The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-21

course, and are made in the form of small
tartlets instead of the large pie customary
in America
AN ENGLISH CHRISTMAS DINNER.
Dinner is a more ceremonious meal
served at or O'Clock, and partaken OF by
large company, for invariably where the
owner of country house has no wide cir
Gle of guests TO invite down for the holi-
days, the invitations are sent far and near
to friends. During the fortnight begin
ming with Christmas eve and ending with
the 9th of January, Twelfth Night, when
the holidays end and the young people OF
the party return to school, for each even
ing there is something marked off on the
programme, games, dancing, cbarades and
tableaux, with ball as grand wind-up.
Turkey is the great dish for Christmas din
ner in England as in America, with plum
pudding for dessert. This is brought In
a.iame. crowned with sprig OF holly,
which is everywhere used in the decora-
tons, intertwined with mistletoe.
Strictly speaking, the presence of the
latter" Lady Paunceiote continued. rs
seldom taken advantage of in our best
houses, though it proves the subject of
numberless jests and laughter. Twelfth
Night is the grand hnale, the evening on
which the holidays come to close, and in
consequence IS always marked by some
entertainment. An immense cake is
and occupying the entire center of the
table, is covered with icing and orna-
mented with figure which holds in its
hands mysterious little box or basket in
which are contained presents of jewelry.
Slips of paper are arranged, and the guests
then draw in turn for the presents, which
are numbered and so arranged that no one
is left out of the general distribution which
follows.
Roast goose is never served In England
at Christmas, as it is especially dedicated
to the 18th of September, Michaelmas day,
at which time it may truly be said TO be a
national dish. You know il was on that
day that as Queen Elizabeth was dining on
roast goose word was brought to her of the
defeat of the Spanish Armada. Ever after
wards, in commemoration of the day,
Elizabeth ordered that goose should be
eaten throughout the length and breadth
of England"
CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY.
Christmas in the Fatherland, the coming
of the Christkind with all its attendant
ceremonies and pretty little customs, is
thus graphically described by Fraulein
Kotzenberg, of the British legation:
Christmas in Germany is children's day,
when with gifts and kind words we seek
to make merry the hearts of the young
people. In orthodox families there IS a
beautiful custom of building the cradle III
different colors, are represented the plains
on which the shepherds watched their
fiocks by night The little woody sheep,
the dogs, the Wise Men from afar are all
represented, and above the cradle where
Christkind lies comes down the light
of the wondrous star In the
East. On Bonded knee the Wise Men show
their alteration of the Child. The building
of this moss cradle and the whole scene is
done by the mother and father, though
sometimes the children are allowed to take
part. The tree is usually placed on large
table, covered with fresh white cloth and
set in the middle of the room, and in the
dressing of this only the parents are pres
dark, the children are all assembled,
awaiting In joyous expectation the sound
of the bell which will be q signal that the
tree is ready. At last it comes, and with
happy hearts the children enter as the
doors are thrown open. What won
derful sight it is that meets their
gaze; the tree all silvery white,
glistening with the alum sprinkled over it
while hot, the candles shining like so
many stars, glass balls of every color
showing among garlands of colored paper,
long strings of raisins and hgs, plain and
frosted cakes in every shape and design.
Beneath the tree, heaped on the table in
little piles, are the useful presents, the
little mitts and caps and scarfs to keep out
the winters cold, the drums and dolls
and sleds jingling with merry bells, the
picture books and gifts of every kind.
Above all, from the topmost branch of
the tree, looks down the Inquire of old
Father Christmas, with his snowy beard
and portly form.
The children file in line about the tree,