The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS
OBSERVED BY KAISER
German Monarch Displays Same
Enthusiasm in This That He
Does in Everything Else.
ALL OF GERMANY UNITES
On Christmas Eve in One Grand
Celebration in Every Household
in Honor Of Savior's Birth.

BERLIN, Dec. 6-Kaiscr Wilhelm. who
has a strong sentimental vein in him, OBJ
serves the Christmas customs of his coun-
try with keen enthusiasm.
At sunset on Christmas Eve the imperial
family assemblies in one of the large halls
Of the palace at Potsdam or In Berlin,
more often at Potsdam. In the corner Of
this room stands an immense Christmas
tree. reaching from floor to ceiling. with
huge branches extending in all directions.
The tree Is hung with several hundred
Chinese lanterns and candles. which throw
a brilliant light on the imposing array Of
magnificent presents that also hang from
the branches.
The programme of proceedings on Christ
mas Eve is the same in every German fam
lily. First the family circle gathers round
the Christmas tree and sings one or more
Christmas carols: then husband embraces
wife and kisses her; father and mother en-
brace and kiss all their children, and the
children embrace and kiss one another.
Finally the presents are distributed amid
general rejoicing, and the family sits down
TO Christmas Eve supper, which in Ro-
man Catholic households is limited to fish.
In the Kaiser's house the same procedure
Is followed First the tree is lighted up,
then the Kaiser. the Empress and their
children sing a Christmas carol together.
The Empress plays the accompaniment on
the piano and the Kaiser leads the singing.
This year he will have TO be silent. for the
recent operation in the throat which he
underwent renders singing impossible for
him. The carol over. the Kaiser and his
consort distribute the presents to their
children, beginning with the Crown Prince
and ending with their only daughter. the
youngest child.
WHOLESALE GIFT GIVING.
The Kaiser and the Empress purchase the
presents themselves. going round the shops
in Berlin before Christmas and choosing
gifts which they know will be most accept
able to the children. The Kaiser spends
hours and hours In buying these Christ
mas presents for his family for it is one Of
his greatest pleasures to study the indi-
viduality of each child and to encourage
its development. Accordingly, the presents
are all suitably selected. and there is no
disappointment or establishment among
the imperial children. Near the Christmas
tree stand tables to bear the heavier pres
ents. one table for each child.
The giving. however. is not all on one side
Each of the imperial children gives his
father and mother several presents, bought
out OF his or her own pocket money, so that
two extra tables have to be provided for
the Kaiser and his wife. Altogether, fully
100 presents are exchanged between the
Kaiser, the Empress and their seven chill
dren. and the gifts vary from rifles for the
eldest sons to dolls for the little princess.
After the distribution OF the Christmas
presents the Kaiser and his family sit down
to supper, which on this occasion they take
alone.
The family celebration is only a small por-
ton of the Kaiser's Christmas. There are
in Germany, beside the Kaiser who is King
OF Prussia, no less than three other kings,
those of Bavaria, Saxony and Wurtemberg;
six grand dukes, those of Baden, Hesse,
Saxe-Weimar, MecklenburgStreli Meek
lenburg- Schwerin and Oldenburg; five
dukes, those Of Brunswick Sake Meiningen.
Saxe-Atenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Go and
Anhalt, and seven princes. those of
Schwarzburg-Son Schwarzburg-
Rudolstadt, Waldeck, Reuss Of the elder
line. Reuss Of the younger line. Schaumberg-