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Show fS EVERYWHERE The fact that the many customs practiced at Christmastime stem from various peoples and nations is a sign of the universality of the great holiday. The custom of the Christmas tree is believed to have originated with the Romans, although Martin Luther Luth-er receives much credit for popularizing popu-larizing their use. From the tree-worshipping tree-worshipping Druids came the using nf mistletoe as a sign of good-will and peace. Mistletoe boughs once were used for arrow parts, and thus signified evil. The Druids conceived the idea of raising them high and out of reach, thus converting them to a sign of kindness and peace. The Yule log came from England, where it was tradition that a tenant could feast at his lord's expense as long as a round of wood would burn. England also added the Wassail bowl, filled with spice and ale. Americans substituted with the egg-nog egg-nog bowl. The traditional and beautiful concept con-cept of the Crib of the Nativity, featured yearly in churches, homes, and on countless thousands of Christmas cards, came originally from the brush of St. Francis of Assisi in 1223. There are hundreds of other Christmas customs practiced In countries around the world, either stemming from these, or in some way related. Those mentioned here might have descended from the Yuletide customs of civilizations centuries before man began writing competent histories. For Christmas customs were originated the night the Magi followed the gleaming star in the sky to worship at the crib of the newborn Saviour, and have continued since. |