OCR Text |
Show Ancients Gave Presents as Most People Do Now THE custom of making presents at Christinas Is derived from very ancient usage. It was a Teutonic invention. In Latin countries gifts were exchanged at New Year's, writes James Waldo Fawcett In the Wash-f Wash-f lngton (D. C) Evening Star. The decoration of churches with mistletoe and holly Is likewise a pagan survival. Nativity plays and pageants trace back to a pre-ChrlstJaD era. The sports ol the Lords of Misrule In England are supposed to be an inheritance in-heritance from the Saturnalia of heathen Rome. Father Christmas or Santa Claus Is Identified with St Nicholas or Nicolas, Nic-olas, and also with Knecht Rupercht and Robin Goodfellow. Grimm says that In some parts of Germany Knecht Nicolas is merely an attendant attend-ant on the real gift-giver, who Is sometimes the Infant Christ and sometimes Dame Bertha, but who Is also frequently conceived as an ugly dwarf, called Krampus. Carol singing by waifs, strolling street musicians, Is an old British custom. The first Christmas cards date from about 1S46. The setting up in Latin churches of a Christmas creche Is said to have been originated by St. Francis. |