Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 39, Number 23, 6 December 1913 — Page 16

THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM. SATURDAY, DEC. 6, 1913

HILE we are busily preparing for our Christmas celebration there are thou

sands of people all over the world who are likewise entering into the spirit of the

Christmas season. Let us take a peek at some of these far away countries and see L'ow their customs compare with ours. We will start with Germany, because the Germans are known to be the greatest lovers of Christmas and Its festivities. Prom them we have received a great many of our Christ

mas legends. Months before the glad

day the women and children begin

sewing and knitting their gifts. These presents are generally sensible, useful ones, and not silly trinkets only good to look at. Every one receives

n remembrance. No German ia for gotten.

In the German village of Laueha

the life occupation of the peasants is to carve toys by hand for the little oncB. Wonderful playthings are made with the skilful knives of these

villagers. In nearly every home on

Christmas Eve you might nnd a Christmas tree. Their trees are

smaller than ours and are generally

placed on the center of the table

Christmas in Germany is a family day. The relatives and close friends

are the only ones bidden to the home

The entertaining of large parties is

left for other occasions. In the village of Knecht Ruprecht the villager with his big bag goes nround from door to door handing nil kinds of goodies to the youngsters. But he also carries a bundle of rods ro have handy in case he should hear of any child who has been naughty during the year. The good "Prau" is famous for her ginger cakes, cookies and "marzipan," a sort of an almond cake that she takes great pride in making. In Servia the Christmas celebration begins the day before Christmas. During the night the men and boysl ar driven In oxen carts to the woods to cut down their Christmas trees. Thy endeavor to chop them so care

fully that they will fall towards the east the minute the sun is first seen rising. If It should fall towards the west the Servians firmly believe that that is an omen that they will have bad luck during the coming year. Or if it falls in the right direction but catches in some other branches, they think that their good luck will be postponed. In some parts of Servia the mother and children scatter hay on the floors of all the rooms. If you could see the mother, followed by her youngsters, it would remind you of a mother hen and her family of chickens. The oldest man in the family usually places a walnut in every corner in the house. The Christmas greeting in Servia is "Happy Padua's Day to you." The observation of Christmas varies in the different parts of France. In Paris the festivities are of a more worldly character than in the villages. The exchange of presents in Paris is not generally the custom as in Germany. Christmas is welcomed in by shouts of "Noel, Noel." The church celebration really begins on the Fourth of December on St. Barbara's Day and continues until January Sixth or Twelfth Night. The older people in Paris attend midnight mass from ten until twelve o'clock and then the altar boyB snuff the candles. From the church they return to the home of the oldest married son or daughter of the family and participate in a Jovial family dinner. This meal Is a "love feast" where any bad feeling that might have existed during the year is forgotten. An old custom in Brittany, France, is that of the people carrying lanterns to the midnight mass and leave them in care of poor old women who await at the church door. After the services on receiving the lanterns again the worshipers give to these women pieces of money. In Southern France on December fourth the peasants scatter some wheat in a shallow earthenware dish half filled with water. If this wheat

sprouts they believe it is a sign that the coming harvest will be a good one. In the little country of Roumania at the Christmas season the shepherds of the mountains dramatize a religious play. The Roumanians are naturally a religious people and as they travel from place to place acting their crude drama, they are so filled with the spirit of their play that in spite of the absence of all stage Bcenery, properties, and costumes, they make a tremendous impression on all who have the good fortune to witness their dramatization. The same play is heard year after year but the people never tire of it, and for a long while after its production it leaves a lasting impression on its audience. Another religious rite is that of the priests who, representing Biblical characters, proceed to the Danube where they bless a wooden cross and place it in a hole in the frozen ice of the river. Whosoever recovers this cross is supposed to have good fortune awaiting him. The Christmas Eve celebration in Russia is known as "Kolenda." The peasants have a custom of gathering around the houses of the nobles and singing Christmas carols. As they hold out their caps, many a bright coin is tossed to them. Christmas In Russia is a great masquerade day. The men and boys disguise themselves as different animals and march in a procession carrying torches and accompanied by a band. Some act as the animal keepers. The procession marches from house to house receiving food, drinks and money. A religious play is also an important factor of the day's celebration. "Knecht Clobes" is the patron saint at Yule-tide in Holland. Although the French, German and American children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve, the Holland youngsters place their shoes outside the door to await Knecht Clobes and his bag. He cornea on

December fifth to fill the shoes and on December sixth the Jolly old fellow enters the houses and strews goodies all over the floor. Christmas Eve is known as "Strooiavand," which means strewing evening. This strewing custom is common in many parts of the world. Instead of a Christmas tree in Italy, they have "The Urn of Fate." This is a large urn in which is placed the Christmas gifts. According to their age the children put their hands in the urn and draw out their presents. Sometimes a blank Is drawn, but the unfortunate receiver is never allowed to leave until he is recompensed. A splendid banquet is the important feature of the Italians' Christmas. This is a "Fish Dinner." Fish prepared In all Btyles is served. Fish is eaten a week before the feast night. In Italy the religious aspect of the holiday is emphasized. Not only the grown-ups and the children are remembered at Yule-tide in Sweden but the birds also have a Merry Christmas. In the yard of every farm house is erected a pole on the top of which is placed a large sheaf of grain for the birds' Christmas dinner. No Swedish person forgets these little fellows on Christmas Day. Although the Swedish homes are always clean at this season there is a general house-cleaning throughout. Mexico's celebration Is both sportive and religious. They have bullfights and cocking-mains as well as a production of "The Passion Play." From Germany we received the Christmas Tree; Santa Claua hailed from Holland; the Christmas stocking idea originated in France or Belgium, and to England we owe the "Merry Christmas" greeting. ; So we see that in all parts of the world this happy season is commemorated, and although each country celebrates it in its own way the underlying thought and feeling of the day is the same, be the customs what they may. I

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