THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1911. "A MERRY CHRISTMAS."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10510, 23 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1911. "A MERRY CHRISTMAS."

The festive: season is again witlli us. In a few shoil hours the people of aM Christian iT.imrnuiiities will bo joining in the chorus which annouiiiced many centuries' ago the birth of a. new era— ■am era. which, has brought peace, and happiness and goodwill to tfae nations of the world. In these days of, strenuous 1 competition, of personal aggrandisement amd political bickering, it is- .well that the lessons taught by 'the greatest Sjboialisit the world has; ever seen should be mad* a subject for nueditatioji. Few cam realise the superb semitimeiiit underlying the greatest oivillisiiij'j; event in the annals of the world. Fewer still appreciate the magnitude of the blessdiogs which have been derived' from the dissemination' of the gospel preached by Him whose mission! was one of peace and goodwill! toward men. During the next fendays the minds of people will be h I into Tarious cfoaamels. Some will-1 ■,>. ' oelebrattdng the anniversary of :' : «t*wt tfc« sigfliiieaiac* •f'wfcfofc-Kv

never occurred to them. Others will be concerned in acts of devotion which, wiM bring them nearer the seal» which, were set by the founder of Christendom. Tine laying afiide- of business and' its turmoils-; the gathering together of families., wftiich htive been scattered duong the yea.r j the sending and receiving of joyous missives; all these things inspire a sentiment cf reverence which is pe-cu-liar at this season of the year. To the juvenile mind, Uhristmias brings ' •joy sui a particuliaally pleasing form. 4 Hiow happy are the children as, in their innocence, they hang their stockings to the post of their bed, to awaiifc the dispensation's of the philanthropic "Santa Claus.-' With, what deibght does- the parent behold j'thb visage of the offspring as it ini vestig&tes the wonders of the- midnigjliit-" visitation I In the old days they did things in a slightly different way. Their Qhri6itm , a&- was onle of feasting and revelry. A Christmas song from Poor Robin's Aittna.naok for 1695 is full of the spirit of groaning table amid' overflowing keg. It» ruins as follows:

Now tbjrice* weifcome Gbrisifcm&s, Wtoich brinjgs us good cheer, Minc'd and pJium-ponridg© , Good ale and strong beer; With pig, goose, and oapon>, The best that may be, So well doth the weather And our stomach's.agree. Observe how the chimney® Do smoke all about, The cooks are providing; For dinner, no doubt; But those on> whose table* JN f o-victuals-0 may. they keep Lent All the rest of the year I

If we take the authority of Whi»tlecmaft, thteise • hearty; viands were as nothing, however, comparedytb the fare whoch'was heaped on Good King Arthur's table on,' Christmas d ay, frr , '■:■■■ They served up salmon, venisOii, and' wild boars • * -\ . By hundreds and by dozens, and by scores. Hogsheads- of honey, kilderkin® of '-•. -mustard." ' ;: ": ; ■ ■ ■<: :''■"'■ "'j^-swihte-j;.^.^:' ■' ''■>■•*■•>i •Herons Va>id v "'.bjt|eriis,.' .peacockj?,: ~. .■ swans, and^Jjusiard,.' ,"' -:" <" Teal," mallard; \ pigeons', V.widgeons, and in fine, . Plum pudding, pan«akesi, appfe pies, and custard \' t And therewithal they drank good •Gasodn' wine, With mead, and ale, and oideF «£ our _ fc ' .own;--, .■ ' , -'• t ....'■ JJjos porter,' punch, and negus; were not known. - ..

Tho decorations of holly and evergreen) which once characterised the Ghri&tmas season appear to be gradually disia'Jjneanng in the 'younger countries." ! Ro%, 'of course, has long been a 'characteristic Qhristmias green. A Saxon couplet said of it:

~'■•; Whosoever agamst h&Hy do cry ~, In a rope sjb.aU be h'umg full * Alieluiaf

And a aaxojli of the 15th Century be. gins:- "■■ ■ ■- .-;;■' ; <- : ' :

TioUy and Ivy, Box and Bay Put in the ohuipcih- on 'Ofarieftma* ,'- -Day..',; '' ' ■■\-- . /

. Of-equal aritiqiiiiy with the holly customs, and rising out of * J Pagaa rites in honour of Thor, wd's the ceremony of the Yule teg, which with all it s attendant gaiety, still 1 survives- in many places. 'This part of the festivities of the season is celte* brated'.by Heri'dck in the poem:

Come bring with a noise My merry, merry boys, The Christmas log to be fireing, While,: my good da ( ine she . Bid&.yerali be free And-drink to yourheart's de-

siring. ' With tW'-Jtfst yeai' r s brand' , Lighttlie new block, and For good: success in his spends

; -ing, ; ,■■*.:■•■ , '[. ■.;. Our play, That' sweet Intock may Come while the log is tending.

.". To New Zealanders the "Yule .Log" is, of course, unknown. Christmas' i& celebrated a way peculiar to climate: and people. But withal,, many of the traditional' customs- are retained, ■ and people unite in hononrkig them as best they-can. Some, unhappily, al this period are on the bed of sickness. . Others are suffering the pangs of bereaveinieiiit. To the great mass* of the people, . however, Chi-istimas will, be-; a season of happiness and joy, a season' when heartburnings will be forgotten' am'd hatreds buried' witih' regrets. It wffll be a time when men and. .wjomeai' will! meeit together an(d., with a, firm grip of the hand,-wish, eaicih oth;er a "Merry Chiristmasu" »So mote it be. May every readier otf th&s paper have joy in abundance. May every maoii, and womam, and child be able to look out upon the worla with) a' feeriaig of hope, anid trust, and confidence. May mutual apologies be followed by mutual forgiveness). May the festive seatson of, 1911 be remembered' by all for the joy, and iiTStpiratipn, arid humaaiiitairiiani'Sm.' it has brought in. its' welcome train. Then may we one and viW enjoy in> its fu-Mhess "A MERRY CHRISTMAS!"