| Show DERIVED FROM THE HEATHEN custom of decorating with greenl at christmas time once was unde church churchs ban did you know that tho custom of decking our houses shops and churches wi with h greens at christmas time ie is derived from a practice which prevailed centuries before the birth of christianity the ancient romans the druids druies the scandinavians the tho celts belts and even ahr jews used evar evers renn in their rell religious rious emonte emon lon ii and v bile hile for a time such decorations wire under the ban of the church tho love for them was so universal that it was not ions long before they were again in use use some SOM of the ecclesiastical writers of that day found a deep re reil lous significance in the practice the favorite decorations for the church at christmas time have long been the boll holla bay and laurel in the home the ivy and mistletoe with the holly as the popular decoration if one desires to be true to the iciest customs ill christmas deci orations must be put in their proper place before tho the beginning of christmas eve otherwise the sylvan sprites who are abroad that evening and who may be enticed to tho the house by an abundance of greens will not enter to bless tho the inmates with their protecting presence important as it is to havo have these preen green ahinga thing s in readiness by christmas eve however it is quite af necessary that they should be removed before the end of january for it has always been held to be a most evil presage to permit a single a green to remain until the dawn of at day or february 2 delineator |
