Christmas Customs
From The Past
Written By
William Francis Dawson
Set For the web by
Lin Stone
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CHRISTMAS:
ITS ORIGIN AND ASSOCIATIONS,
TOGETHER WITH
ITS HISTORICAL EVENTS AND FESTIVE
CELEBRATIONS DURING NINETEEN CENTURIES:
DEPICTING, BY PEN AND PENCIL,
MEMORABLE CELEBRATIONS, STATELY MEETINGS OF EARLY KINGS,
REMARKABLE EVENTS, ROMANTIC EPISODES, BRAVE DEEDS,
PICTURESQUE CUSTOMS, TIME-HONOURED SPORTS,
ROYAL CHRISTMASES, CORONATIONS AND ROYAL MARRIAGES,
CHIVALRIC FEATS, COURT BANQUETINGS AND REVELLINGS,
CHRISTMAS AT THE COLLEGES AND THE INNS OF
COURT,
POPULAR FESTIVITIES, AND CHRISTMAS-KEEPING
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD,
DERIVED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC
SOURCES, AND ARRANGED
CHRONOLOGICALLY.
BY
W. F. Dawson
LONDON
ELLIOT STOCK, 62,
PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1902.
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Contents |
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Chapter I. Chapter II. Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VII. Chapter VIII.Chapter IX. Chapter X.Chapter XI. Chapter XII.Chapter XIII. |
The Origin and Associations of
Christmas The Earlier Celebrations of the Festival Early Christmas Celebrations in Britain From the Norman Conquest To Magna Charta Christmas, From Magna Charta
Christmas Under Henry VII. and Henry VIII. Christmas Under Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth Christmas Under James I. Christmas Under Charles the First and the Commonwealth Christmas, From the Restoration To the Death Of George II. Modern Christmases at Home Modern Christmases Abroad The Last Carol Service of the Nineteenth Century |
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All seated on the ground;
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.
Carol.
HARK!The Herald Angels
Lo! God hath ope'd the glist'ring gates of heaven, And thence are streaming beams of glorious light: All earth is bath'd in the effulgence giv'n To dissipate the darkness of the night. The eastern shepherds, 'biding in the fields, O'erlook the flocks till now their constant care, And light divine to mortal sense reveals A seraph bright descending in the air. Hark! strains seraphic fall upon the ear, From shining ones around th' eternal gates: Glad that man's load of guilt may disappear, Infinite strength on finite weakness waits. Why are the trembling shepherds sore afraid? Why shrink they at the grand, the heavenly sight? "Fear not" (the angel says), nor be dismay'd, And o'er them sheds a ray of God-sent light. O matchless mercy! All-embracing love! The angel speaks and, gladly, men record:— "I bring you joyful tidings from above: This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord!" Hark! "Peace on earth, and God's good-will to men!" The angels sing, and heaven resounds with praise— That fallen man may live with God again, Through Christ, who deigns the sons of men to raise. W. F. D |
CHAPTER I.
THE ORIGIN AND ASSOCIATIONS
OF CHRISTMAS.
The First Christmas:
The Advent of Christ
*
And bear a Son,
And shall call His name Immanuel.
(Isaiah vii. 14.)
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Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for it is He that shall save His people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
Behold, the virgin shall be with child which is, being interpreted, God with us. And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (Matthew i. 18-25.) |
"There went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus
that all
the world should be taxed.
And Joseph went to be taxed with Mary
his espoused
wife, being great with child."
(Luke ii. 1-5.)
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And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the007 field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you; Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom He is well pleased. And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them. (Luke ii. 8-20.) |
The Nativity by Sandro
Botticelli.
Centre Portion of Picture in National Gallery
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