Livre - Christmas traditions

AULD William Muir, PREFACE, p. 9 CHAPTER I. THE COMING OF CHRISTMAS, p. 19 Natal year of Christ – His natal season – Why no Nativity Feast in Apostolic and later times – Epiphany on January 6 first Nativity Feast in Eastern Church – Christmas on December 25 founded in the middle of the fourth century in Rome – Reasons for the choice of the Day – The spread of Christmas CHAPTER II. CHRISTMAS AND PAGANISM, p. 34 Christmas at first a purely spiritual festival – As affected by coincident Pagan festivals – The Roman Saturnalia – The Kalends of January – The Northern Yuletide – Loss and gain – The name Christmas CHAPTER III. BRINGING HOME CHRISTMAS, p. 49 Difficulty of the question, What is a carol? – St. Francis of Assisi the creator of the carol spirit – The Italian Jacopone da Todi bringing home Christmas – A glance at the German medieval carol – John Audelay of Haughmond Abbey and his crislemas caroler – The Oxford Book of Carols (1928) and caroling CHAPTER IV. ANCIENT ENGLISH CAROLS, p. 77 Blossoming period of Carol in England – General sub¬ject and character – Annunciation Carols – Floral tributes to Madonna and Child – Carols in medieval religious plays – The charm and mystery of the lullabies – Faith and piety in the ancient carols CHAPTER V. THE COLOR OF CHRISTMAS, p. 99 Use of evergreens rooted in Pagan reverence for Nature – Bringing home Christmas – The Church and the ever-greens – Romance of holly and ivy – Of mistletoe – Of rosemary – Taking down and disposing of Christmas greenery CHAPTER VI. IN THE YULE LOG GLOW, p. 116 Sanctity of Christmas Eve – The importance of the Christmas fire – Yule log lighting ceremonies – Make we merry – Burning log and candle sacramental – Smiling hearth the minister of peace and concord – The glowing embers and the departed CHAPTER VII. THE CHRISTMAS TREE, p. 135 The crown of Christmas decorations – Sacred trees – Legend of blossoming trees – The Glastonbury thorn and Christmas New Style – Blossoming trees in the home – Artificially decorated trees in Old England – Appearance of present domestic Christmas tree in Germany, its development and spread – Various uses of the Christmas tree and its symbolism CHAPTER VIII. CHRISTMAS DELIGHTS, p. 150 Christmas accentuates altruistic emotions – Generosity to animals, birds and poor – Quaint giving customs among friends – The Christmas benefactors of the children. – St. Nicholas – Kriss Kringle – Santa Claus – The stocking CHAPTER IX. THE CHRISTMAS BELLS, p. 163 Christianity appropriates the bell – Ancient reverence for bells – Bells through Advent to Christmas Eve – The Devil’s knell – Legends of sunken bells – Bells after the Reformation – Beneath the Southern Cross – In America INDEX, p. 177