OCR Text |
Show LETS FREE PRESS, LEHI, UTAH FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, WS Have Tree Base Stand In Water Pagan Rites Basis Of Many Customs Cannon Fire Hails Christmas in Rome Strange as it may seem, most American Christmas customs stem largely from Pagan rites practiced long before the birth of Christ The custom of exchanging gifts is one of the few that springs from the Christian era. Christmas candles, bonfires and Yule logs arise from the heathen festivals observing the winter solstice, December 21. when the days begin to lengthen. That was a time of great rejoicing for ancient sun worshippers who built bonfires to give strength to the Ail A cannon fired from the historic Christmas trees, like flowers. vQ respond to being kept with the base Castle of Saa Angela at sunset oa in the water. Her are two simple Christmas Eve proclaims the be things to do If you want your tree ginning of the Holy Seasoa ta Rome. to stay green and fresh, By nine o'clock everyone Is ta Buy a tree which has been cut as church to witness the colorful and solemn processions of ecclesiastic recently as possible. Cut off the end of the trunk diag- dignitaries which precede the elabonally, at least one Inch above the orate nfidnight Mass. Since everyone has fasted for original cut. This will expose a moist surface which will absorb wa- twenty-fou- r hours, festive banquets ter. Stand the trunk of the tree in are la order after the religious water at once, and. if it is not to be solemnities. It Is a gala taken into the houst for several In Rome: hotels and restaurants remain open, families and days, keep it In a cool place. "winter friends gather around sumptuous Romans ornamented tables In gaily decorated homes; their homes with green boughs and and in anticipation of the festivities, flowers for the Feast of Saturnalia many people attend church dressed which began December 19. Druids in formal attire. mistletoe for gathered that season, There aren't very many famous Between Christmas and Epiphany, while ancient Saxons used holly. birthdays during December too the Calabriaa shepherds Pifferani Ivy and bay. Modern mistletoe and near Christmas! However, a few revisit the homes where they were holly wreaths come from those peoof history's prominent people most cordially welcomed during ples. were born In December and here Advent when they came down from Christmas trees, too. spring from they are: the hills to play their Italian bagthe ancient German days when GerDec. 8, Eli Whitney, inventor pipes before the shrines of the Virmanic tribes made sacrifices to the of the cotton gin. gin. The Pifferani play for their sacred oak tree of Odin. When the Dec. 16,Ludwigvon Beethoven. Advent hosts during the St. Boniface traveled to missionary Dec. 17, John Greenleaf Whit-tieholidays and receive gifts of Germany in the Eighth Century and wine, dried figs, and small sums saw these celebrations he persuaded Dec. 24, Christopher (Kit) Carof money from their hosts. the natives to substitute a fir tree son., for the oak and to adorn it in a Dec. 27, Louis Pasteur. tribute to the Christ Child. Nut-Bo- wl Dec 28, Woodrow Wilson. Dec. 31. Rudyard Kipling. During the Middle Ages the entire Christmas season was celebrated in equal fervor with that now shown on Nuts from all over the world go Christmas day. In some lands the 1 f Into your nut-boat Christmas. celebration lasted from December j "j-Like Christmas traditions, the nuts 24 to January ft Twelfth Night t so popular at this time of year are and in others from December 21 to n r4 a mixture of many varieties and 7 February 2. By the year 1844, different histories. Christmas in England had become The English walnut, for Instance, such a wild orgy that the Puritans is not English at all. It originated forbade its celebration by law. in Asia centuries ago and was called "the food of the gods." To read with understanding is The round little filbert and the to be educated. almond came from the Old World. w Other nuts, so familiar at Christ .: mas, the hickory nut, the black walt nut and the chestnut, to say nothing of the pecan, are strictly American. The pecan is native to America and is found nowhere else. Two other American nuts worthy of mention ara the chestnut and the butternut. SI Although many nuts originated in other parts of the world, almost every variety known Is now grown on t American soil and experts are constantly searching for more kinds of If yea WHITE HOUSE DOOR were having Christmas dinner at nuts to transplant to this country, the White House this is what yoa'd see as yen approached It. The keeping cf Christmas or saint's days, and the making of England has two towns with mince pies were illegal in the early k. Christmas names. Christmas Pie is Massachusetts and New Haven cola small village near Guildford, Sur- onies. The strict religion of the Pur rey, while Christmas Common is itans banned observance of holy near Oxford and Henley days. after-midnig- sun-god- n Much Family Fun In Group Games -- Make It a real famSy Christmas mis year by having SanU pack a few hobby supplies cr games Into his pack that the whole family can enjoy together." This suggestion comes from E. H. Regnier, a recreation specialist at the University of Illinois. There are many hobbles that can help build companionship between parents and children. Mothers and daughters like Jewelry construction and tapestry weaving. Dad and airJunior go in for model-makin- g planes, boats, trains and other items of special interest to the male population. ! The OU Gray Mara That famous line about the eld gray mare may someday be simply, "The old gray mare ain't." If present trends continue, according to a farm mechanization study released by the B. F. Goodrich company, there will be only four an farm horses and mules in 1979. This would be a "mere handful." it said, compared with the 21 million In 1921 and today's figure of 11 million. Work animals are "disappearing," the firm pointed out. because more tractors all of them now equipped with rubber tires are going onto farms. There are now about 28 million tractors on farms, and by 195S the figure should hit mO-1- 1 I S million. December Dates cat-jeU- ) okec - vea ' if ri ( V vf tar ttles, Jig Fl n sis bbsbsbs1sbMssT aiaiiiiMiMBiaaMadBlliaBBBM(t ... 1 WAS Iflttitfr 4x v.sv.ttfit It looks at though Santa iHHiinWTtif' A GOOD GIRL ALL YEAR" believes her, too. Right now SanU Is buy with millions of Interviews like this, bat he's expected to stay on schedule and arrive here December 25. istinj lSIOM I ft ft ft ft I -- 11 I j. m kP ndi 1 iturtl roa dijert. roar it fU inie imenfl May the true joys and 1 Yuletide be yours toda-y- 'Peace on Earth 4b lU'lit ft blessings of that first v& altloi i rot 8 I tit Goo ft ft Filled From Many Lands riri- - folks f link Et II II II II II IIliifiiitiiit r. i mnn 3 I Good Will Toward Men.' ee mm fl ft srv ... 1 1 Christmas is an folks fashioned holiday, a night! time-r-"- for reliving childhood because ol night if t w nettkt lition Fol y Since Pitk M within u EV BACK, from inn-LVOL'S nn old- - days and for recalling - 3 s.- r P 7 oldcJ Honesty in advertising n If tranquility of the -- J best advertising policy, JJ il j may an me neace ana 11 is the George's BARBER SHOP Once again, as the season glow of the holiday be yours in full measura season envelops the land, we extend our friendliest i evvice Mfj?m tt7 &.A greet- -' tags and warmest wishes for a joyous Yuletide season. Y I BROWN UP TAXI 2 I 1 1W i your L.- - Just for Franchi4 engine"4 wer a minufe, we relive at all the joys and raptures of child- Pwto fi ur old hood as we behold .j me the bright of cylind tinsel and to iM ! Se y0" Dealer now! r j the boxes stacked high under IV 1QAQ T : ; . t t the (Mimas tree. 1 Along with Christmas pine and holly ... may .HI"'" forbreh-Yo- ur 1' happiness deck the 6 i how we're grateful 4 a fos. your patronage. I! I bd 6 t At Christmas time we want yon to halls of your home. ting ingjT ,hicl im I I E i tod State Street Drug ii SI health, wealth and af with the gay wrappings of t IiEM BAKEEY! ft ft ft I llfcllllt l May your mm gift be an assurance that all T MiieHiM your most cherished dreams and hopes .... ; will be, .IV i il you ....... . realized that ts our wrsn lor I ai mrs nappy U..l.l!J uimm ra&on. |