| Show A OF There are few tew things In existence to today today day which have not been changed or molded tn In the hands or of progress One b by one leg legends and customs have been disproved and nd overthrown yet none has dared attack the legends and the cus customs customs toms sacred to Christmastide lIere and there savant el hM haw trIed to prove proe that Dec 25 5 does doell not mark the birth birthday birthday day ot of Christ Men and women rend read smile pass on The time of at year corresponding to our Christmastide has hns always been n a period ot of rejoicing tIt It marks mark the winter sol eel solstice sties stice The begin to lengthen and the sun lIun no lo l longer nger journeys journe B awa away from earth bu but enters upon his return It Is Isa Isa a promise ot of renewed tight light and warmth of at the approach of at the summer eummer days das and men hailed these signs with ever every expression of gladness In Rome the Saturnalia or feast ot of Saturn tell fell at about the same time as our and It marked the greatest t festival ot of the Rom Roman year ear earThe The city abandoned itself to gayety Unbounded license held sway universal universal sal mirth was the o order er of at the da day friends feasted friends and foes were reconciled There were no slaves no masters all social distinctions were laid aside Work was stopped through throughout out the city and no war was ever en entered entered upon at this time The tree as the emblem of life also figured red conspicuously In the earlier re religion ligion In Egypt the palm tree put forth a new shoot each month and at atthe atthe the time ot of the winter solstice It was the custom among the Egyptians to decorate the tho houses with a branch ot of palm bearing 12 I shoots In Rome the fir tree was regarded with veneration and during the festivities the halls and houses hOWles were hung with evergreen ev boughs In England In the tho days cIas ot of the Druids the houses were decked with evergreens In order that the sylvan spirits might repair to their grateful shelter and re remain main protected from the nipping frost trost and the Icy winter winds Farther to the north the wild lId tribes tribe worshiped their god In wooded places and looked upon the fir tree as Ills sacred emblem The period corre corresponding corresponding to the Roman taman Saturnalia was the festival of oC Thor This festival like the Roman feast was given over to the most barbaric pleasures and the wildcat wild wildest est cat forms of enjoyment Among Amon these peoples It was known nil as Yuletide |
