A Christmas made richer .
by the legends: and’ cus-

toms, both religious and _

" secular, of. all the peoples

“of the world, has become
a beautiful heritage from

the past. -

-.. The tree as a - symbol. of

- Christmas comes to us from

Germany where it is said

that Martin Luther first cut
a fir tree to bring into’ his
home. But the association
of trees at Christmas. began
in the tenth century. A leg-
end recounts the night that
Christ was born wherein all

_ the trees in all the forests, |

even ‘those in frozen coun-
tries, blossomed and bore
fruit.

From lands separated by”

' water from the Holy Land,
~ such as ‘Holland and Eng-
| land, ships are revered in
.. song and legend for it was
on Christmas mom that a
ship arrived bearing Jesus,
Mary and Joseph and a car-

All the world i is young at

Christmastime.
aes Author Unknown

the Past

go of. gifts,

In Northern and Middle
Europe, cattle. are given
special attention on Christ,

-mas Eve, because it -

thought that the cow in the
stable breathed on the Ba-
by Jesus to Keep him warm.

Music in honor of the
birth of Jesus has been part

of church festivals from the - -

beginning of the Christmas
era. Some of our most be-
loved carols were written
so long ago that their ori-
gins are lost in history. Car-
oling has been enjoyed: by
so many people i in so:many
lands that it has become a

universally loved tradition. —
. There is no other cele-

bration on earth like Christ-
mas and the meaning and
joy and beauty of it sur-
vives today through these

treasured rituals and- CUS

toms and legends.
re Re,

It’s the Thought...

Every gift which is giv-
en, even though it be small,
is in reality great. if it be _

given with affection.

Pindar (518-438 B ©) :

“past to Jerusalem, suping, “Miherei is he that i is born Hing of the

; foraiip hima” wee ce ee os woes

Ant tober they frere: come. inte the house, they suta' the young |

and fihen they had opened their treasures, they presented unta

- hi gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

CHRISTMAS EDITION, THE HERALD, Wed. Dec. 22; 1976, 19

> of os fohen Jeous Grip. born in «Bethe oi Baden in the |
days of Herad the hing, behold, there came twise ment from the

detus? Aor we habe Seen his star it the east, nid’ ave come ta |

nd, ls, the star, toil they cate i in ‘the exst, foot before ; -
thent, till it came and stood ‘ober tahere the young child fous. :
When they sufa the star, thep rejoiced twit exceeding great j joy.

child: iith diary his mother, a ani fell doton, ant worshipped him:

Tue, Gospel. Acconpine TO Sr. MatrHEw

4 to all our friends.

ath dis Born

E; xult at the Blessed.
: Birth of the Prince —
of Peace! We send wishes a

| for Holiday BleSings /

pO ee orn. Sean ne

ofa is no more
appropriate time for us to: “

‘sing your praises, than at |

this. Christmas: season.
- ‘We wish our many loyal
friends an abundance of -

: holiday treasures!

Bae: 2 Ronioy ma |