rioliraigv to be served at fcstival.x. Actually in tho :lnt'l('lII days of (,'.lii'isi.ianity tiic peacock. a symbol of immortality and a rarity. was served at (,'liristiiias
0I'ilZlIlHii) a native of American ciiiiliiient. the turkey was so sc2ii'cc in liluropc even in the 16th century that Arciibishop Craiiimcr prohib- ited the appearancc of more than
innit dish of turkey cocks at state
ft-slit als- It wasn't until a quarter of a century later that it became a (lhrismas dish for the farmer
Mince pie was supposed to com- memorate in its ingredients of ori- ental mixture offerings made by the wise men.
Perhaps one of the most recent of our exchanttc of Christmas card greet- ings. The predecessor of the firt cards iveri- (lliristnias pieces writ- tcii by scliool children on gaily (ii-coriitetl pzipcr to show parents school fees were not being Another ancestor
ancient pi-ii-stivvas the Valentine.
chose a log. blessed it with izreati In 1840 designs were made and ,verses written should be kept buriiiiipz. Each ycar yCliristnias icsiivites once forbid-.
in a revival of
den liy Puritziii laws. but it WEISILI until 1871 that the habit was firm- Iy iiiiopted in England.
Inuall.
Ollfl.
by beautiful
Christnias customs is thel
is the Family Room.
I211. I built. I II-. M on.
IILLY - M in (hIrloWIlowI loopttal on Womudlv. Due. 11. to Mr. and Mn. PItriek Kelly. Du-canon (nu MI:-y McGuirk) I daughter. Mary Patricia. wddit 1 lin. I on.
lo0UAID-At the Guriottetown Hospital Doc. 22. 1055. to Mr. and Mn. Linus McQuIid (In GInIvI Morrison) I Ion.
INSEBINI-At the P. E. I. Hon- pltal on Dec. 30 to Mr. Ind Mrs. L. Enaeriiiii 1 daughter. Hlimn Johanna.
SMITH-At the Prince Edward Island Hospital on December 21. 1955, to Mr. and Mrs. Clark Smith. Hunter River, I son (Don- Ild George).
STEWART - At the Charlottetown Hospital on Dec. 19, 1955 to Mr. and Mrs. Roy I). Stewart tnce Kiitlileoii Mccarvillet I son. David Leonard. ti lbs. 10 oz.
MURPHY -- At M 0 n C t on City
1955. to Mr. and Mrs. James Ill
a daunlitcr.
55 to Mr. and Mrs. Kornclis Hot. Charlottetown. a daughter.
lurk. (800 illfliflt Aneaauiii I dnugliter. 7 lbs. 11 no.
air . . aoapiuii -oiieuia uu' J '33: Ind Mu. ncmi-it do-hr. sourin, txvoriii boyu. C'Ibl. I9: Ind I the.
ox.
MACDONALD - At the Charlotte- town Hos ill! on Tiiuudly. Doc. 15. 1955. 0 Mr. and Mn. James L. Mncbonlld. I Spring 1'- lottetown, I son. 0 lbl. RAMBAY-At the Prince Conn Holplill Dec. 18th. 1055. to Mr. Ind Mi-ii. Keith Rornuy. Kons-
lnzton, I loll.
MIcD0NALD-At the Prince Ed- wIrd Island Hospital on Frldoy. Dec. 16. 1955. to Mr. Ind Mu
a.....i'view in her so yeIr dilie. in her am you.
GOIH EATT--At the Prince Ed- M.iLr.. . "it the P. I. !. Hol- 1.:-d IIlInd H (II OI Tuelday. P1181 011 1390- 15. 1965. Mrs. Eon Doc. 3). 1965. . llnrett Gor old MacPhee of I-luthordllo in
vutt of 30 Gower Strut. Pork-her sstii you-. . in bi: 13rd yen,
Province of Prince Edward Island DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS
TO All. CITIZENS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
cuniitou-Ac in. pa... ward la1Ind Hospital on' Kolidny Doe. lmi. toss. William Jim; Ciidmni-I
.G....i
Ii-viii: Mncnonald. York. twin ii-in
IgiIIeMILLAN-At the Charlotte-t town Hospital on Dec. 18, 1955.; in Dr. and Mrs. Allan MacMiilan l I daughter (Mary Ellen). l
oeiiriis i
Hospital on Wednesday. Dec. 2i, CAIITIEN-At her residence. iii
Fraser SL. alifax, Dec. Z)tli..
Murphy. tnee lteta Macllonaldl Lois .itiicKiiilny Carten. beloved:
wife of A. S. Carten. .
IIOF -- At the Prince Eduard in DOWLING-At the Charlottetown: land Hospital on December 19. 19- Hospital on Tuetltltiy. Dec.
20th. 1955. Dennis Dowling of 29 Vic-y tory Avenue in his 91st year.
MACDONALD - At the tfharlotte--GILLIS-At the P. E. I. Hospital; town Hospital on Dec. lti. 1955. to on Friday. Dec. lhtii, I955. IVINLI
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Mat-llniiuld. Catherine Gilli.-i. forn1crl.V fl- ? err... Pm-km; HALIFAX i I -- ACADIAN HOTEL
I Tel. 3-948R Nova Scotia
Dlltrlct.
SINGLE 52.50 - 33.00 33.50
DOWNTOWN HALIFAX
Two minutes from Railway Station.
A Modern Brick Building with Automatic Sprinkler , System in every Room for our Guests Ssfrty.
NEWLY DECORATEI). COMFORTABLE. WELL FURNISHED l
ROOMS WITH PRIVATE BATH & SHOWER 4
DAILY RATES
SINGLE 35.00 and S550 DOUBLE S650. TWIN BEDS 87.50
ROOMS WITH HOT & COLD WATER WEEKLY RATES FOR PERMANENT GUESTS
Business and Theatre
DOUBLE 34.00 - 34.50 - S500
START TRAINING FOR BUSINESS AT
l Union Commercial College l CLASSES BEGIN JANUARY 4, 1956 :1
New Students Accepted Stenographic ,- Commercial - Secretarial
Each slumber mom can. by draw- itllz llic curtains be completely separated from the others so that a family may re- iiltlill in complete privacy with their loved
Situated to one ride of the main chapel This room is so ar-
l'illlL(t'(i that the mourners can have an un- ohstritcted view of the funeral service but out of sight of those attending the funeral. The total seating capacity of the funeral
Family Room
choir members.
the service.
home is now 144, including space for 12
iipholstcrcd chairs and new chairs in the chapel replace me full length pews Which I . were there originally.
A set of melodic chimes has been instal- led and will render soft mutlc Pl'9V10U5 Y0
Cutcllffe's Funeral Home has always specialized in prompt and olticiorit.nmhii- .. lance service and two can propel”!!! he&l0'l
I feel. at this time. I'IIII.I I should. requeist the attention and co-operation of all con- cerned in so for as the practice of good driving habits on our highways are concerned during the holiday period immediately ahead.
All our roads now have a covering of snow and ice. This condition itself requires ci driver's utmost care and caution to continue without mishap.
For the many who do partake of alco- holic beverages. cis well as the many who do not. I suggest that in so for as possible. al- ways. one who has not been drinking should drive. i
Christmas is a joyful occasion and is the cm- niversary of a Birth. Let us. in the days ahead. not mar this Glorious Event. throuqli careless driving on our highways. with a Death.
I extend my best wishes to everybody.
J. GEORGE MocKAY. Minister of Highways.
J. S. Cutciiite
and equipped with clean linen covered gtpgfghg us. candy for OIII 34 hour! of the day. Both Mr. Cutcllffe and his son are fully qualified under the Red Cross in First Aid work. The Funeral Home uses the famous E. J: J. Ruuacltutnr which is recognized by and is part of the equipment of most of the best hospital: in North America. Its use in cases of heart failure, electric shock. cIrbon monoxide poisoning, asthma and asphlxia of the new born has been favour- ably demonstrated on many oeclslon-B. . . -- . -Day-Indnlght service in any Imo enCl' will be quickly rendered by phoning 2-
The family room has new
i