INTRODUCTION. XVU. 



in the wilderness. As the festive time approaches, 

 the nightly minstrels called Wakes play their vigil 

 madrigals in our streets ; and at length comes 



Christmas, the great festival whereby the 

 Nativity is celebrated. Nature now corresponds 

 with the Calendar, and often covers, in a case of 

 snow, every living thing, as if to confine the atten- 

 tion of men to the celebration of the festival. The 

 garnished windows, the bright red holy berries, 

 the ivied walls, and the festive mistletoe bough 

 hung from the hall ceiling, now announce a season 

 of gaiety, joy, and mirth ; the cheei-ful fire, the 

 Christmas log, minced pies, and the hospitality of 

 the social board, are all fitting things for this frosty 

 time of year. The week following is spent in 

 recreations and games j and the mind of man is 

 agreeably relaxed during the feast of St. Stephen, 

 Holy Innocents, and St. John the Evangelist. 



New Year's Day, or the Feast of the Cir- 

 cumcision, opens the year, with the life of Christ, 

 and it is usual among friends to make rich presents 

 called new year's gifts on this occasion. 



Twelfth Day, or the Epiphany, comes next, 

 when the children have their twelfth cake, and 

 the games of drawing for King and Queen. The 

 weather is still severely cold and frosty, and is 

 scarcely relaxed in our clunate or in France, till 

 the end of the Carnival, a period of gaiety and 

 amusement, which goes on through this season^ 



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