The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-12-21


n IOWHERE in the world is
nj Christmas celebrated with as
N much impressiveness and re-
joicing as in Germany. In the
other Germanic countries, in Sweden,
Norway, Denmark and Holland, the
custom is somewhat similar; but not
quite as impressive. The gaily deco
rated Christmas tree, with it's many
lighted candles, which has been almost
q part of the holy festival for many
centuries in Germany, has already been
introduced in the majority of our
homes; but the tree is mere minor
tributary to the German Christmas.
The kind reader may judge for himself
from the following description of the
practice in vogue in what may be
called the homes of the German middle
class.
In the Fatherland the preparations
for the joyous festival commence many
weeks in advance of December 25th.
Everywhere in Germany prevails the
idea that the expensiveness of Christ
mas gift by no means represents the
value it has to the receiver. 1t is very
easy to buy costly presents, if one has
the money to do it with. But when
you receive from q near and dear
relative present of which you know
that it has cost the giver many days
and evenings of stealthy, secret and
diligent work, then you also know that
you have received real love gift,
which is, and ought to be, doubly
appreciated, and which must not be
judged by its monetary value. That
is why the German maidens, in the
weeks preceding Christmas, sneak
away from the family circle at all
possible hours of the day and evening,
and hurry to their own rooms where,
either alone, or in company, and by
well-closed doors, they commence to
sew, to stitch, to knit, to embroider, to
paste, to decorate. and heaven knows
what else they do, as if their very
existence depended on this work
Female skill and ingenuity often turns
out some extraordinary fine specimens
of usefulness and luxury. The larger
boys, if adapted for it, also manufac
ture Christmas gifts. Taken all in all
the large majority of presents, how
ever, are bought in stores.
IT, hn II
German households in the week before
Christmas is sight indeed: Then th'
house is cleaned, decorated and put il
its best shape from top to bottom
Then the busy housewife and he
assistants commence to fry and bake
and to turn out cake and confection
at wholesale; enough to last for man
weeks. Not that imaginative kind "a
mother used to make;;" but the kline
that mother, or her representative, cal
and does make-does make exceedingl
we'll. In many towns street fairs ar
held before Christmas, and travelin
vendors and entertainers general
reap rich harvest. In the free Cit
of Hamburg, for instance, a fair o
this kind is held from Dec. 1st to 25t
of every year, and this particular fail
called "Dom" assumes unusually larg
dimensions, and is longed for by tn
old and young Hamburgers during th
whole year.
The great event commences o
Christmas Eve. Divine service is hel
in all churches from five to fve-thirt
p. m. After that, the most exciting
but also the most pleasant hustle reigr
supreme in all homes. AS soon as th
housefather has completed all arrang
ments, has seen that all the present
have been properly placed on the man
nicely-covered tables, and that tt
splendid Christmas tree illuminat,
the large parlor with its multitui
of lighted wax candles-no 9TH
candles should be used for that pu
pose-then bell is sounded, and ever
body in the house, the family, invite
guests, and all the servants, hur
into the parlor, headed of course,
the children, whose joyful exclamation
echo through the entire building. b
it is not the presents to which th'