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Show 1 us atmosphere In the kltch- Ten is close and warm and fragrant. Dishes, pans anil . L,vi utensils are scattered nil Yg over the place. Flour dust 'A Is In (lie air. And so is the IJVV. Christmas spirit ! The most iJd&M? glorious diuner of the year Is on the Bre! That Christmas is a time of ssyety and feasting is traditional. Thi3 account ac-count by some forgotten writer of Ion;; ago brings to mind the Christmas of yesterday and how It was celebrated: "Now capons and hens, besides turkeys, tur-keys, geese and ducks, with beef and mutton must all die; for in twelve lays a multitude of people will not ' he fed with little. Now plums and spice, sugar and honey, square It among pies and broth. Now or never must music be In tune, for the young must dance and sing to get them a lient, while the aged sit by the fire. The Christmas cookies, the Iced cakes and gingerbread figures which ore part of our Christmas goodies are survivals of the confectionery gifts presented to the senators of Rome In the early times. The cakes were in the forma of animals and humans. t nt- 11, cukes became more elabo rate, and were adopted as Christmas cakes. In early England these cakes were very popular. They were given to the pot r women who sang carols In the street, or who went from bouse to house wli.'j images of the Virgin and 4f Christ. To put the "merry" In "Merry Christmas" today, the hostess must borrow a Ml of old-fa.Uioned revelry, add to it the flavor of steaming plum pudding and popcorn, sprinkle it well with a mtasure of good cheer, and serve will a sprig of mistletoe I Not so long ago It was customary to have huge wreaths and laurel ropes drooping from every corner. Now a lipring of mistletoe and a bit of holly with Its "berries like reddened pearls" ore used for Christmas decoration. A custom delightfully old-fashioned Is to have an unl rimmed evergreen flanklns the side of the front door outside the I house. Another old-fashioned custom,' which Is eald to have been originated In Colonial Co-lonial days, is to Include a tiny bit of mistletoe with the Invitation. It is slljiped Into the envelope with the card "to carry the season's good tid-tags." tid-tags." It Is really mean as a wish or omen for happiness and prosperity throughout the coming year. Decorations for the Christmas tahie re not difficult to arrange. One may ave a flat bowl of colored glass piled Mgh with fruit. Or one may have a slender silver vase with a cluster of 'why in It, or perhaps a lower vase w'th cut winter flowers. An old custom cus-tom h to have a miniature tree In the "ter of the table bearing gifts or furors fu-rors for the guests. Of course, can- dies are used for illumination at the Christmas diuner, whether It be formal for-mal or Informal, because they serve to carry out the Christmas tradition. Many old superstitions still cling to the popular Christmas foods. To refuse re-fuse a piece of mince pie at a Christmas Christ-mas dinner, for Instance, means 111 luck for the year. To eat apples at midnight on Christmas eve, however, is to enjoy great health during the year. If a loaf of bread Is allowed to remain on the table after the Christmas Christ-mas eve celebration, there will be no lack of bread In the house for the next twelve months. According to the old tradition, "by all means you must have a plum pudding a plum pudding t,rown rich end black and solid." Otherwise, it seems, you will lose a friend between this Christmas and next. If you wish, you may have an English Eng-lish Christmas party, observing all the many English customs which have contributed con-tributed to our own Christmas observances. ob-servances. The Invitations are pr'.nt- en in -iu n.iiguaii i.-.-..- nu .... decorated with mistletoe, holly, Ivy. Wax tapers, in brass, Iron, or pewter cnndlestltks add the proper touch In illumination. For the centerpiece a boar's bead, made of dough, should be used. If it be made large enough It can be used to cover the Utile roast pig with the tradltionfll apple In Its mouth which constitutes the main course of the dinner. At such a party the wassail cup mast be passed around. Drinking the wassail is an old English custom. Dickens says: "They sat down by the hnge fire of blazing' logs to a substantial supper, and a mighty bowl of wassail, something some-thing smaller than the ordinary wash-hous wash-hous copper, In which the hot apples were hissing and bubbling with a rich look, and a Jolly sound that were perfectly per-fectly Irresistible." Instead of containing the brew, ale, or steaming punch of the old-time wassail bowl, the cup at our modern English dinner may contain any mild ' punch or soft drink that the hostess -tikes. It la passed around to carry out the old custom and to "wish cheer with the brimming cup." After dinner the guests repair to th drawing room, which is Illumined solely sole-ly by candles and Is decorated with mistletoe suspended from unexpected places. Here the famous old English games are played, old Christmas carols sung, and old Christmas stories related. If possible there should be a glowing yule log In the fireplace. Perhaps you would prefer a German dinner with all Its pretty customs. Use for a centerpiece a miniature representation rep-resentation of the Nativity, and have a tiny Kris Kringle or a small, decr rated Christmas tree at each placi). Have gifts packed and marked with the names of the persons for whom each is Intended, and then hide them throughout the house. After dinner start your guests aft on a search for these treasures, which they exchange among themselves as the packages are found, until each guest has his own. This Is an old German custom, and la always good fun, especially if the guests are young people. Another variety of Christmas dinner carries out all the traditions of the Druids. There should be a crackling fire In the fireplace. Sprigs of mistle- . . . ji..Dl.fnl1 HAnarnnelv toe shoum De uisuiuui.ru For dinner provide a jolly feast, nuts and apples and all good things to eat. And after this repast there should be dancing, music and entertainment The Scandinavian Christmas dinner could be made most delightful. The menu may be the same as for any ordinary Christmas dinner turkey, roast meats, mince pie, apple fritters, nuts, raisins, apples whatever one likes. In addition there should be a huge Christmas tree In the drawing room hung with colored balls of glass and made beautiful with tiny lighted candles or, to be up-to-date with electric lights. There would be gifts on the tree for each guest, and in each package a card bearing some delightful delight-ful bit of wisdom or cheer from the old Scandinavian writings. And of course, there would be the yule log, a great roaring fire, and perhaps the host, In the part of Thor. would quote interesting bits of Scandinavian myth- 01 Whatever form the Christmas enter-tainme.it enter-tainme.it lakes. It must be free of formality for-mality There must be plenty of good cheer and fun; the day Is given over to rejoicing. For generations It has been customary to play favorite old Lames on this day and to make merry with one's family and friends. As Dickens has Mr. Wardle say to Mr Pickwick: "Everybody sits down with us on Christmas eve, as you se, U em now-servants and all ; and here I we lt until the doc 'v ' Tinner Christmas In. and while the ! ' faway with forfeits and old sto-! sto-! h! Triune, my boy. rake up the tire I" |