Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-12-26
CMRIST.N.ES NP.xEN..

| There Is no civilized country on earth in
whlch children are not made happy by the
| promise Of the coming Christmas. But in
every country the festival is called by a
different name, and its presiding genius is
painted with different costume and man
ner' You know all about our jolly Dutch
Santa Claus, with his sErewd, twnkling
| eyes, his frosty beard, his ruddy face aud
| The bag of treasures with which he comes
tumoing down the chimney, while his
team of reindeer snort aud stamp on the
icy roof. The English Christmas is equal
| ~ well known, and the wonders OF the
| German miracle-tree, the first sight OF
winch no child ever fCrgets. But you are,
| perhaps, not so familiar with the spirit of
the blessed season of advent in Southern
Europe, and so will tell you some of the
pleasures and fancies OF the Spanish Christ
| mas.
The good cheer which it brings every-
where Is especially evident in Spain. They
are frugal people and many goou Span
ish family is supported by less than the
waste OF household on Murray Hill. But
there is no srariug at Christmas This IS a
season as fatal 10 turkeys as THANKSGIVING
in New England. The Castilian farmers
drive them into Madrid in great droves,
which they conduct from door to door,
making the dim old streets gay with their
scarlet wattles, and noisy with obstreperous
gabbling. But the headquarters OF the
marketing during those days are in the
Plaza Mayor, where every variety of fruit
and provision is sold. There is nothing
more striking than those vast heaps Of
fresh golden oranges, plucked the day be-
fore in the groves of Andalusa; nuts from
Granada, and dates from Africa every fla
vor and color of tropical fruitage; and in
tie stalls beneath the gloomy arches, the
butchers drive their fionrishing trade. All
Is gay and joyous-chafferin and testing,
greeting of friends and filling of baskets.
The sky is wintry but The ground Is ruddy
and rich with the fruits of summer.
| At night the whole city turns ont into
the streets. The youths and niadens of
| the poorer class go trooping through the
| town with tamborines, castanets and quit
ars. singing and dancing. Every one has
different song 10 suit his own state of
| mind. The women sing Of love and relig-
ion, and many of the men can sing of moth
ing better than politics. But the part which
| The children take in the festival bears a Gu
| riUus resemblance 10 those time honored
| ceremonies we all remember, The associa-
| tions of Christmas in Spain are all of the
| Gospel. There is no Northern st. Nick
there 10 stuff the stockings of good chill
dren with rewards of merit. Why, then, on
Christmas eve do you see the little shoe,
| exposed by The windows and doors? The
wise kings Of the East are supposed to be
journeying by night to Bethlehem, bearing
gifts and homage to the heavenly Child,
| and out OF their abundance, when they
pass by the houses where good children
sleep, they will drop into their shoes some
OF the treasures they are bearing to the
Baby Prince in Judea. This thought is
never absent from the rejocngs of Christ
mas-tido in Spain. E,ery hour of the
time is sacred to Him who came to bring
peace and good will to the world. The IA
vorite toy of the season is called "The Ma
tivity." 1t is sometimes very elaborate
aud costly, representa- landscape under
starry night the shepherds Watching
their flocks; the magi coming IN with WON
der aud awe, and the Child in the stable,
shedding upon the darkness that living
light which was to overspread the world
John Hay in 81. Nicholas for December.