The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-12-21
Christmas in Foreign Lands.

VII ishmho AH hVANiSh
In Burgundy carols are exceedingly
popular. Indeed, not more cherished
is the Germans Christmas tree, with
its glttering ornaments, and the Christ
child, or the Englishman's red hol-
lyberries, mystic mistletoe, blazing
hearth-fire and smoking plum-pndding,
than are the duties sung, all through
Advent, until Christmas eve, by the
good folk of that province. Preside
gossip mingles with the quaintly-worded
praises of "the little Jesus" Bag
pipes drone in the village streets. The
strolling minstrel is always accounted
a welcome addition to the neighborly
hearthside gatherings, and when Christ
mas eve is past, the piper makes the
round of the houses, whence he fails
not to issue with many compliment,
as well as some small coin, by way of
reward for the playing Of his uncouth
and shrill. sounding tunes.
Wine and chestnuts provide refresh
ment up to Christmas eve; then, big
supper is furnished forth to as many
as can assemble under one roof. Burn
ing brands support the huge Suche or
Yule-log, which is believed, by the
small fry of Burgundian humanity, to
fetch in its wake dele ctable shower of
sugar-plums. Therefore are these little
people as quiet as their superabundance
of vitality will permit-for they know
that, if good, something nice will be
found to reward them, in their slippers
or wooden shoes, on the morrow.
On the score of noise and hilarity,
the grown-up folk atone for all de-
ficiences of the youngsters. "Noell
NOEL echoes and re-echoes every
where until the midnight mass is said,
to attend which the pious carry dminu-
tive, parti-colored tapers, amidst the
jubilation of the Ginning church bells.
"In Sweden, when, at their bright
est, the aurora bOredhS scintillate
their crimson falchions, which rend
the golden sky-curtain to let one see
the purple fleets of cloudland pass in an
enchanting procession before the silver
blink of the stars, then do the peasants
dance on the straw in honor of Yule-
tide. and rustic damsels throw straws at
the rOof-timbers, to ascertain, by the
number of straws sticking thereon, how
many groomsmen will stand beside
their brides at the altar during the ell
suing year. Songs and tales, brandy
and nut-brown ale, and great Yule-
cake, cheese crowned, apple-wreathed,
and, set as the base for the three
branched Christmas candlestick, are all
objects of Importance at Swedish Yule-
tide festivities.
In country not far from where the
two spirits OF the globe, the magnetic
and the electric" according to Niche.
let, do nightly hold carnival in the po-
lar circle, the poor lcelanders are al
lowed, as rare treat, to have bread to
eat with their Christmas mutton and
milk porridge.
In Southern Lapland, should the
householder neglect to provide an am
pie store of fuel for the seasons needs,
in popular belief, the disguised Yule-
swans, or Christmas COLLINS, will so
befoul the wood pile that there shall be
no getting at its contents. There, also,
it is, that the girl who wishes, nup-
TALLY speaking, TO learn her fate, places
a table in the center of vacant cham
Der and on it two glasses--the one of
water the other of brandy; then, TAX
ing broom, she must sweep the room
three times carefully, against the sun :;
and if she is to enter the married state,
her future husband will appear before
she completes the third round, and
drink from the water glass, if a sober
man, or from the brandy tumbler, if he
be a drunkard. Again, if Lapander
at Christmas, before retiring, pulls off
his boots and filings them over his left
shoulder, he shall know, from the shoes
pointing toward the door, whether a
long journey or death will be his por-
L.. 1.
the other hand, the boot toes turn in
ward, he can feel assured of another
twelve-months' lease of his present ex-
istence. december Table Talk.