The Brookhaven leader., 1886-02-04
CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY.
How the Descendants of the Norsemen
Celebrate the Great Christian Holiday.

How the Descendants OF the Norsemen
Celebrate the Great Christian Holiday.
On the morning of the festal day the
roads are thronged with sledges convey
ing visitors to their destinations, the
brass bells which decorate the hardy lit
tie Norwegian horses making a merry
tinkling in the frosty air. The very air
itself seems to palpitate with the sweet
chimes of the bell melodies; and is not
sleigh ride one of those delights that
defy rivalry? The day begins with
divine service. The churches are very
plain, and the worship simple; and
whenever the service is over relatives
and friends assemble at different houses
according to invitation, where a pre-
limlnary repast, consisting of a variety
of viands, liquors and sweets, is partaken
of before dinner. which (woe to the
dyspepticD follows Immediately after.
The first courtesy, however, shown to a
male guest on entering a Norwegian
house, no matter at what hour OF the
day, is pipe of tobacco. The din
ner is lengthy affair; fish. poultry.
meat, entrees, cakes and preserves 60
round and round again and again. Be-
tween the courses intervals are allowed
for the singing of national songs, the
giving of standard toasts, and the drink
ing of healths. To the Norwegian the
words Gamle Norge cold Norway'O
have powerful spell in them, and on
festive occasions like the present they
can not be resisted. In an instant
Ganale Norge is repeated by every voice;
the glasses are filled and drained, and
then bursts forth in simultaneous
chorus the national song of Norway,
"For Norge" There is no nation in
the world that can surpass Norway in
this enthusiastic love of country. When
the dinner is over the chief guest rises,
saying, Tax for m,ardeR (thanks for the
meal or entertanmenD, which is re-
sponded to by all present, who bow to
the host and hostess at each end of the
table. At seven o'clock tea is handed
round, then little later N the evening
comes a knock at the door, and
some four or five boys enter
dressed IN white mantles; the tallest Of
these holds large colorcd lantern
shaped like a star, while another bears
a small illuminated glass box contain
ing two little wax Dutch dolls, one Of
which represents the Virgin Mary sit
ting in chair and the other the infant
Jesus lying in cradle. A bit of handle
is moved by a wire from side to side of
the lantern, making it appear as if the
doll mother was rocking the cradle at
her feet. and the lantern is meant to
represent the star in the East which
guided the Magi to the lowly manger.
These mysteries are all explained during
the exhibition in the words of n carol,
chanted by the boys. After these lads
are dismissed with some slight refresh
ment or bonbons and little money,
another band of masked performers.
rather older than the last, make their
appearance. They are dressed in mill
tary fashion, with cooked hats on the
head, tattered-loo' g uniforms, pur-,
posely decked with tinsel, and wooden
swords suspended at their sides.
They are very like our own
November Guys, only much
more Interestingly These maskprs per-
form all kinds of fantastic tricks for the
amusement of the spectators, conspicu-
Gus among them being a pantomimic
military review. No one in Norway
ever refuses to admit these performers
of their annual mummeries, or sends
them away cmpy-handed. Numerous
diversions and games now follow among
the household; supper is sannounced and
partaken of; the gentlemen settle down
for a general smoking, and the ladies
disappear upstairs, where an eager talk
ing and clatter of tongues goes on as
they put on their wraps. Then como
the sledges to the door; hearty shakings
of the hand, with loudly expressed good
wishes, are exchanged all round, and
the happy guests are borne swiftly over
the snow, glittering in the moonlight, to
their respective homea - Canssrs'
JOETaG!.