The Feilding Star. Oroua arid Kiwitea Counties Gazette. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1908. Christmas.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 762, 24 December 1908, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua arid Kiwitea Counties Gazette. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1908. Christmas.

The Christmas season is now full I upon us, and to-morrow Christmas Day will be celebrated the world over as the cloßeist of close holidays. In it there will, be no manner of work j that can possibly be left undone and | upon it all people will rejoice, whether they be deeply religious, professing Christians only, or merely pagans. And what a curious festival it is that we all so readily cease work t.) observe. The word "Christmas" is derived from "Christ" and the Saxon word "Moesse," signifying mass and a feast. The observance of holidays during this season dates from pagan times, and is influenced by Scandinavian mythology. The peace of the gods, we are toW, was observed during Yuletide, and naturally the common people would not dream of desecrating such a period with any toil. The Christmas tree phase of the festival is wrapped up amongst the many other mysteries of way-back mythology — Egyptian - say some, Scandinavian say others, Romans say others. But we are on historic grotfnd in Germany in 1600, when it is recorded that "the Christmas tree suddenly" made its appearance in Straeburg, and for almost 200 years the festival was continued along the Rhine. Then, about 1800, it spread all over Germany, thence over Europe, and ultimately over tfa* world." A Celtn legend tella us

that the mistletoe was once a tree, but, having furnished the wood for the Saviour's cross, it was thenceforward condemned to exist as a parasite. Although December 25 is now the commonly accepted date of Christ's birth, there have been disputations concerning it, other dates put forward being January 6, April 20, May 20, March 29, and September 29 (when the Michaelmas festival is celebrated by tho Roman Catholic and the Anglican Churches in honour of St. Michael and All Angels). It is only the student of history who remembers at this season the curiosities of Christmas, glairy readors of this article will probably have forgotten or will bo suij>r ; !H'd to learn that the Roundhead Pailhurent or England in 1643 abolishe.l ihv observance of Christinas as a c; m of festivals, and that for twelve years the observance of Christin;::. ; s a holiday ceased altogether in England. The Scotch did a sti.uigor thing still. Hundreds of year, ago there was a legend that it was unlucky to spin on Christmas Day. In order to stamp out this superstition, the early Scotcli Calvinistic ministors obliged their wives and servants to spin in public on the great day. Naturally the application of the principle extended, and Landed ]>roprietors of the same faith compelled their tenants to plough on Christmas Day! Mention of the Roundheads reminds us of another curiosity of history. On Christmas Day, 1684, there were living tho remarkablenumber of eight persons who became rulers of England. These were: Richard Cromwell (who lived from 1626 to 1712), Charles 11. (1630-1685), James 11. (1633-1701), William 111. (1650-1702), Queen Mary 11. (1662---1694), Queen Anne (1665-1714). George I. (1660-1727), and George 11. (1683-1760). However, the people of today do not concern themselves with the things of the past, and to the great majority of tho fully risen and the rising generations to-mor-row's great event has no significance. It is theirs «s a holiday — an extra special occasion for an outing, for a family gathering, for a real, good, money-spending time. Saint and" Church — sacrifice and religion? what have they to do with it? Why, this is Christmas — the greatest holiday season of the year. We have looked forward to it all the year, and we wish everybody as happy and as merry a time as wo hope to have! That's the sentiment of the age, and to its popularity we contribute our acknowledgments, leaving religions thoughts and sentiments to those given to ponder on such things, and contenting ourselves with the philosophic thought that it is a poor heart that never rejoices. 'Tis a gift-giv-ing, gift-receiving time, when we are all vou'ig in heart, if not in yenrs, and the general sentiment is: — Glad Christinas Day is here again, with loving word and deed, When all get much thoj' do not want, and little that they" need. But whilst- some gifts are not a fit, the ones who get them know "fwas kindly hearts and loving thoughts that prompted them — and so The spirit that surrounds them all makes every one seem dear. And Christmas Day shall still he held the best of all the year ! To all our readvvs, therefore , wo extend the heartiest ol good greetings, and wish one and all A Mekky Chuistmas !