The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-25
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS,
How Santa Claus Comes in Many For
eign Lands.

How Santa Claus Comes in Many For
eign Lands.
From the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
am going to tell the young folks
something about the way the children
keep Christmas in other countries be-
sides their own, so let us begin with that
far-off end of Europe, Norway and
Sweden, where the Christmas season is
called the Julefred or Yule-peace. At
Julefred all the courts are closed, and
every one stops disputing and quarrel
| ing, and if people are feeling angry with
each other, or children are, they make
up and are loving and kind, and there is
deal of feasting and good humored
merriment. On Christmas eve the shoes
of all the family are cleaned very care
fully, and brightly polished and set in a
row before the hearthstone, to indicate
that during the coming year everything
will be peaceful and pleasant in the fam
lily. In the country places almost every
family who can spreads table with the
good cheer of the season, and
then the doors are left open so
| that any one can come in and eat
and drink and be merry. The way that
the presents are given is very peculiar;
| the person who wishes to give present
wraps it up in quantity of straw or
paper or rags, and sIyly filings it in at
the open door or window when no one is
| in sight; isn't that droll way?
In Belgium the children fill their hoes
with beans and carrots On Christmas
eve, and set them in the chimney place
for the good Saints horse. In morning
they expect to find them with sweet
meats and fruit in return for their good
behavior.
In Holland the children hang up their
wooden stockings by the tiled chimney
piece, and then go soberly to bed, quite
sure that good st. Nicholas will visit
them provided they do not disturb him
| in his visit.
Bohemian children listen anxiously on
| Christmas eve for the chariot and white
horses of the "Christ-Child" as he comes
flying through the air with his krippe
full of presents; but the Italian children
go gravely with their parents to
churches and cathedrals to see the
Bambino or saint who presents them
with their Christmas gifts.
The Spanish children hide their shoes
or slippers in the bushes on Christmas
eve, and find them filled with fruit and
sugar plunls on Christmas morning.
| In France the young people stand their
shoes in convenient place for the good
Noel to drop gifts in; sometimes if the
shoes of bad boy is among them he
finds a whip in it in the morning, and he
must be q stupid fellow who can not
take so sharp a hint. Very different is
the feelings of a German child. He
waits with feelings of mingled awe and
pleasure for the coming of two important
personages, the ''Christ-child" and the
'knecht Rupert" the latter person
questions naughty children and thu eItens
them with punishment, till the "CArist-
child's" intercession saves the culprit
and wins its pardon. Then these two
Christmas apparitions lay down their
burdens of gifts and depart.
In some parts of Germany the good
saint will have a Christmas tree bril-
liantly Illuminated with wax candels 10
hang its gifts on; he is not satisfied simply
with the stocking in the chimney, and it
is from this within Of his saintships that
the custom has spread into other cOun-
tries, and came over 20 our own. The
Christmas tree of today, however is only
a successor to its prototype, the ancient
legendary, Ydgnatil or Eternal tree, that
had its roots IN earth and its top IN
heaven.
The English child's Christmas has none
of the delightful features we have de-
scribed, except the Christmas tree
lighted with tapers and hung with gifts;
but he has the Christmas boxes and the
evening is spent in all sorts Of sports,
such IS snap dragon, blindman's buff
and some more modern games
Holland gave Us Americans tie good
natured Santa Claus, with his sled and
reindeer careering over the housetops,
bringing his goOdly store Of Christmas
gifts.
Ia Germany the schoolboys and Choir
isters make tie midnight air ring with
their merry carols The Three Kings
of the East. the Angel Gabriel and the
Star Singers parade ne streets; and
similar professions go about II Italy.
France and Spain. In foEmeE years and