254 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



Christmas," and decorated their houses and temples 

 with evergreens, among which holly was conspicu- 

 ous. The early Christians, who celebrated the birth 

 of Christ during the Saturnalia, adorned their homes 

 with holly for the purpose of safety. They would 

 have been unpleasantly noticed had they left their 

 homes undecorated. After a time holly became as- 

 sociated with the Christian festival itself. As the 

 Christmas celebration spread throughout Europe 

 and into Great Britain, local observances naturally 

 became added to the original rites; and gradually 

 to certain features taken over from the Saturnalia 

 were added customs which the Germanic tribes, 

 the Scandinavians, the Gauls, the Celts, and early 

 Britons practised for the midwinter festival. 

 "Thus," says a modern writer, "all the pagan winter 

 festivals were transmuted and sanctified by the 

 Christian Church into the beautiful Christmas festi- 

 val that keeps the world's heart young and human. 

 The Church also brought from ancient observances 

 a number of lovable customs, such as the giving of 

 presents, the lighting of candles, the burning of the 

 Yule-log, the Boar's Head, the Christmas Tree, the 

 mistletoe, the holly, laurel and other greens and 

 the mince-pies." 



At a season when everything was chosen to com- 



