The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-20

I knew in a moment IL must be St. Nicki
Clement G. Moore
~ I'D you ever wonder. when you
hung UP your stocking on
L. Christmas Eve. what other lit
tie boys and girls all over the
world were doing? Perhaps you think
that they are ali hanging up their
stockings, too; going to sleep just as
you do. sure that Santa Claus will come
pattering over the roofs with his eight
tiny reindeer" and filling your stockings
with ali sorts of delightful things while
you sleep.
No. indeedi II you were a little Ger
man child. living. perhaps, near the
great city of Munich. you would not
be hanging up that stocking with so
much certainty St. Nicholas Eve is a
very important occasion there. At 6
O'Clock there Is a great trampling and
ringing of bells outside the door. and
then a knock. and in comes Santa Claus
himself-St- Nicholas, they call him
there. sometimes That is only another
OF his names; he has a great many.
He Is rosy. white-haired and smiling,
and wears suit Of fur. with big cap.
He greets everybody cheerfully, and
calls each child by his or her name.
Every one he asks: Have you been
good this year. little Gretchen (or Hans,
gets cakes or fruit, and is asked what
she wants for 3 Christmas gift. II she
says 'No'-and every child must tell
the truth to St. Nicholas-she gets a
scolding and no gifts at all.
Then St. Nicholas goes merrily away
70 some other house to question the chill
promised gifts come and the children
are told that the Christ-Child brought
them.
St Nicholas is always. wherever he fs
found, the servant Of the Christ-Child
In northern Germany they call him
"Knecht Rupert (''Servant Rupert''). He
comes on Christmas Eve, knocks on the
doors, saying that the Christ-Child has
sent him. He is dressed In fine clothes
big boots, enormous hat and wears a
haxen wig He carries a pack OF pres
ents on his back.
In south Austria all the children of
the town gather in the church on
comes, walking, in the robes of a
bishop. An angel in white walks on
either side. carrying cake and nuts.
Behind them come strange figures chain
ed together; they wear fantastic cos
tunes and have black faces.
St Nicholas calls UP every child in
the church and asks how he has be-
haved that year. If he has been good he
gets the usual cake and nuts.
After this the ugly demons come in
and dance around the children. but not
TO touch them. All the children go
home. They put baskets or dishes on
the window sill. say their prayers very
ing some one has filled the baskets with
gifts.
wear heavy wooden shoes. put these in
side the fender at night and St. Nicho-
las puts the gifts in them.
In other parts of France the children
hang up their STOCKINGS just as we do,
but woe to the child who has been badi
His stocking will be flled with old pa
per. or Goals. and a rod among them
St. Nicholas knows that children can
not be good all the time. even the
pretty good ones sometimes find a little
bundle of birch twigs. tied with a rib
bon. just to remind them that he
knows all about what goes on.
Dutch children have Christmas trees
and Santa Claus to deliver the gifts.
In Scandinavia-that cold. cold land
il Is Kristine who brings the presents,
coming after everyone is sleep.
sXeryone must nave bath On
thorough bath. and often Ii is the only
one. taken the whole year. Don't you
wish you lived on the Scandinavian
Peninsula. you small chaps who hate
''tubbing2') Then the cake made of
meal must be put out I'm the snow and
allowance OF food The birds are not
forgotten: sheaf of wheat is hung
up outside for them. Candles are
lighted and placed in the window. so
the dear Kristine may see where there
are children. The shoes Of the family
must all be put in a row, that there
may be no quarrels during the wear.
There is no St. Nicholas in Scotland
The celebration for the children is
usually on Twelfth Night. the presents
being given then.
Italian children do not know Santa
either. They have their chance at the
Urn Of Fate" though: that is a big
vase in which are presents. also pack
ages containing nothing at all. Little
Giacomo or Assunta put their arms in,
taking what comes again and again.
until there Is nothing left in the urn.
They sometimes have Christmas trees,
too
In the Puritan days in our country
the children had no trees. no Santa
Claus-even no holiday on Christmasi
There is a story that some boys caught
playing in the street on that day were
sent into their houses and made to stay
there by the stern old governor. How
different from our merry day. with old
Santa. his pack on his back, creeping
in TO I'll the stockings or standing un-
der Christmas tree joking with the
girls and boys.
So all over the world the spirit typi-
ned by Santa Claus. Kriss KrinRle, or
Krtstine makes things merry for the
children. May he live forever,