Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-12-17
CHRISTMAS CUSTOMS
Found in Differentcountres of Europe

1 In different nations one finds many
odd ideas regarding the Christmas sea-
son. Among the observances that grew
up by degrees all over Europe, many of
them gfotesque and absurd, and some
with profuse and unseemly accompani-
ments, were also not a few of more
pleasing and humanizing kind. and
among the rural population the brute
creation was included as interested
parties.
Among the fancies of this kind that
longest survived in Europe, and even
became naturalized in our own prosaie
land was one that the cattle, at one
o'clock on Christmas morning, when
ever they were free to do SO, would turn
their heads to the eastward and get
down upon tEeir knees to worship the
King that was born in a stable; and
still another, which continued to com
paratively recent times, that Curing the
Christmas season the barnyard cocks
were accustomed to crow with unusual
force and frequency by day and by
night.
The early inhabitants of the great
Scandinavian peninsula were aceus-
toned to celebrate, at this season, the
great festival of their gods. When the
people of the peninsula became Chris
tians although no less Jealous for their
Christmas observances, they retained
some of the old practices, and are TO this
day careful to associate with themselves
in its festivities every living thing
about them. The author of The Land
of the Midnight sun tells us in his
account of Christmas in Norway:
The Christmas feeding of the birds
is prevalent in many of the provinces of
Norway and Sweden. lunches of oats
are placed on the roofs of houses, on
trees and fences, for them to feed upon.
Two or three days before carloads of
sheaves are brought into the towns for
this purpose, and both rich and poor
buy and place them everywhere. Every
poorman and every head of family
had saved penny or two, or even one
farthing, TO buy a bunch of oats for the
day, ON many farms, the dear old horse,
the young colt, the cattle, the sheep,
the goats, aud even the pigs receive
double their usual amount of food. 1t
is beautiful custom, and speaks well
for the goodness Of heart of the Scan
dinavian.
and Bulgaria among the orthodox. If
it can possibly be avoided no one eros
SEES a strange threshold on Christmas
day. In the same countries an early
ceremony has to be performed by the
head of each household Before break
fast is served corn is placed in stock
ing, and the chief of the family sprinIx-
les little of it before tue door, saying:
Christ is born to which each OF the
inmates replies: lie is born indeed.
Then the house father has to wish, and
advancing to the hearth where logs are
burning III readiness, strikes them till
sparks fly out, with good wish for the
horses, another for the cows, another
for the goats, and 50 on through the
whole farming stock, winding up with
an extra bow for plenteous harvest.
Then the ashes are collected, a coin is
placed among them aud the whole is.
hidden or, in some districts, burned.
As for the Yule logs, they are not per-
mitted To smolder quite away, but are
carefully garnered, and the burnt ends
placed in clefts in fruit trees, SO as to
insure bouutiful croJ,