The celebration of Christmas is fast winning its way, even in New England. The beautiful custom of decorating our homes and our churches yearly increases throughout the land. What can be more appropriate than to celebrate the birthday of our Saviour with garlands and songs, and the affectionate interchange of gifts.
God gave us his only begotten Son; we in humble imitation give gifts to our loved ones. God’s deeds seem consistent with this day. He, whose birth we celebrate, gave his life for us. Can we restrain our hands from relieving, our hearts from sympathizing with the poor, the bereaved, and the distressed?
The custom of giving presents at Christmas originated in Germany. It was derived from the ancient feast of Sol. The children of many Americans, who remember Christmas, hang up their stockings Christmas Eve, thinking “Santa Claus” will come in the night and fill them with gifts. Some, to avoid being roused at too early an hour, have taken a large bag, as a receptacle for presents, and the father or mother of the family in due time distribute the presents. Others have had a table spread with their gifts of love, or place their gifts carefully under the breakfast plates, or on the chairs at the table. But the German custom of Christmas trees is by far the most desirable. We wish it was universal here. The writer of this assisted in preparing almost the first tree in our portion of New England, but since then the Christmas tree has spread far and wide; a tree more productive of pleasure and fun was never before planted.
We will give some simple directions for the arrangement of the Christmas tree, hoping to induce some families, who have felt a Christmas tree was too expensive, to plant it this year. This tree is within the means of the poor as well as the rich, by the exercise of the united skill of any family.
We think all such festivals and family meetings assist in making “the home” the dearest spot on earth.
1.—HOW TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS TREE.
The first thing to be considered is how to obtain a suitable tree.
If you are not near any woods, and intend to purchase an evergreen from a nursery of trees, the “silver fir” is decidedly the best adapted for that purpose. In the large cities, trees of all kinds can be easily bought; they are carried through the streets for sale. If you go to the woods, the common spruce is the most suitable. The hemlock is the prettiest green, but its boughs are not sufficiently firm to bear any considerable weight. If a spruce cannot be found, hemlock can be used by nailing narrow slats of wood across the tree and under the branches, as a support. Paint the slats green, and they do not show; in that way candles and presents can be firmly fastened to its branches.
If the tree is not perfect in shape, nail on here and there an extra branch, until it becomes symmetrical.
Take a small round tub, or half of a small cask. Place your tree in the centre and brace it firmly, and fill the cask with sand. Cover the cask with green moss; it is the prettiest green for the purpose. It can be covered with little branches of hemlock if moss cannot be procured, or even a green floor mat can be placed around it. Another simple way to fasten a tree firmly, is to take a suitable block of wood, and have a hole made in the centre just to fit the stem of the tree, and cover the block with moss, or paint it. Then place your tree either in the centre or corner of your room where it is to be, first spreading a white cloth over the floor, which will not only protect your carpet, but add to the brilliancy of your tree when it is lighted. Some use a small tree, and place it in the centre of a table; the presents too large and heavy for the tree, are placed upon the table. When your tree is firmly placed in the right position, fasten on your candles with little tins, cut in the form of a diamond, with two very acute angles, and bent in the centre to form a right angle; push one point into your tree, and on the other fasten your candle or taper. The latter is the prettiest, and neatest to use. Buy the colored wax tapers. If you prefer you can cut up candles. Tapers or candles can be fastened also to your trees by wires, or by melting one end of the candle, and while hot, fasten it by the melted wax to the branch of the tree. Also you can purchase tins prepared to hold the tapers, made with a sharp point to fasten to the tree, and one to put in the taper; that point must be heated before fastening it to the candle. This tin has a hollow rim around it to catch the melted wax.