The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-21
SANTA CLAUS ABROAD.
ALI the World Rejoices at
Christmas Time.
CUSTOMS OF DIFFERENT LANDS.
Festivities OF Mexico, the FatherIand
and New England-Thc Esqui-
maux Sun Feast.

WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 15.-[Copy-
righted 1890. ]-Washington City will cell
brate Christmas in all its glory. Santa
Claus is alive and his Washington tour
will include every stocking, from that of
Baby Mckee in the White House to those
of the poorest darky boys who swarm by
the thousands in our Washington alleys.
Tons Of turkeys, great crates of roast geese
and hundreds of fat possums are now in
the markets, and enough evergreen and
holly is shown to decorate the Capitol, the
Washington monument, the White House
and all the big government departments
from their tops to their bottoms. The
most interesting of the Christmas celebra-
tons, however, will be those of the lega-
tions. Every Christian nation keeps
Christmas in its own way, and have
today had number of interesting chats
as to Christmas in other lands.
CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO.
Madame Romero, the wife of the Next
can minister, gives me picture of the day
there. Said she: christmas in Mexico
is always more or less religious festival.
It is in consequence by no means so joyous
an occasion as in Europe and this country,
where the observances partake so largely
Mexico at that time as the guest of an
American family of residents there he
would find the same American Christmas
customs observed. We, for instance, would
keep the day in the same way. But you
would find it different among the pure
Mexican families. They know nothing of
hanging up their stockings on Christmas
night, and the Mexican children look upon
%hA. al
the times when they are to be
made much of and are sure
To receive presents. Every one in
Mexico is named for some saint, and the
favorite saint is Guadalupe. Still there is
a saint for every day in the year, and the
saint days are the gift days. 1t is custom
airy to keep hanging on the looking-glass
q calendar on which the list of saint DAY
is printed and one has only to refer to this
10 keep posted as to the birthdays of her
friends and relatives. The presents given
at such times are regulated by the circum-
stances of the donors. Sometimes it is
only few flowers, or when the acquaint-
ance is recent or not intimate visiting
cards only are sent. This is in order
that the person may realize that
his birthday is remembered and though
the acquaintance be slight it is always
taken as a compliment.
HOLIDAY FEAsTs IN MEXICO.
AS to the Christmas ceremonies" Mad
anne Romero continued, s'there is morn
ing service in the churches from until IL
o'clock, at which time the affairs are deco
rated with flowers. The holy-day festivi-
ties begin week before Christmas,
and the Posados are observed by all
families whose means will permit. In
former times the Posados were mixed So
cial and religious festival They began by
procession headed by the Virgin, who
asked to be received at each house during
the period of her journey with Joseph pre-
vious to the birth of Christ. During the
progress of the procession, there is, of
course, considerable praying and singing,