The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-18
THE CHRISTMAS ABLE.
Christmas LandsSouther
Old English Ideas
d

Around the Christmas dinner table III
the sentiment and feeling that began will
81he first Christmas spent on the shores
Z. OF the Old Dominion Mt Jamcstown: feel
& Ing and sentiment that afterward for
d many years rendered the dispensing Of
Z Christmas Hospitality in the good cheer
around the Christmas board, q thing OF
J. beauty and of open-handed, frec-handcdi
II good will that rendered its celebration
something fine and. picturesque. meni-
i Dry to Finger and to be- chcrfshdd cini4the
hearts or those with whom Christmas car
never degenerate into a thing devoid Of
tho, general exercise OF joy In giving and
In loving that is its central idea.rstiI
The Virginia Christmas dinner al ter tl.s
manner OF Its English predecessor, is q
family affair and Is eaten at home.
Around the long tab:c With u gift-laden
Christmas tree as It's center ornament,
gather at this season the scattered mem
4 bers OF the household, who come from
far ana nea 4 TO cement once again the
!. PONDS OF family affection In & the. .recpr-3
ience Of family union. Cares a nd ankle
tiles are for, tho time being laid inside.
Smiles and Jest, wit and repnrtce, mari:
the passing OF the hour, From the mo-
mcnt that the Christmas boaru Is blessed
and the feast begins. TO that time when
the last toast Is drunk md feeling over
flows In the words
5.Come make the most of Christmas Day;
sa4 Old Time steps out so fast;
Il Tho curtain rings down on the play
Twill soon be Christmas pa ~ i s Il
'.Then give the gift OF free good VII ;;esl
never comes miss t5s
For all the. world would boz n peace
X With sucl, a boon Fas this ~ - !. (. b 4
every moment FORCES a fresh link In a
chain tintfii1lks time with eternity. and
earth with heaven In the minds OF faith
I ers and mothers, children and !. grand
children. The Christmas fcstal board IS
q an institution which brings into play
D whatever liz best aild kindest Ind nobest
4 In the heart of humanity, and itadeserves
all the care and thought that the Virginia
housewife has long been accustomed to
bcstow upon 1t. "a SiS ~
i in many lands. Indeed the Christmas
" dinner has come to BIO II nota Bile feature
: in theJ celebration OF n world wide holI-
day. Wherever the Englishman.# Ameri-
p can or German may be, and whatever
else may be lacking In surroundingsl4 to
bring back the idea OF home. there Is all
ways an cffort-somctimes st is trse n
crude one-but nevertheless an effort, to
have IA Christmas dinner, The nioull-
tuineers in their eyries, the co wboys on
II tho plains. the sailors out ut sen, and the
II soldiers IN their barracks find In tho
Imitation. or the real thing some alinvia-
ton for the "hclmweh.''a which thoughts
Of the season bring to those who nre$ far
from that havenfo Of rest on Christmas
II Day. 55$ Hi
The Christmas fepst In Virginia Is
spread on Christmas Day Elsewhere It
often comes on Christmas Eve. as In
\ Germany, where the lighting Of the
Christmas tree is followed BY family
dinner and merry-mnkng; rs in Russia,
where tho 8"colntzla" Or dinner is served
when the evening star rises on Christmas
Eve, and where the feast begins by the
divlSion8of the blessed wafer, small por-
tlon OF which Is given to each person
present. IN Russn. wherever 1t Is pos.
sible, the Christmas tree appears replen-
dent, as IN Germany With tapcrs. gifts.
fruits and con fections. 585 II a
IL, Holland there is tho Christmas Eve
procession In which the Mngi or "a Yise
Men, arc synlbo'lzel by dcyout figures
carrying mn illuminated star supposed to
4 he like that which guided the htag tn
2 Bethleheln, a sumptuous dinner follows
the procession, s.,. ttl
J At the general talinn family gather-
ing OH Christmas Eve, a II ges and sizes
n uaTtake or the lilAth GELS nuts,,e cal eS
{ fruits and vegetables which are permis,
sable at this meal called tho "lnnglo.
where no meat Is allowed. The next
day capon instead OF roast turkey Is the
{,..pleca do resistance nj tho principal
Christmas feast, which also includes
''pan giailo, kind Of nut and fruit
cake. t55 M sfs.
The Filipino makes quantity, not quail.
i Is. the essential quail fcatlon Of his
Christmas menu, where chocola ties and
sweets arc required Vino. Dutch cir,
and imported beer enter into tho list OF
his Christmas drinksia .hotcl nut chewing
and smoking include apart of the Christ
mas lflcation, which Is usually crown-
ed with{musc and dancing, IN Cuba, tbs
natives MAY sit. down stost heir Chr lstnlas1
table on Christmas EyeS.a tter tl.eiN II, Ee-
wide Ia ,adIlhJ tl's 50 # Jllns- 9, l,reeYea
and the pdnys at blpsson,ipE flowers tint