The Independent-News, Volume 100, Number 20, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 13 December 1973 — Page 5

Barcelona gifts arrive on January 6 About the time when most westerners think about taking the tree down and “putting Christinas awav for another year", across the ocean, in Spain, the season is reaching its height. On January’ 6, Twelfth Night or King’s Day, as it is called in Spain, gifts are given. King’s Day celebrates the first Christinas when the Mise Men or Three Kings brought gifts to the Child in Bethlehem. The Kings are so important there that they take the place of Father Christinas. A ' w W" <* ■ A I S Between 5 and 6 on th© afternoon of January’ 5 th© Kings appear. In seacoast cities such as Barcelona they appear in the harbor on a beautiful ship, are rowed to shore and then paraded through the town in full re* galia with their retinue. Up until midnight the streets throng with people buying gifts and the special treats offered for this occasion. The true spirit and joy of the season Hower in this Isatin land. The outward and visible signs are everywhere in Barcelona ... gifts in gorgeous wrappings, and a dramatic mode of delivering gifts: some of the larger stores send men dressed as the Three Kings to go around after nightfall leaving packages on the windows and sometimes entering houses through the windows to distribute the gills ami sweets. On Kings* Day the streets are decorated magnificently, there are receptions at the civic buildings, which are illuminated with spotlights — even the army is resplendent in full dress in honor of this happiest of all birthdays.

1 ai ' a ■ Mibl Si UA'l Z- rj WB fW q la™ * . I fl favorite Tale Tscliaik'ovski Set to IllusicfTlie Nutcracker .

One Christmas Eve, many years ago, a little girl named Maric received as a gift a wonderful wooden nutcracker. No ordinary’ kitchen tool, this — but a brave hussar with high black shako and bright red coat, who cracked nuts between his teeth every time he clicked his heels. No wonder Marie stole softly downstairs to see him again! But what w'as her astonishment, reaching the tree, to find a fierce battle raging between the plump parlor mice and the conic-alive toy soldiers. To protect her from harm, the valiant nutcracker transformed himself into a boy prince, and bore her

away to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy. There, all her favorite candies joined in dances representing the countries from which they originated. * Light as spun sugar themselves, the children traveled on through the frosty night to the land of the Snow King and his Queen. Before scintilating thrones of ice, they whirled with the dazzling snowflakes, until a drift of perfumed blossoms melted the ice-bound court, and wreathed the drowsy children with the magic of spring. Deep in a mist of dreams, Marie and the little Prince lost one another. When at last Marie awoke in her little white bed at home, the amazing nutcracker lay stiffly on the counterpane. But the Prince, long a changeling by enchantment, had escaped forever into the Land of Dreams Come True Ever since that night, the nutcracker has refused to talk about the strange adventure. But at times there is a twinkle in his eye which amounts almost to a wink. Marie knows that he, too, will never forget! At great formal partic s when her father and mother entertain the peers vi the Realm, the

DECEMBER IS, 1973 — THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS —

s rr T i ’ I k /A yi nutcracker is an object of ,spe< i.d delight to all — and only Maric truly knows why. Realism Reflected at Christ’s Birthplace In the Middle East, where Christ lived, Christmas has a touch of realism. The patriarch comes from Jerusalem with a troop of cavalry in gorgeous array. The service lasts from 10 p.m. until lonfc after midnight. After the reading of the gospel the clergy and congreyation leave the church ana journey to the Grotto of (he Nativity.

Soviet’s Yule Is Like America’s Except... \ vi 'tor to the officially atheistic nation of the Soviet Union at Christmastime vould see very little that liffers from western nations’ customs. Colored lights, decorated trees, gift - laden shoppers and images of a bearded, befurred old gentleman delivering toys from a sleigh . . . these and other traditional sights greet the eye. Wk VzpSj The one significant difference is that the Russian Christmas has been shorn of any religious meaning, officially at least. I There are some isolated instances of Christian worship in Russia at this time. The Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated with an 8-hour Xmas Mass at midnight in a few churches. This mass takes place, not on December 25, but on January 7, in conformity with the old Julian calendar. To this day the Mass is splendid, involving all the rich orthodox pageantry’ of the 19th century, in the days of the Czars. It still brings thousands of faithful souls into cathedrals to participate. The richest mass is sung in Moscow s Yelokhovsky (Epiphany) Cathedral. Six priests, resplendently garbed, sing the Slavonic ritual in rich baritone and bass voices with aw >mp.miment from two choirs high in a h it above the altar. Usually the plain, rough attire of many ot the worshippers contrasts sharply with the splendor of the altar anil the priests. *** STAMPS CONHAIM “SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS" EDITION Anne W, Glantz, Editor Contenti C9p*’*«ht«< 19 3 by SCW, INC. t CHATSWORTH, CALIF.

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