360 CHRISTMAS TIDE. 



+ DEC. 25. NATIVITY OF OUR LORD. 



Christmas Day. 



St. Anastasia, martyr, a.d. 304. 



Another St. Anastasia, martyr. 



St. Eugenia, virgin and martyr, 257. 



Obs. The festival of Christmas is the greatest of all the feasts of 

 the year, being the celebration of the birth of the incarnate Son of 

 God by the ever blessed and immaculate Virgin Mary ; and it has 

 consequently ever been kept with great solemnity, festivity, and re- 

 joicing. At midnight between the Vigil and the Festival of Christ- 

 mas the midnight mass is celebrated, and the solemnity of the sacri- 

 fice is greatly enhanced by the time of its occurrence. Imagine the 

 solemn sounds of the great cathedral bell succeeding the merry 

 ringing of the Christmas Eve, and then the choir lighted up in all its 

 pomp for the celebration of mass on the dawn of the Nativity, the 

 whole church ornamented with Ivy and Holy Berries, and the fuli 

 voices of the whole congregation singing the Adeste fideles." 



The following lines relate to the midnight mass, and to the festi- 

 vities of this hallowed season : 



Cfirislmas. 

 On Clirislmas Eve the bells were rnn^; 

 On Christmas Eve the mass was sung : 

 That only iiiuht in all the year 

 Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear. 

 The damsel donned her kiitle sheen ; 

 The hall was dressed with Holly ^reen ; 

 Forth to the wood did merry men go, 

 To gather in the Misletoe. 

 Then opened wide the baron's hall. 

 To vassal, tenant, serf, and all. 



The Christmas Log or Yule Clog is the next subject of considera- 

 tion. This was a huge log of wood selected for the purpose, which 

 was sometimes laid on the fire on Christmas Eve, and kept alight all 

 the following day, and even longer, warming the whole room, and 

 enlivening the snug chimney corner, wherein the family were seated 

 all around, and busy with their games. Sometimes a portion of the 

 old log of the preceding year was preserved to light up the new with. 

 Thus Herrick, in his Hesperides, has mentioned this in his 

 Ceremonies for Christ masse. 



Come bring, with a noise, 



My merrie, inerrie boys, 

 The Christmass Log to the firing ; 



While my good dame she 



Bids ye all be free. 

 And drink to your heart's desiring. 



With the last year's brand 



Light the new'block, and 

 For good successe in his spending, 



On your psalteries play. 



That sweet luck may 

 Come while the Log is a teending. 



Holy Ilex bacciflora fuli fr. 



