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Show CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD (From the Hilltop Echo) J Have you ever wondered what other people around the world do 1 on Christmas? Has the thought ever occurred to you that not everyone ev-eryone celebrates Christmas in the same manner as we do? Let us look at Christmas around the world 1958. In Yugoslavia, the second Sun-j Sun-j day before Christmas is known s : Mother's Day. Mother must pretend pre-tend not to notice when one of the children slips cautiously in and ties her feet to her chair. The rest 1 of the children then rush in shouting, shout-ing, "Mother's Day, Mother's Day, what will you pay to get away?" Mother gives the children chil-dren th? Christmas presents she has for them and is released. On the following our.tiuy. Father gets the same treatment. On Christmas Eve in the villages vil-lages of France, the homes are the center of festivities, including a holiday supper and the ceremony of the burning of the Suche, or Yule Log. At midnight the church bells ring, and1 tne merrymakers become solemn as each lights his Christmas candle streaked with various colors. The streets are dotted with lights as the villagers hurry to church to celebrate the Noel. Then amid great excitement they return home for a supper, so gay and joyous that the feast often lasts until morning. But children are not forgotten, for their little slippers and wooden shoes have been filled with sugarplums. This custom began when children of long ago filled their shoes with oats and placed them on the door step for the camels of the three ivise men wfto were believed to travel on Christmas Eve. Blazing pium pudding, a crackling crack-ling Yule Log, and rosy-cheeked carol singers are symbols of English Eng-lish Christmas cheer. An English 'Christmas food which has been adopted in the United States is mince pie. It has a long history. A recipe, dated 1344, required the chopped meat of pheasants, hares, and partridges instead of the usual usu-al modem chopped beef and suet. Unlike most of Europe, England celebrates on 'Christmas Day instead in-stead of the eve. Norway, Sweden and Denmark celebrate Christmas by serving a rich rice pudding containing one almond. They believe that the person who gets the almond will be married before the next Christmas. Christ-mas. In Holland tne young men, in fantastic costumes meet in the village vil-lage square and choose a star bearer to carry a large lantern in the shape of a star and containing many lighted candles. He leads the procession through the streets singing "Gloria in Excelsis." Children in Russian villages often celebrate Christmas Eve by going through the neighborhood from house to house. They shout nnd sing until people come out and ive them food. Besides the interesting ways in which 'Christmas is spent around the world, there are many fascinating fasci-nating legends about Christmas. Legend tells how the first Christmas tree was miraculously revealed on a Christmas Eve, 1200 years ago. Winfred, an Englishman English-man who had gone to Germany to spread the teachings of Jesus, found a group of worshipers gathered gath-ered at the Oak of Geismar about to sacrifice little Prince Asulf to the god Thor. Winfred stopped the sacrifice and cut down the "blood oak." As it fell, a young fir tree appeared. The missionary declared de-clared that the fir was the tree of life of Christ, and he then told I : 1 the people of Jesus' birth. One of the most common legends leg-ends found in many countries, tells of cattle knpeMnr; in their stalls at midnight to honor the Christ Child. I In Switzerland all dumb animals ani-mals are said to be able to speak at midnight on Christmas Eve. Italy has many legends of the healing power of the "Bambino," or image of the Christ Child, as it lies jewei-crowned in the manger. The origin and meaning of the Yule Log is not known. In some places it was decorated with flowers flow-ers and garlands, and anointed with wine. For good luck the log was not allowed to burn out during dur-ing the 'Christmas season, and a part was kept to start the fire the next year. Its ashes were thought to bring fertility to the soil. |