Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-12-11
CHRISTI MAS CUSTOMS
FOUND IN DIFFERENT CoUN-
TRIES OF EUROPE,
IN Many of Them the Farm Amin
Play an Important Part IN the
Observances of the
Day.

In different nations one hnds many
odd ideas regarding the Christmas sea-
son. Among the ObserNances that gre"
up by degrees all over Europe, many OF
them grotesque and absurd, and some
with profuse and unseemly accolnpahl~
ments, were also not few oil more
pleasing and humaElziEg kind, and
among the rural population the brute
creation was included as interested par
ties.
Among the faneies OF this Mind that
longest survived i'll Europe, and even
became naturalized i'll our OWN prosaiG
land, was one that the cattle, at one
o'clock on Christmas morning, N1eH-
ever they We're tree to do 80 would taEa
their heads to the eastward arc get
Gown upon their i,nees 10 worship tie
King that vas born III {, staaA siAa
SSH another. which continued 70 cG1-
paratiAely recent tilues. tEat GHr!A2 TIE
Christmas season 1he barn>arG cocfs
were accustomed to crow with unusual
force and Frequency by DAY and BY
night
The early inhabitants Of the great
i Scandinavian peninsula We're accus-
toned to celebrate at this season the
great festival of tAeir @ods, When the
people of the penn sUsa GeEame CHRIS
| tians. although 30 less Jealous Tor their
! Christmas observances. they retained
some OF the old practices, and are 70 THIS
day careful to associate with themselves
! in its festivities every living thing
about them The author of he Land
OF the Midnight Sun tells us in his
account of a Christmas III Norway
The Christmas feeding of the BIRDS
is prevalent in many of the provinces OF
Norway and Sweden. Bunches 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 Tor
this purpose. and both rich and poor
buy and place them everywhere. Every
ooorman and every head Of family
had saved a penny or two. or even one
farthing. to buy a bunch of oats for the
birds to have their Christ Mas. On this
day. on many farms Inc Gear ED horse,
the Young colt tile cattle. the sheep the
coats and even the pig receive G0tOie
their usual amount OF food. Il is a
beautiful CUSTOM and sroah- we'll for
the goodness Of heart of the Scanotna-
Wan "
A singular custom prevails in S,r1ia
and Bulgaria among tife or aoe OK I
it can possibIy be AVOIDED no one crosses
a strauec threshold on Christmas Cay,
IN the came c0Hntric, an ar.Y ceremony
has 10 be performe ty the 1oad Of each
household Btf6f breakfast is serFell
corn is PLACED IN stocking, and the
chief Of thc family sFriHtl rs little Of
il before Tin Geor saEine: Christ i
BORN" to which each oftAe inmates re-
plies: lie IS born ,u2eea Then the
house father has 10 ~tsA and adNanc-
1ne to tie hearth WlAre lG2g are @Grn-
.ne in readiness. strii 6 tom tiE
aaras Gy out. with good wish for thf
o.z.z. aso5 + for the COWS. aA9the'
~ tao .om at.l 50 o. ttroueh th'
veeaa saee. @iaslae nH WITT
fH4 ltaG.e99@ harvest
Ga44 6o..e5ad. CON j
$40 te Whole +
3a burred
A .o. f1sH arc rot Ees
e~ oa.to aWae. but ar
ga.sI ard tie hafn enc
aoea Fl a,eets il fra.t trees, 50 2s I
.asata loult.fu, crop.