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PAtix, o—THE B jij.jiii, L/cCrf no- i- h, OUR BEST WISHES TO HOLY FAMILY CHURCH AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION WDAK-TV FIRST In Columbus *9 & CHANNEL THE LIVING TREE BEST WISHES From BICKERSTAFF CLAY PRODUCTS CO. EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS Bickerslaff Brick Co. Bickerstaff Co., Inc. Dixie Brick Co. Structural Clay Tile Building Brick Face Brick HIGHEST QUALITY Concrete Block DIAL FA. 7-3226 P. 0. BOX 1178 COLUMBUS, GEORGIA (By Florence Wedge) A decorated evergreen is one of the most delightful non-, essentials of the Nativity sea son. We can keep Christmas without it, for the real wonder of Christmas is a Child born unto us and a Son given to us for our salvation. But the tradi tion of the tinseled tree is here to stay. Most of us, at some time or another, have wondered about the first Christmas tree. Who decorated it? When? Where? What is the connection between the birth of a Savior and the presence of an evergreen in our homes? LOST IN ANTIQUITY It would seem that the gene sis of the Christmas tree is lost in the mazes of antiquity. Some scholars believe it had to do with the worship and invocation of the “Spirit of vegetation” and relate it to other ceremonial trees, such as the Maypole or the St. John’s tree around which people of another age danced on the largest day of the year. Others associate the Christ mas tree with the beautiful old legend of the Tree of Life. When Adam lay dying, runs the leg end, he sent his son Seth to the Garden of Eden to beg for the Oil of Mercy. This was refused; however, the angel who stood at the gate gave Seth a sprig from the Tree of Life with instruc tions to plant it upon his fa ther’s grave. It was long a wide spread belief that the sprig grew and produced the wonder working rod of Moses. Later it was cut down and cast away; then, still according to the leg end, it was recovered and fash ioned into the Cross on which Christ was crucified. There are various accounts of Christmas festivities dating back to the Middle Ages, but scant mention is made of a dec orated tree. A forest ordinance from Ammerschweier, Alsace, dated 1561, ruled that “nt, burgher shall have for Christ mas more than one bush of more than eight shoes’ length.” From a travel book issued in and rites of love. The thunder oak has fallen, and I think the day is coming when there shall not be a home in all the land where the children are not ga thered around the green fir tree to rejoice in the birth-night of Christ.” THE SONG OF THE ANGELS Ap interesting fact about the angelic hymn, Gloria in excelsis Deo, is that in the primitive Church it was sung only once a year, on the anniversary of the Nativity of Christ. According to the Liber Pontificalis, Pope Tel- should be said every Sunday and on the feasts (natalicia) of martyrs.” The opening words of the sacred hymn are those of the angels at the Nativity, and the remainder is a paraphrase and development of the angelic proclamation. Another legend of the fir tree esphorus (125-136) ordered that deserves to be told. One De cember 24th the Christ Child knocked at the door of a forest er’s cottage. Cold, hungry, ex hausted, the small Traveler was taken in for the night by the kind couple. The next morning “on the Birth of the Lord Mass es should be said at night . . . and that the angelic hymn, that is, Gloria in excelsis Deo, should be said before the Sacrifice.” Gradually, the custom of saying the Gloria often gained ground, until we find in the same Book 16 05 we learn that “at Christmas He revealed His Divine identity to them. Radiant and thankful, of the Popes that Pope Sym- time in Strassburg they set up fir trees in the rooms, and they han gon them roses cut of many colored paper, apples, gilt, sugar, and so on.” ST. BONIFACE There is a popular belief that the origin of the Christmas tree dates back to 724 and has to be attributed to St. Boniface, the Apostle of the Germans. Many He told them: “There is nothing machus (498-514) ordered that I can give you beyond what the hymn, Gloria in excelsis, wafers you alread y have > except one thing.” From a fir tree He broke off a branch and planted it by the doorsil, where it promptly bloomed. “Behold,” continued the Child of Bethlehem, “My gift to you. Henceforth it shall always beai its fruits at Christmastide, wher. Children of Latin America traditionally send their letters to “Baby Jesus, Heaven, Care of St. Peter.” But North American symbols of Christmas — Santa Claus, the tinseled tree, wreaths, and greeting cards — are be coming familiar in the cities of several neighboring countries, notably Mexico, ’Cuba, and Puerto Rico. to whom he revealed the glad ,, , , , . , . . , tidings of the Gospel would all the world is empty, and _dead. have liked to embrace Christi anity. But fear of the oak-tree god Thor they had been wor shiping held them back. On Christmas Eve of 724, St. Boni face told them: “The Cross of Christ shall break the hammer of the great god Thor this very night.” Then, with their reluc tant permission, he hewed down the oak of pagan worship. Standing by a young fir tree, the missionary then proclaimed what may be called the pane gyric of the Christmas ever green: “Here is the living tree, with no stain of blood upon it. that shall be the sign of your new worship. See how it points to the sky. Call it the tree of the Christ Child. Take it up and carry it to the chieftain’s hall. You shall go no more into the shadow of the forest to keep your feasts with secret rites of shame. You shall keep them at home, with laughter and songs />/* KQlffQPJ.lU£ *nfha/’ (/no THE SHOP OF ORIGINAL STYLES COLUMBUS, GEORGIA BEST WISHES THE JORDAN COMPANY GENERAL CONTRACTORS P. 0. BOX 1179 COLUMBUS, GEORGIA 1137 Sixth Avenue Telephone 3-6466 BEST WISHES FROM GEORGIA CROWN DISTRIBUTING CO WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS COLUMBUS, GEORGIA To you it shall be a sign of faith that does not die. In some parts of Germany the Christmas tree is still made to typify the Stem of Jesse — the human genealogy of the Son of God. Small figurines of Adam and Eve stand at the front, while the serpent, also a figur ine, is twined around the trunk of the tree. At the top is a star representing the Light of the World, the Seed of the Woman destined to bruise the head, of the wily serpent. How the tinsel came to the tree is not known. But a quaint little legent tells us that long, long ago the mother of a large family trimmed a Christmas tree with all sorts of shining things. During the night the spiders visited the room and left their webs on every branch. All this the Christ Child saw, and His Heart was moved with compassion for the mother who had labored long and lovingly over the tree. To reward her selfless charity He blessed the tree and suddenly all the grew webs turned to silver. And that, says the legend, was the first tinsel. THE CUSTOM SPREADS Gradually the tree custom spread across Europe. Finland adopted it in 1800. Fifteen years later a princess of Nassau- Weilburg lighted a Christmas evergreen at the court of Vienna and urged Kaiser Franz I to adopt it .About the same time it crossed the eastern frontier into Poland. From there the custom branched out into Britain France, Holland, Denmark, and Norway. Just when the tree became ac climatized to America is not known for sure. Some say it was brought over by Germans who emigrated to the United States in the early 1830’s. But there is also a story told that the 30,000 German conscripts who were hired by England at 25 cents a day to fight the American colonists celebrated Christmas with a tree, while George Washington and his Con tinentals were wintering at Val ley Forge in 1777-78. Christmas trees are believed to have been first sold in New York City in 1851 by Mark Carr, a farmer in the Catskills. This suggests that well over a hundred years ago the tree was so connected with the nativity that an enterpris ing American could make a pro fit by staffing a Christmas tree lot. ELKIN'S DEPARTMENT STORE SKIXS RED GOOSE SHOK8 FOK BOVS AM) GIKI.S DNDKREUA DRESSES 6 Mon. to 12 year si/.es 62N. 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